Achieving Peak Performance During High Stress
NRP 2014 Current Issues Seminar
October 10, 2014
San Diego, CA
Gary Hamill, Ed.D.
Researcher: Human Performance Optimization
hamill36@comcast.net
Lou Halamek, M.D.
Stanford University School of Medicine
halamek@stanford.edu
Faculty Disclosure Information
In the past 12 months, I have no relevant financial relationships with
the manufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) and/or provider(s)
of commercial services discussed in this CME activity.
I do not intend to discuss an unapproved/investigative use of a
commercial product/device in my presentation.
Presentation Goals:
• Introduce the psychophysiological processes of stress and anxiety
• Introduce strategies that can help you perform better under pressure
What is Peak Performance?
Peak Performance = The balance among
challenge and skill characterized through
adaptation and team synchronization
What is Stress?
Stress = The imbalance among
challenges & skills with high
consequences
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety = Debilitative cognitive and
somatic arousal
Freeze, Fight, or Flight Response
•
When we are alert and feel safe, modest levels of arousal chemicals like
norepinephrine and acetylcholine help PFC cells to communicate
efficiently, giving us the power to think, remember, and plan.
•
Under stress, very high levels of these same chemicals drive a vicious
cycle inside the PFC cells, weakening synaptic connections and
disrupting communications.
http://directorsblog.nih.gov/2014/03/18/creative-minds-making-sense-of-stress-and-the-brain/
Because stress and anxiety are psychophysiological processes,
they require psychophysiological solutions…
Mental practice is one of the few, effective performance
enhancing strategies
Druckman, D., Swets, J.A., 1988. Enhancing human performance: issues, theories, and techniques. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
How is mental practice being used by other disciplines?
Russell Wilson, Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks
2014 Super Bowl Champions on his use of Visualization
How Can Mental Practice Help Resuscitations?
• Prime and orchestrate your thoughts and actions to bring
the brain online quicker to perform the resuscitation
• Diagnosis / Pattern Recognition
• Teamwork = Anticipatory Schemata
• Dexterity
• Improve learning - it performs direct operations on your memory.
The procedure comes alive in your mind to learn new aspects of a resuscitation.
Guided Imagery Demonstration - developing your mind’s
eyes, ears, and dexterity
The Mental Edge: Developing Your Training Program
Guided Imagery - Begin by listing important resuscitation steps
Video Assisted Guided Imagery - Incorporating a resuscitation video
w/guided imagery