Situational awareness in the operating room: a primer for the anesthesiologist

The concept of situational awareness (SA) is well known in the field of aviation, human factors and psychology. Understanding of its importance in the daily practice of anesthesiology is beginning to appear. All perioperative team members have a responsibility to identify both the presence and absence of SA to protect our patients as we attempt to deliver the highest quality and safest care. This article introduces the reader to some of the fundamental concepts of SA and its application to anesthesiology.