Which non-technical skills do junior doctors require to prescribe safely? A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Safety
• Human Factors in Healthcare

Background:

• Prescribing errors by junior doctors contribute significantly to patient harm.
• Junior doctors, due to inexperience, are at high risk for prescribing errors in hospital settings.
• Complex healthcare environments exacerbate the risk of prescribing errors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a prototype taxonomy of non-technical skills (NTS) for safe prescribing by junior doctors.
• To identify essential NTS for reducing prescribing errors in hospital environments.
• To establish a foundation for future training and assessment tools.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search identifying 14 studies on junior doctor prescribing.
• Framework analysis to extract prescribing behaviors and errors.
• Derivation of NTS categories from existing literature and study data.

Main Results:

• A prototype taxonomy of NTS categories was constructed.
• Identified NTS categories include situational awareness, decision making, communication, team working, and task management.
• The taxonomy outlines key elements relevant to safe prescribing.

Conclusions:

• The prototype NTS taxonomy provides a framework for improving junior doctor prescribing.
• This taxonomy will inform the development of training and assessment tools.
• The ultimate goal is to reduce prescribing errors and enhance patient safety.