It’s time to stop using the terms ‘technical and non-technical skills’ – please!
Health adopted the terms and the separation of ‘technical and non-technical skills’ from aviation. Although it has helped make some advances in safety, I believe it has also done healthcare education (and aviation) a major disservice.
Terms like “non-technical skills” or “soft skills,” undermine the perceived importance of communication and cognitive and social skills, despite their well-documented critical role in safety. Effective communication, especially in challenging situations like delivering bad news or questioning a senior’s decision, are complex and often very difficult. By labelling these skills as “non-technical,” it implies they are secondary, intangible and unmeasurable, whereas they can indeed be quantified through validated communication theory, such as Communication Accommodative Theory (CAT). Training in sectors such as healthcare (and aviation) should be grounded in theory and include practical strategies that can be practiced in realistic and authentic settings, such as simulation. Currently, communication is most frequently taught in the classroom. Reinforcing social and cognitive skills in simulation (contextualised situations), not only enhances skills but also ensures that individuals are better equipped to navigate safety concerns effectively in real practice.
The ‘skill’ must shift to the physical intervention (currently labelled ‘technical’) assessed in concert with cognitive (e.g., decision making, situational awareness) and social (e.g., communication, teamwork) skills. Theses elements should not be separated when assessing competency. If a healthcare professional can do the physical element of the skill, but not effectively communicate to the patient or the care team, then they should be deemed not yet competent.
Research shows that Gen Z’s are struggling and experiencing anxiety with verbal in-person or phone conversations. We need now more than ever to ensure we focus more acutely on these cognitive and social skills and view them as equal, or irreversibly intertwined with acquisition and maintenance of any physical skill.