Remember that complexity obscures the obvious. A checklist should make sure people don’t make stupid mistakes because they are overwhelmed by a complex situation . A critical care specialist created a five-step checklist designed to reduce I V line infections of patients in the Intensive Care Unit: Wash your hands with soap; Sterilize the patient’ s skin; Put sterile drapes over the entire patient; Wear a mask, gown, and gloves; Put a sterile dressing over the in section site. The rate of infections dropped from 11 percent to zero within a year.