The perceived importance of soft (service) skills in nursing care: A research study

Nursing education has transformed over time. While this is particularly evident in the integration of technology in pedagogy, it is not evident whether the training of soft (service) skills has also evolved effectively. Though soft (service) skills are much less tangible than technology, they are perennially relevant and important for nursing care which is essentially people-oriented. This study in Singapore was conducted to understand how soft (service) skills were being perceived by patients and their family members. Literature review on nursing pedagogy was augmented by a survey that collected the perceptions with regard to soft (service) skills in nursing care; namely, the dimensions of reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy and responsiveness. Based on quantitative data, patients and family members rated the soft (service) skills of reliability and responsiveness to be highly important for nursing care. Additionally, the participants' qualitative comments pointed toward the importance of empathy, assurance and responsiveness. The conclusion was that besides knowledge acquisition and technical competency, nursing curriculum could explicitly incorporate more soft (service) skills to enhance the care standard.