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1 results

  • 1 - On Deciding to Not Decide

  • from Section 1 - Decision-Making
  • Edited by Alex Koyfman, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Brit Long, San Antonio Military Medical Center
  • Book:
    Emergency Medicine Thinker
    Published online:
    14 March 2025
    Print publication:
    27 March 2025, pp 5-12

  • Summary

    The number of decisions an emergency clinician must make during a shift can quickly become overwhelming. Given the frequent interruptions, the suboptimal conditions, and the high levels of stress and uncertainty, it is extremely challenging for an emergency clinician to make all these decisions well – in some cases, it might even be impossible. Cognitive load theory suggests that all humans have a limited “bandwidth” (or “cognitive capacity”) that we can harness to make decisions and perform tasks. This bandwidth is typically used in three distinct ways. Intrinsic cognitive load is the bandwidth we devote to making a specific decision or performing a particular task. Extraneous cognitive load is the bandwidth that leeches into the environment around the decision or task we’re trying to accomplish; this bandwidth is spent buffering distractions and handling unrelated tasks. Finally, germane cognitive load is the bandwidth we use to learn and solidify a thought process or form a new skill.