Having good clinical skills and knowledge is imperative as a nurse, but there is more to it that you need to bring to the table. Soft skills include intangible things and are a part of your overall personality or how you interact with others. What non-clinical skills do nurses need to make them the best possible candidates for jobs and their nursing careers? Here’s a closer look.
Critical Thinking
There will be constant draws on your attention and crises that need to be handled during any day. It’s imperative that critical thinking is one of the many tools in your toolbelt. You’ll need to consider things on the fly, make fast but good decisions, and know how to implement them as you go. You need to actively assess a situation, determine the next steps, and communicate that to everyone involved.
Time Management
There are never enough hours in a day. And the best planned days can go off the rails quickly when you work in a clinical environment. You need to have strong time management skills to ensure that you can get as much done with as little time as you have in a day. You need to prioritize your regular duties and anything else throughout the day.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is comprised of self-awareness, social awareness, empathy, and the ability to regular your emotions. There will be many situations between coworkers and patients. You will need to have the emotional intelligence to assess the situation and respond empathetically without causing stress for yourself or others.
Cultural Awareness
Working in a medical environment also means interacting with many different people who have their own cultural backgrounds. You need to recognize and accept others’ cultural differences to communicate effectively and within the boundaries of expectations. Bringing cultural awareness to the table helps both patients and coworkers.
Are you looking for a nursing position in the DC area?
Call the team at NRI Medical Staffing today or browse our online job portal.
