SHELL Model Analysis

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Recommended: Patient safety and risk management

PART A
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) “patient safety is the reduction of risk of unnecessary harm associated with healthcare to an acceptable minimum”. (WHO, 2009) In the healthcare industry, maintaining patient safety is the main concern. Adverse events are “the failure of planned events to achieve their desired goal” (Reason, 1995). Once adverse events occur it is of the utmost importance to identify the underlying causes that lead to their occurrence. In healthcare, due to its complex nature, there is never a single reason why an error occurs. There are always several factors that lead to error (WHO, 2008). It is vital that these causes be indentified in order to ensure patient safety is protected at all times.
The SHELL model is “the study of the interrelationships between humans, the tools they use and the environment in which they live and work” (Molloy & O’Boyle 2005). It is widely used in the world of aviation and it is now being applied to healthcare for the analysis of incidents where errors can be fatal. The SHELL model is named after its components, Software, Hardware and Liveware. The Software relates to procedures, protocols and training, the hardware to machines and medical appliances and the livewire to human factors of doctors and other healthcare professionals. The model focuses on human factors and relates them to other factors contributing to error such as the protocols in place or the equipment being used. Using the model, the interactions between the central human operator at the “sharp end” and other components of the system can be identified and examined (Molloy & O’Boyle 2005).
In the systems approach to error prevention, barriers play an important part. These barriers whether they a...

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...rm and to ensure that changes to protocols are implemented after adverse events occur. In terms of ensuring the quality of services being provided, The Pharmacy Act 2007 allows the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) to inspect retail pharmacy businesses to ensure they are complying with the act in the interest of public safety (Oireachtas, 2007). During an investigation if the PSI inspectors find something that does not comply with the act they have the authority to take actions they see appropriate in a bid to protect patient safety.
In conclusion, healthcare is a complex industry and as such is never without risk. It is essential that protocols are in place to reduce the risk of error occurring and minimise patient harm. Error that do occur need to be investigated, analysed and it is essential that mistakes are learned from and that they don’t happen again.

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