Black box

Imagine you, a medical student, are observing a surgical procedure and everything is going to plan. In fact, it's one of those times when you are not concentrating fully and your mind is wandering, “What am I going to do this Friday night?” Suddenly the anaesthetist is looking a bit panicky and is beginning to inject more drugs, trying to adjust the endotracheal tube, and decipher the monitors at the same time. Meanwhile, the surgeon, his assistant, and the surgical senior house officer are huddled around the patient, rapidly muttering commands at each other and ordering increasing numbers of instruments from the theatre nurse. The nurse, in turn, is asking other nurses in the operating theatre to get more equipment from other theatres and supply cupboards. The patient's condition is deteriorating; the staff are becoming more agitated. A more senior anaesthetist is called to help improve the patient's critical situation;