Extensive research has shown that no matter how knowledgeable a clinician might be if they are not able to open good communication with the patient, they may be of no help. The most important soft skills in healthcare are empathy, teamwork, work ethic, stress management, positive attitude, flexibility, time management, confidence, and a receptive attitude.
PLX Academy · Personal Experience · 10 February 2022
Soft skills in healthcare
The Institute for Healthcare Communication reports that strong positive relationships are between a healthcare team member’s communication skills and a patient’s capacity to follow through with medical recommendations, self-manage a chronic medical condition, and adopt preventive health behaviors. Working in healthcare requires special skills and qualities, some that can be taught and others are part of the individual personality. In this article, we explore the most common interpersonal skills for healthcare workers.
These skills are an important aspect of professional life. They improve career prospects, help increases productivity, and are useful for other lifestyle activities. Employers are increasingly looking for these soft skills in healthcare addition to qualifications. In health and social care, these skills can be more important than certain technical skills.
1. Empathy
In healthcare, it is important to empathize with patients and the difficult situations that others are facing. According to the British Journal of General Practice, empathy is often cited as a core aspect of effective, therapeutic consultations, though there is limited research into its impact.
2. Communication Skills
The core of many workplaces is communication, but for healthcare workers, it is even more important. Healthcare workers need to speak with patients and their families in addition to routinely communicating with coworkers. The Journal of Ambulatory Care Management informs that patients’ perceptions of the quality of the healthcare they receive are highly dependent on the quality of their interactions with their healthcare clinician and team. This suggests that strong communication skills are vital for effective patient care and satisfaction.
3. Teamwork
An important trait in healthcare workers is a team player attitude. Many healthcare fields are like team sports, with many people working towards patient care. It is vital that you know how to collaborate with these peers in the best interest of the patient. A study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that higher team functioning is associated with better patient outcomes.
4. Work Ethic
Work ethic is a set of values based on hard work. There are many components of work ethic, including professionalism, punctuality, overall attitude, and behavior. Some businesses define work ethic as the belief in the moral benefit and the importance of work and its punctuality ability to strengthen character.
Because many healthcare fields require hours that go beyond your standard 9-to-5 job, future healthcare employees must nurture a strong work ethic. Healthcare is a demanding field. The hours are long. The subject matter can be grim. Without the drive to succeed in your career, you may find it stagnates.
5. Stress Management
In healthcare, lives could be at stake. That is a lot of pressure to have to handle. According to studies, healthcare workers are at high risk of burnout if they do not have proper stress-management techniques. Burnout is the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest in work.
The most successful healthcare workers not only know how to handle pressure but they also thrive on it. But to avoid burnout it is also important for healthcare workers to have good stress management practices and to know how to take a breath from their demanding careers.
6. Positive Attitude
All employees can benefit from a positive mental attitude but in healthcare, this soft skill is particularly useful. Because of the demands of the job, the stress of teamwork, and the frequent meetings with patients, it is important that healthcare workers keep a sunny outlook. The harsh realities of healthcare can easily wear someone down which can lead to stress and other negative consequences.
7. Flexibility
Because many careers in healthcare do not stick to typical 9-to-5 hours, flexibility is key to working on a team. Your peers may need you to pick up a shift or stay late. A demanding patient may take up more of your day than you planned for. Beyond just dealing with your schedule, you also need to be adaptable to handle new, different or changing environments. Healthcare fields deal with something different every day. If you don’t know how to abandon a routine and adapt easily you may struggle in your career.
8. Time Management
Time management is vital in any career but in healthcare where lives are literally on the line, it is even more important. You will often be pulled in multiple directions at work, so it is important to know how to prioritize and triage pressing matters. A health care professional’s day can be very busy and it can sometimes feel like there are not enough hours in the day. Focusing on priorities can help you be more successful in your career.
9. Confidence
Because healthcare roles are patient-facing, it is important that you project confidence in your work. According to articles in the Patient Experience Journal, confidence is recognized as one of the most influential factors to affect performance. Beyond that, according to the study, confidence resulted in higher scores on patient evaluations after treatment. Feeling confident in your skillset directly communicates with patients and affects their experience.
10. Receptive Attitude
You do not know everything, no matter how excellent your training was. A receptive attitude means you can handle criticism and enact change when needed. Even employees at the top of their game will ultimately have gaps in their knowledge due to advances in medicine, technology, and procedures. You need to have the ability to accept and learn from criticism.