Non-technical skills: identifying, training, and assessing safe behaviours (2024)

Manual of Simulation in Healthcare (2 edn)

Richard H. Riley (ed.)

Published:

2015

Online ISBN:

9780191787102

Print ISBN:

9780198717621

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Manual of Simulation in Healthcare (2 edn)

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Rhona Flin,

Rhona Flin

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Nicola Maran

Nicola Maran

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Pages

249–264

  • Published:

    October 2015

Cite

Flin, Rhona, and Nicola Maran, 'Non-technical skills: identifying, training, and assessing safe behaviours', in Richard H. Riley (ed.), Manual of Simulation in Healthcare, 2 edn (Oxford, 2015; online edn, Oxford Academic, 1 Jan. 2016), https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198717621.003.0018, accessed 17 Feb. 2024.

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Abstract

Non-technical skills such as decision-making, situation awareness, leadership, and teamworking underpin the technical skills required for safe and efficient practice. This chapter outlines the background to the non-technical skills approach which has now been adopted in healthcare. These skills have been identified for specific clinicians and the taxonomies of non-technical skills for anaesthetists (ANTS), anaesthetic practitioners (ANTS-AP), surgeons (NOTSS) and scrub nurses (SPLINTS) are described. Simulation facilities provide an ideal setting for examining the behaviours related to non-technical skills. We discuss how these behavioural rating assessment systems can be used in simulation-based training to enhance the debriefing of participants.

Keywords: non-technical skills, training, assessment, simulation, debriefing, observation, behaviour

Subject

Professional Development in Medicine Medical Skills

Collection: Oxford Medicine Online

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always … More Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheetsprovided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

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Non-technical skills: identifying, training, and assessing safe behaviours (2024)

FAQs

How to assess non-technical skills? ›

Since poorly exercised non-technical skills can lead to errors in technical areas, examining the origins of flaws and failures in technical outcomes often highlights deficiencies in non-technical skills. Non-technical skills assessments should be based on observable facts and behaviors.

What are the 4 non-technical skills? ›

Non-Technical Skills ('NTS') are interpersonal skills which include: communication skills; leadership skills; team-work skills; decision-making skills; and situation-awareness skills.

What are non-technical skills in situation awareness? ›

Associated non-technical skills are mental, social and personal skills that support technical and management skills. They help staff do their work safely and efficiently. What is situation awareness? To maintain situational awareness a person must listen, watch, understand and be able to predict what might happen.

What are non-technical skills during resuscitation? ›

The key non-technical skills are situational awareness, decision making, team working and leadership, and task management. This can be described as an individual's awareness of the environment at the moment of an event and the analysis of this to understand how an individual's actions may impact on future events.

What are examples of Non-Technical Skills? ›

What Are Non-Technical Skills?
  • Communication Skills. ...
  • Interpersonal Skills. ...
  • Critical Thinking Skills. ...
  • Self-Management Skills. ...
  • Leadership Skills. ...
  • Enable Applying Technical Skills Impactfully. ...
  • Boost Teamwork and Collaboration. ...
  • Increase Leadership Effectiveness.
Jan 16, 2024

What is non technical evaluation? ›

Non-technical questions are those that have nothing specifically to do with your technical knowledge but are more about your personality and goals. Non-technical questions and how you answer can play a big role in whether a company hires you, so it's a good idea to know how you should answer them.

What is another word for non-technical skills? ›

“Soft skills” isn't a new term. Some sources say the term originated in the 1970s within the U.S. Army. The intention was to distinguish between skills that involved working with people (soft skills) and those that involved working with machinery (hard skills).

What are human factors non-technical skills? ›

Non-technical skills (NTS) are defined as the social (teamwork, leadership, communication),cognitive (situation awareness, decision-making, cognitive readiness, task management) and personal management (stress and fatigue management) skills necessary for safe and effective performance.

How do you explain to a non-technical person? ›

How to communicate technical information to a non-technical audience
  1. Know your audience. ...
  2. Be attentive to your audience throughout your presentation. ...
  3. Incorporate storytelling when sharing technical information. ...
  4. Use visuals to explain technical information and processes. ...
  5. Avoid technical jargon when possible.

Why do we need non-technical skills? ›

Non-Technical Skills Topics

They can also be used as a foundation to help your organisation with other roles. The integration of non-technical skills (NTS) helps individuals undertake technical tasks safely, efficiently and reliably to mitigate risks and errors.

What is an example of a non-technical communication? ›

Non-technical writing can include blog posts, product descriptions, and review articles. A non-technical writer could work in any field, including journalism and copywriting.

What are non-technical skills in clinical practice? ›

Non-technical Skills (NTS) are a set of generic cognitive and social skills, exhibited by individuals and teams, that support technical skills when performing complex tasks.

What is the most important non-technical skill for a train driver? ›

Putting the top Non-Technical Skills to effective use

One rail client trained all their train drivers in their top 3 NTS including maintaining concentration, attention to detail and the anticipation of risk.

What are non-technical skills in operating room nursing? ›

Abstract. Background: Non-technical skills are cognitive and interpersonal skills underpinning technical proficiency. Ethical values and respect for human dignity make operating room nurses responsible for nursing decisions that are clinically and technically sound and morally appropriate.

What are the 7 NTS categories? ›

The RSSB categories of NTS for train drivers: Situation awareness, Decision making and action, Communication, Cooperation and working with others, Conscientiousness, Workload management, Self-management.

How do you assist non-technical people? ›

Communicating with Non-Technical Stakeholders
  1. Know Your Stakeholder. Learn about your stakeholders! ...
  2. Cut Out Tech Jargon. To increase your stakeholders' understanding, start by eliminating intimidating technical phrases and acronyms. ...
  3. Translate and Educate. ...
  4. Speak in Terms of Results. ...
  5. Use Visuals. ...
  6. Encourage questions.

How do you assess technical skills? ›

What types of tests are commonly used to assess technical skills during the recruitment process? Common tests include coding assessments, technical interviews, case studies, and hands-on projects.

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