Defining soft skills in nursing: A concept analysis

Objective: To define soft skills in nursing. Methods: This is a concept analysis using the Walker and Avant approach. Multiple electronic databases in the English language including CINAHL, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE on EBSCOhost, and Scopus were consulted. Results: Soft skills in nursing include the intrapersonal attributes, interpersonal skills, and creativity of the nurse, which, when combined with professionalism, teamwork, and effective communication skills, improve the quality of nursing care and client satisfaction. Conclusions: Although hard and soft skills are compatible and synergetic, soft skills are to be prioritized for the success of nursing care in the healthcare industry. This concept analysis adds to the body of knowledge by identifying the attributes of soft skills in nursing and revealing that a good nurse needs more than just good grades to be successful.