ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at tasks requiring some form of prospective memory (PM) which allows people to remember to do something in the future or to resume interrupted tasks. It explains concept of PM and explores how it is relevant for medical care and patient safety. The chapter discusses implications for PM-related research and medical practice and patient safety. The longer-term goal of an improved understanding of the error form is to identify how best to deal with this challenge: removing error prone situations systematically, implementing protective measures and training people to optimize performance in PM situations. By analysing PM errors in interruption situations, it will be possible to take a work analytical stance. Investigating PM errors in interruptions will help in understanding the personal redefinition of tasks. Interruptions are relevant for PM research as it might be easier to identify the underlying intention, as compared to other situations like delays in having the opportunity to execute a certain intention.
