Aiming for excellence – A simulation-based study on adapting and testing an instrument for developing non-technical skills in Norwegian student nurse anaesthetists

There is increasing focus on building safety into anaesthesia practice, with excellence in anaesthesia as an aspirational goal. Non-technical skills are an important factor in excellence and improved patient safety, though there have been few systematic attempts at integrating them into anaesthesia nursing education. This study aimed to test the reliability of NANTS-no, a specially adapted behavioural marker system for nurse anaesthetists in Norway, and explore the development of non-technical skills in student nurse anaesthetists. The pre-test post-test design incorporated a 10-week simulation-based programme, where non-technical skills in 14 student nurse anaesthetists were rated on three different occasions during high-fidelity simulation, before and after taking part in a training course. NANTS-no demonstrated high overall inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.91), high test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.94) and good internal consistency (Cronbach's α of 0.85–0.92). A significant improvement was demonstrated across all categories of non-technical skills, with greatest improvements between the first and third and second and third sessions. There was also a significant improvement in two categories between the first and second sessions. NANTS-no is therefore suitable for assessing non-technical skills during simulation training in anaesthesia nursing education. More research is needed to validate its use in clinical practice. •Non-technical skills (NTS) contribute to excellent and safe anaesthesia nursing care.•Currently, little systematic NTS integration in anaesthesia nursing education.•NANTS-no is a skills taxonomy and behavioural marker system for Norwegian nurse anaesthetists.•NANTS-no can reliably assess student nurse anaesthetists' NTS during simulation training.