#282 Building Safer Anesthesia Teams In A Locum-Driven World

Ever walked into a new OR and spent the first ten minutes hunting for an airway bougie or a computer log-in that actually works? We dig into the hidden safety risks of a transient anesthesia workforce and share practical, fast-moving fixes that keep patients safe while keeping rooms open. With staffing shortages reshaping coverage models across the United States and beyond, locum clinicians are essential—but inconsistent environments, unclear escalation paths, and fragmented communication can turn small friction points into big hazards.We unpack what the current evidence says—and doesn’t—about locum-related outcomes. A UK qualitative study surfaces predictable threats like unfamiliar systems and weak team integration, while primary care data shows prescribing differences without higher adverse events. In anesthesia, large safety studies are scarce, so leaders must rely on smart design: targeted orientation, standardized room setups, and shared mental models that don’t depend on who’s on the schedule. We also talk dollars and sense, highlighting a simulation-based break-even estimate for when full-time hiring outperforms locum coverage, and how to weigh cost without compromising safety.From the main OR to higher-risk non-operating room anesthesia sites, we outline concrete steps that work across settings. Limit initial deployment to oriented locations, add locum staff to all communication channels from day one, and use checklists, cognitive aids, and universal timeouts to reduce variability. Establish clear role definitions and escalation trees posted in every anesthetizing location, and fold temporary clinicians into audits, feedback loops, and ongoing education. The aim is simple: compress the ramp-up, eliminate guesswork, and make the safe action the easy action—even when teams change daily.If you care about perioperative safety, access, and team resilience, this conversation gives you a playbook to act now. Subscribe, share with a colleague who onboards locums, and email your best orientation tip so we can feature it on a future show.For show notes & transcript, visit our episode page at apsf.org: https://www.apsf.org/podcast/282-building-safer-anesthesia-teams-in-a-locum-driven-world/© 2025, The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation