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Crew Resource Management Training

Background

“[An intervention] designed to improve teamwork by teaching team members to use all available resources (e.g., information, equipment, and people) through effective team coordination and communication” (Shuffler et al., 2018, p. 19).

Crew resource management training teaches team members to use all available resources, rather than just the resources they routinely use, to improve teamwork, communication, and decision-making.

Signs that a team could benefit from crew resource management training include poor communication, lack of coordination, and excessive human errors. Other signs could include a lack of shared decision making or difficulty managing stress.

  • Shuffler, M. L., DiazGranados, D., Salas, E., & Coutu, D. L. (2018). Developing, sustaining, and maximizing team effectiveness—An integrative, dynamic perspective of team development interventions. Academy of Management Annals, 12(2), 688–724. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2016.0045

Relevant Readings

  • Gross, B., Rusin, L., Kiesewetter, J., Zottmann, J. M., Fischer, M. R., Prückner, S., & Zech, A. (2019). Crew resource management training in healthcare: A systematic review of intervention design, training conditions and evaluation. BMJ Open, 9(2), e025247. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025247
    • Gross et al. (2019) review Crew Resource Management training in healthcare, noting its popularity for improving patient safety by addressing human factors. They find diverse approaches, a lack of common definitions and reporting standards, and emphasize the need for more research on effective implementation within healthcare organizations.
  • Haller, G., Garnerin, P., Morales, M.-A., Pfister, R., Berner, M., Irion, O., Clergue, F., & Kern, C. (2008). Effect of crew resource management training in a multidisciplinary obstetrical setting. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 20(4), 254–263. https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzn018
    • Haller et al. (2008) assess a Crew Resource Management training in a multidisciplinary obstetrical setting. The study demonstrates that this training is well accepted and significantly improves interprofessional teamwork and communication skills among healthcare professionals. It also contributes to a positive change in the hospital's team and safety climate and improves stress recognition.
  • Helmreich, R. L., & Wilhelm, J. A. (1991). Outcomes of crew resource management training. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 1(4), 287–300. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327108ijap0104_3
    • Helmreich and Wilhelm (1991) find that Crew Resource Management training is generally viewed favorably and typically improves attitudes towards crew coordination. However, they also observe that some participants react negatively to the training.
  • Salas, E., Prince, C., Bowers, C. A., Stout, R. J., Oser, R. L., & Cannon-Bowers, J. A. (1999). A methodology for enhancing crew resource management training. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 41(1), 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1518/001872099779577255
    • Salas et al. (1999) present their methodology for developing effective Crew Resource Management (CRM) training. They emphasize a systematic, theoretically based approach focused on improving teamwork skills to prevent human error in the cockpit. Their research demonstrates that targeted CRM training can lead to better crew performance.
  • Salas, E., Wilson, K. A., Burke, C. S., & Wightman, D. C. (2006). Does crew resource management training work? An update, an extension, and some critical needs. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 48(2), 392–412. https://doi.org/10.1518/001872006777724444
    • Salas et al. (2006) review Crew Resource Management training evaluations and find that while trainees react positively, the impact on learning and behavior is mixed across domains. The effect on organizational safety remains unclear due to limited systematic research. The authors emphasize the need for standardization and better data access.