Resume Tips: Must-have soft skills to highlight in a nurse resume

What are soft skills exactly? What is the difference between hard and soft skills?

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific industry-related techniques or academic knowledge that you learn either at school or through job training. For example, programming, business planning strategies, or construction techniques, etc.

Soft Skills

Soft skills are interpersonal skills. These are so-called people skills that characterize a person's relationships with other people and your work ethic. Most of the soft skills are not taught academically. They reflect your emotional intelligence and life experiences. For example, how well do you communicate with various types of personalities, how well do you make friends or motivate yourself to work and grow? Soft skills cover various aspects, such as verbal and written communication, confidence, and creativity. In a workplace, soft skills complement hard skills.

Hard skills and technicalities in each profession are undeniably different, yet soft skills are important in any job. Nowadays, recruiters and employers pay closer attention to interpersonal skills, therefore, think about how to improve these skills and show them to recruiters.

With the increased competition in nursing sector, it is crucial to highlight your skills in a way that set you apart from the crowd. Even if people skills do not come easily to you, you can learn those with the right motivation and support. Here are some soft skills you could include in your.

Effective communication

Effective communication is one of the key skills in healthcare. Medical professionals interact with individuals throughout the day. A nurse will communicate with doctors, other employees, patients and their families of all ages. In a fast-paced and often stressful work environment like a hospital, communication abilities are vital. Nurses must be able to convey information properly, quickly, and calmly regardless of the circumstances. Nurses also must properly document patient and treatment data. These notes can be used as legal evidence in court cases if it ever comes to that. If the handover is incomplete, it may cause in serious mistakes in treatments that risk the patient's health and possibly life. Every hospital needs nurses that are outstanding communicators in order to maintain a smooth-paced work environment.

Teamwork

Effective teamwork reduces medical mistakes, improves patient safety, and lowers patient death rates. It also leads to lower stress levels among employees and increased work satisfaction. With all advantages that a nurse with excellent cooperation soft skills may provide a hospital, any employer will be glad to see this not just on your CV but also in your professional life.

Organization

As a nurse, often you will be responsible for several patients simultaneously. One of the most crucial skills a nurse might have is knowing what has to be done and when. Ability to prioritize activities and keep everything under control while paying attention to details without feeling overwhelmed or upset is not for the faint-hearted. This is a soft skill that employers value, so include it on your CV and show it in your daily work life.

Leadership

Nurses often take command of situations based on their expertise and experience, therefore, leadership qualities can definitely be beneficial. Signs of excellent leadership skills involve helping less experienced colleagues through regular procedures or taking command and, therefore taking responsibility when a doctor is unavailable. One day you could be in charge of an entire department or a unit and excellent leadership and management abilities will be quite important.

Adaptability

Adaptability is a skill that most healthcare providers strive for in their workers. Last-minute changes, unplanned situations may happen every day. Ability to adapt and adjust to a situation and respond quickly is a valuable skill set to have. You may help a scared youngster or an old person, dealing with an unstable individual or someone who could be aggressive, or assisting a woman in childbirth. Regardless of the situation, nurses should be able to adjust to any situation quickly while remaining calm.

Problem-solving skills

The ability to find solutions to various problems is a quality that every business or industry would value in an employee. It shows ability to take responsibility and work independently. Whether it is an aggressive patient or an impatient visitor at the hospital, it is critical to remain professional at all times and handle situations calmly and avoid escalation.