The 6 best soft skills for nurses to provide a better patient experience

Nurses are the heart and soul of patient care.

We are the most visible part of the healthcare team and deliver the most direct care to the patient. We are the ones left explaining what the physician has communicated to the patient.

We are the ones left helping the patient process treatment plans in ways that impact their response and outcome. We constantly assess and document patient care while responding quickly to these results.

The experience patients have is predominantly based on the nursing care provided. To be a proficient nurse and provide optimal care and a better patient experience for your patients, you need hard and soft skills. 

Hard skills are measurable and quantifiable skills that pertain to a specific area of expertise. They are taught through formal training and education. Soft skills are subjective personal attributes required to succeed in a work environment.

These are developed over time with experience and are difficult to measure. Below are six top soft skills essential to providing a better patient experience

Communication

Imagine you identify a critical need for a patient. Maybe you need to know the appropriate questions to ask a patient to be able to dig deep to understand their condition and how this relates to their care. Perhaps your patient and their family are making a difficult treatment decision. Suppose your patient has had a decline in health, and you must provide detailed information to oncoming staff or the provider managing their care.

Communicating and documenting important information related to patient care is critical to the patient's outcome and experience. Effective and complete documentation is an essential part of the patient’s care and health records. Other healthcare team members rely heavily on nurses' communication, which impacts their roles, decisions, and care. It is imperative to have exceptional communication skills to collaborate effectively with your patient, their family, physicians, advanced practice providers, and all team members. 

Critical thinking & creative problem solving

Nurses must think fast and do faster. We have the innate ability to be several steps ahead of a patient situation and different scenarios - which is the exact thing that makes us extraordinary caregivers. To do this, we must be critical thinkers and master problem solvers. It is vital to process information and data rapidly in order to apply it to changing patient conditions. Understanding disease process concepts and applying them clinically is necessary to deliver optimal care.

Adaptability

Adapting to changing situations and patient health statuses is a critical skill necessary to provide optimal care. The ability to adjust your sails during any given time to meet the needs of the patient or your team is crucial. A nurse’s adaptability directly impacts patient care and outcomes. Being able to thrive in the changing environment of the healthcare setting is a key soft skills

Initiative & strong work ethic

Taking the initiative to do what needs to be done, often during challenging times, is something nurses do daily that can be demanding. Often this is a difficult task or a tough conversation with a patient. Working hard and helping other team members is key and goes along with being a strong nurse with leadership skills. The cohesiveness of a unit depends on a strong work ethic and taking the initiative to meet the needs of the patient.

Professionalism & conflict resolution

How we outwardly appear to our colleagues and patients directly impacts our patient’s perception of their care and trust in their providers. When we interact with our patients with respect and professionalism, they feel confident in the care provided. Conducting ourselves professionally with our colleagues sets up mutual respect where information and communication flow freely, enhancing collaboration.

Conflict resolution is a crucial component of being professional. The ability to resolve matters in a way that is respectful and calm leads to a healthy work environment that positively impacts patient care. Professionalism also includes keeping up with organizational education requirements and seeking professional development - all of which keep nurses current on regulations and competencies.

Compassion, empathy, & resilience 

Showing patients compassion and empathy are critical in impacting their experience. When patients feel heard, cared for, and understood, they feel confident in their care team, which affects their care. When patients are confident in their care team, they are happier. This reduces the stress of the nurse, but more importantly, it impacts the patient outcome. 

Resilience is the ability to face challenging situations while remaining focused and optimistic. Being resilient is tied to being mindful of your physical and mental health and how these directly impact your ability to provide compassionate and empathetic care to others. Prioritizing caregiver well-being and health is crucial to patient safety, quality of care, and patient experience

Soft skills can be difficult to measure, yet they are essential to the success of a nurse and the patient experience. 

In the current state of healthcare, patients have a higher acuity of illness, reduced lengths of stay, and are often transferred to multiple units. These all impact their care, experience, and hospital reimbursement making skilled nursing imperative. Underdeveloped soft skills can lead to a breakdown in communication, medication and treatment errors, job dissatisfaction, and poor patient experiences – all of which lead to poor patient outcomes.

Now is a great time to reflect on your soft skills and consider ways they can be maintained and improved.