The Struggling Resident

Abstract

The article discusses the use of nontechnical performance assessment systems to avoid Pygmalion and learned helplessness in a new struggling resident in the anesthesiology department. It relates the three interrelated process that result from the poor ability of addressing the nontechnical skills problems of new residents. These include the unmet challenge of assessing the nontechnical skills which lead to vague performance judgment. It also mentions the Pygmalion phenomenon which refer to the self-fulfilling prophecy in various areas like teaching, parenting, and mentoring. Moreover, it states elaborates learned helplessness in clinical settings which pertains to the symptoms of depression. The use of the Anesthetists' Non-Technical Skills (ANTS) system is also highlighted.