Overall, I’m so thankful for the Telluride Experience. After hiking all weekend with plenty of time to reflect, I think interprofessional relationships are vital for our ability to speak up about safety concerns. Following the conference, my friends and I set off hiking through the snow-covered San Juans. We frequently lost the trail. We’d say “Hey, I think the trail actually goes up that way,” or “careful, that rock is loose” when crossing a river. We set expectations when we knew the trail was poorly marked or steep and snow-covered. We promised that if one person felt uncomfortable, we’d turn around. We were hiking outside our skill sets, and when one person felt we were getting into too much snow, we kept our promise and turned around without challenging her decision. Why are we so hesitant to speak up like this in a professional setting, when someone else’s life is at stake?
