Communication Under Pressure: Pre-Hospital Lessons with Dr Stephen Hearns

Communication under pressure is one of the most critical and most fragile skills in pre-hospital care. When it fails, the consequences can be immediate and profound. In this episode, we explore why communication breaks down in high-stress environments, what that costs us clinically, and, crucially, what we can do to improve it. Joining me is Dr Stephen Hearns, one of the most influential figures in emergency and retrieval medicine. A consultant in emergency and aeromedical retrieval medicine, he is the founding force behind Scotland’s Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS), a government-funded critical care organisation delivering advanced pre-hospital care across some of the UK’s most remote and challenging environments. With over 30 years of experience spanning HEMS, mountain rescue, expedition medicine, and medico-legal practice, Stephen is a globally recognised authority on human performance under pressure. He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, has published extensively on human factors in acute care, and has played a key role in developing postgraduate education in retrieval and transfer medicine.Further reading relevant to this episode from Stephen can be found here:⁠ https://corecognition.co.uk/performance-infographics/8-tools-to-improve-communication-under-pressureLearn more about Core Cognition:⁠https://corecognition.co.uk/⁠