The Emergency Mind Podcast

EP 63: Shannon McNamara, MD, on Complexity and Emergence

Jun 16, 2022
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INSIGHT

Complexity Defined

  • Complexity arises from interdependent parts with uncertain outcomes and decentralized control.
  • Emergent properties, like a flock of birds, result from non-linear interactions within the system.
INSIGHT

Resuscitation as Emergent Phenomenon

  • Resuscitation is an emergent phenomenon, unpredictable and intractable, like a flock of birds.
  • There's no single perfect way to do it; it's the intangible act of saving a life.
ANECDOTE

Linear Thinking in Resuscitation

  • Dr. McNamara observed team members blaming themselves for patient deaths, attributing outcomes to single actions.
  • This linear thinking contrasts with the complex reality of resuscitation.
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