Ep 277 - Cognitive HALOs and Advanced Simulation Training with Halden Hutchinson-Bazely at BASICs 2025

Recorded at the BASICS Conference 2025, Iain talks with Haldon “Hutch” Hutchinson-Basley about the idea of a “cognitive HALO” — those rare moments where your mental bandwidth hits maximum power.

Hutch describes a traumatic cardiac arrest he encountered alone, with no warning and no crewmate to share the load. He explains how he recognised cognitive overload and used simple strategies — “lighting a flare”, “norming the abnormal”, and dropping tasks he couldn’t safely achieve — to regain decision-making space.

The discussion links this experience to his work on the ATACC course and the emerging SPEAR programme, exploring how realistic, human-centred simulation prepares clinicians to function when the stakes and stress are highest.

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