We found the special article on fixation errors by Fioratou et al. [1] fascinating, so much so we presented it at our journal club. Our usual practice is to circulate the title of the article beforehand. However, in this case we avoided doing so in order to be able to set the attending anaesthetists the cheap necklace problem to solve. None of the other anaesthetists present had read the article before our meeting. We were surprised to find that a third of those present (24 anaesthetists of mixed grades) were able to solve the problem, in its original form in half the time allocated (5 minutes).The pursuant debate about fixation was of value, and the necklace problem deemed a good illustration, especially by the smug solvers. We wondered whether the glass of wine, which accompanies our evening journal club effectively reduces fixation, and whether as a group of anaesthetists we are less prone to fixation error than a class of psychology students. Perhaps some of our colleagues are just quick fixers.

F Haigh

G van Hasselt 

Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Poole, UK

E-mail: fran@haighs.eu

References

1.  Fioratou E, Flin R, Glavin R. No simple fix for fixation errors: cognitive
     processes and their clinical applications. Anaesthesia 2010; 65: 61-69.