The medical culture, unfortunately, often includes doctors who are just plain rubbed the wrong way by such a tool. Surgeons, in particular, view themselves as individuals whose skill and reputation are all that is needed in the OR. Gawande uses a WHO study to show that surgical complications dropped by more that one-third when checklists were used.
The checklists includes such items as: making sure everyone in the OR knows everyone else’s name; that blood for a transfusion is on-hand; and that the pre-op was performed correctly. Medicine, he says, has become so incredibly complex that mistakes are virtually inevitable.
The Huffington Post (Jan. 6,2011) has a quick review of the book, followed by a 6 minute video clip of Gawande being interviewed recently on the Steven Colbert show. (Note that you have to scroll down about 6″ to get to the video link). I am not a huge fan of the show, but somehow I think your students will find it hilarious. They seem to understand his humor, and at the same time, Gawande does make his point about checklists.