Communication
Nurses need to listen actively to understand symptoms and concerns from patients. They also need to listen to and understand the doctor’s orders to carry out treatments for patients properly. Since nurses handle a lot of patient education, being able to clarify complex medical concepts in easy-to-understand terms is essential. Nurses also need to be able to explain patient symptoms and vitals verbally to doctors and use written communication to document information.
Empathy
An empathetic nurse can understand how patients feel when facing a medical emergency or scary diagnosis. Emotional intelligence helps them provide compassionate patient care and build positive relationships that encourage patients to stay with your practice. It can also help nurses understand that patient anger or outbursts are typically a reaction to a difficult situation rather than a personal attack.
Problem-solving
Fast critical thinking and problem-solving skills can save patients’ lives, fix issues to improve care or catch something that other people missed. It’s also helpful to have a critical eye and strong analytical skills to evaluate situations. These skills help nurses make informed decisions that best help patients. Nurses should be confident in their choices and comfortable with being decisive so they can offer essential care quickly.
Accountability
Nurses often need to act quickly, especially in medical emergencies. Even in slower-paced tasks, they have decisions to make. Accountability is a crucial soft skill for nurses when making those choices and after the fact.
Able to handle high-pressure situations
The medical field is often stressful and high-pressure. In hospitals, especially the emergency department, there are many intense situations. Nurses need to stay calm and controlled at all times to provide the best possible patient care no matter what the circumstances are.
Teamwork
Teamwork is another skill needed to be a nurse. Being able to work effectively with other staff members is essential to creating a positive team culture. Teamwork also strengthens patient care by ensuring nurses, doctors and all members of the care team communicate well and collaborate to provide proper care and treatment.
Professionalism
Nurses face a range of situations, including some frustrating things like disrespectful patients. Remaining professional at all times helps your nurses represent your practice well. Professionalism helps nurses build trust with patients, and it helps them avoid getting too emotionally invested in patients to protect their mental health.
Conflict resolution
Medical tasks sometimes involve conflict when patients are upset or care providers disagree on a course of treatment. Other conflicts might arise around interpersonal issues, coworker egos and ethics. Knowing how to mediate these situations and diffuse tense encounters helps maintain a professional work environment.
FAQs about nursing skills
Why are soft skills important?
Soft skills allow nurses to build relationships with patients and handle challenging situations well. They’re necessary for collaborating with other care providers, and soft skills help nurses interact with patients and their families to ensure they get proper care.
Can you teach soft skills?
Many soft nursing skills are things people have naturally. Some people are innately empathetic, work well on a team and can stay calm in a high-stress situation. Certain soft skills can be improved with practice. You can make a conscious effort to listen actively to others or explain what you mean clearly, but most soft skills are difficult to teach. That’s why it’s important to interview for emotional intelligence and other soft skills to ensure you find candidates with the right skills.
Are hard skills or soft skills more important for nurses?
Effective nurses need both technical, or hard skills, and soft skills. The technical skills ensure they give proper care and treatment to patients, which is essential to protecting them. However, hard skills are things nurses can learn. Soft skills can also be crucial in giving patients the care they need and working well with the team, but you usually can’t teach them. Finding someone with a mix of hard and soft nursing skills is ideal.
