The Importance of Developing Soft Skills in Nursing
Written by:
University of Tulsa
• Jan 22, 2024
Nurses wear many hats in the performance of their duties. From administering medication to documenting care, nursing professionals are expected to learn and apply many different skills. Much of their work involves various forms of communication, such as verbal and written communication, active listening, and nonverbal communication that can reassure patients.
While nurses need technical expertise in health care-related areas, a 2024 research review published by the Annals of Internal Medicine found that nearly one in four patient safety incidents were caused by poor communication. However, that is just one soft skill that’s essential to clinical success. Prospective nurses would do well to review the most beneficial soft skills in nursing and why they’re important for a successful career. Nurses can develop these skills through nursing education, such as an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program.
What Are Soft Skills in Nursing?
Soft skills are non-technical skills that can help nurses improve their performance in personal, professional, and educational settings. Soft skills help support patients and help nurses adapt to a specific setting for quality care. Along with evidence-based practice in nursing, soft skill development can help prepare nurses to take the next step in their career journeys. Explore the following soft skills to see how they relate to nursing.
Communication
Professional communication in nursing takes on several different forms. While verbal and written communication are crucial — speaking to patients and physicians, taking notes during visits — nonverbal communication can also speak volumes. Neglecting to make eye contact, crossing arms, or intruding into personal space can convey negative messages that affect patients’ sense of wellbeing. Actively listening to patients is also critical, as it helps nurses gain insights that impact care strategy.
Professional communication skills are essential nursing. Without them, dangerous situations can arise, even misdiagnoses. A nurse communicating with other nurses and with physicians, for example, needs to describe patient symptoms and requests to provide effective treatment. Clear communication helps avoid mistakes, shows empathy, and improves information accuracy.
Problem Solving
While some nursing duties are relatively straightforward, many require nuanced problem-solving abilities. Assessing patients, considering care options, and allocating resources are all elements of problem solving. Being able to review options and decide on the best solutions is an essential soft skill in nursing.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to show concern and understanding when others experience difficult, emotional situations. Communicating with empathy is a critical skill for nurses, whether communicating with coworkers, patients, or patients’ families.
Collaboration
Nurses often work as part of a larger medical team to assess and treat patients. Collaborating with doctors, nursing assistants, administrative staff, and patients can promote a positive work environment. Nurses should have excellent collaboration and teamwork skills to produce optimal clinical outcomes.
Conflict Resolution
Nurses often face stressful situations. This stress can come from a lack of communication, misunderstandings, or many other factors. Conflict resolution, one of the key soft skills in nursing, helps reduce frustration and makes it easier to find solutions for workplace disagreements. Using active listening and other conflict resolution techniques can be helpful for decision-makers and anyone else involved in the care process.
Networking
While many soft skills in nursing involve daily tasks, networking can help nurses succeed in a broader sense. Building and maintaining professional networks can help nurses find new employment opportunities, learn about training options, and prepare for the next steps in their careers.
Strategies for Developing Soft Skills
Nurse education and nurse mentoring are key factors in developing a well-rounded nursing skill set. By learning from educators and mentors, nurses can develop soft skills that are essential in the classroom and the workplace.
Developing Soft Skills Through Nurse Education
In degree programs, educators model soft skills and offer opportunities to practice them in classroom settings. Online classrooms offer flexible learning environments where nurse leaders demonstrate soft skills and teach concepts that promote soft skill development. Both BSN and MSN programs emphasize the importance of interpersonal skills alongside technical expertise.
Developing Soft Skills Through Nurse Mentoring
Nurse mentors demonstrate effective soft skills that are applied in the workplace and through daily interactions with patients and coworkers. Seeing soft skills in action can be a powerful learning technique. Mentors can also work with nurses individually to point out growth opportunities as they develop these crucial skills.
How Nursing Programs Build Soft Skills
Nursing programs help students develop soft skills through a holistic approach. Rather than focusing solely on academic material covering hard skills such as patient assessment and pharmacology, educators promote a contextual view of care delivery. This means putting nursing students in situations that require soft skills, including simulations and clinical rotations where students interact with real patients.
One way to incorporate soft skills into a nursing curriculum is through Roy’s Adaptation Model. Developed by Sister Callista Roy in 1976, this theoretical framework immerses students in collaborative situations that emphasize the biological, psychological, and social systems that impact care delivery in the nurse/patient dynamic.
The Roy’s Adaptation Model is designed to help nurses recognize each patient’s unique needs. This helps them adjust care delivery strategies through assessing patients’ behavior and response to stimuli, setting goals based on those observations, and working with patients to develop healthier habits. A background in these principles helps nurses deliver compassionate care rooted in well-developed interpersonal skills.
Explore More Ways to Develop Soft Skills
If you’re interested in building soft skills in nursing, consider the educational opportunities available to help you advance your career. Request more information about the online Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at The University of Tulsa today to find out if you qualify to earn a BSN in as little as 21 months.
Recommended Readings
How to Become a Research Nurse
The Benefits of Making a Career Change to Nursing
The Most Important Leadership Skills for Nurses
Sources:
Indeed, “Communication Skills in Nursing: Definition and Examples”
Indeed, “What Are Soft Skills for Nurses? (With 12 Examples)”
