Error as Drama

Abstract

The commentary by Shakespeare that “All the world is a stage…” as well as the drama related words in common usage suggest a method for addressing issues of human performance. Insights provided by the analogy of error as drama include: a script governs all aspect of the actors' performances in that they react and interact with factors in the setting, the context, determined by the script; the outcome of the performance of different actors in the same role is nearly the same; and performance involves the passage of time. Thus to alter performance to reduce error, it is the script, the context, that needs to be changed, and a snapshot of performance at one point in time as in many error-reporting activities, provides a paucity of information about performance. The value of the analogy in identifying error-inducing factors in the context of health care is illustrated by its application to an example of medication misadministration.