Soft skills are non-technical skills that shape the way you are able to interact with other people. Although you will work through a curriculum that can teach soft skills in an RN to BSN degree program, you’re likely to have opportunities to continually refine your soft skills through work experience. Some of the top soft skills nurses need are as follows.
1. Communication Skills
Communication skills are good nursing skills to have. Nurses work as members of a collaborative team, communicating regularly with other nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals. Of course, nurses also interact regularly with their patients and family caregivers.
It’s essential for nurses to not only be able to express themselves well orally and in writing, but also to be active listeners. They need to know how to use positive, confident body language, as well as how to interpret the nonverbal cues of their patients.1
2. Leadership Skills
Leadership skills are a type of interpersonal skill that all nurses can benefit from having, whether or not they hold a leadership-related job title.1 A nurse who is a capable leader is someone who acts as a strong advocate for their patients. They must also lead their team by example, such as by demonstrating exemplary professional ethics and a commitment to ongoing professional development.
When you explore the possibility of returning to school to enroll in an RN to BSN degree program, consider looking for a program that offers a course in nursing leadership and management. This may allow you to examine different leadership styles and the skills that effective nurse leaders need.
These leadership skills will be particularly crucial if you decide you want to pursue a high-level role as a nurse manager. Nurse managers need strong leadership skills as they carry out their predominantly administrative and managerial tasks. It should be noted that nurse managers may also need a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in addition to a BSN.2
3. Critical Thinking Skills
As a working nurse, you already know that a major part of your job involves assessing a situation and then applying your nursing knowledge to develop an appropriate clinical response. This is a type of critical thinking skill. Critical thinking and problem solving are aided by being open-minded and oriented toward creating positive outcomes.1
4. Professionalism and Ethics
As a nurse, you may have been drawn to the healthcare field because it offered you the opportunity to make a positive difference in your community by helping others in need.
Nurses must have a commitment to placing the best interests of their patients first and foremost. They must cultivate a genuine concern for their patients and a dedication to upholding their patients’ dignity. Sound professional ethics for a nurse are predicated upon:1
- Respectfulness toward all
- A positive attitude
- An embrace of collaboration
- Personal integrity
- Intrinsic self-discipline
- An acute sense of responsibility and personal accountability
5. Adaptability
A hospital or other healthcare facility is often an unpredictable work environment. Nurses are generally placed in charge of multiple patients per shift, and any of them may develop sudden changes in their health status at any given time. The unit’s schedule is also subject to change at a moment’s notice. In short, nurses can benefit from being adaptable and flexible, with strong time management skills and emotional resilience.1
