I can't tell you all how incredibly helpful this has been and I deeply appreciate the information that you have shared (and the personal exchanges that have resulted.)
In addition to the Orlady's book reference, I have also been pointed to a one act play "Charlie Victor Romeo." They have their own web site at
www.charlievictorromeo.com. It is based on cockpit voice recordings and discusses decision making. Note that they do not use only fatal incidents. The play won several major awards. I am trying to track down a copy of the script.
I am intrigued by the co-pilot analogy. Physicians have 'co-pilots' only during medical school and residency training (after medical school for training in specific specialties). Later they are on their own often with little on-going 'supervision.'
I do agree that there may be something to the distancing of the physician from the event - - it happens to someone else. Also, with medical care, it is often possible to 'rectify' and error on the run. A wrong medication dose can often be counteracted. And there is often a prolonged warning that something is going wrong.
As I write this I continue to be struck by the similarity in language that physicians and pilots use. A patient going bad is said to be 'crashing.' A patient who had a bad, unexpected outcome is said to have 'crashed and burned.' When things are not going well 'alarm bells are going off.'
With your collective permission, I hope to continue this thread as things develop here.
Bill