title: Non-technical skills in histopathology: definition and discussion.
abstract: Health care is a high-risk industry, with most documented adverse incidents being associated with 'human factors' including cognitive and social skills termed 'non-technical skills'. Non-technical skills complement the diagnostic and specialist skills and professional attributes required by medical practitioners, including histopathologists, and can enhance the quality of practice and delivery of health-care services and thus contribute to patient safety. This review aims to introduce histopathologists to non-technical skills and how these pertain to everyday histopathological practice. Drawing from other domains in medicine, specifically anaesthesia and surgery, a variety of non-technical skills are identified and described in the context of histopathology to illustrate the role each plays, often collectively, in daily practice. The generic non-technical skills are defined as situation awareness, decision-making, communication, teamwork, leadership, managing stress and coping with fatigue. Example scenarios from histopathology are presented and the contributions to outcomes made by non-technical skills are explained. Consideration of these specific non-technical skills as a component in histopathology training may benefit practitioners as well as assuring patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, UK. peter.johnston@abdn.ac.uk
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Evie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fioratou
authors.forename: Rhona
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flin
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007857:Leadership; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards