Soft Skills Teaching by Top-Ranked U.S. Nursing Faculty.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Workforce Development

Background:

• Prior research confirms the necessity of soft skills for professional achievement.
• Limited studies explore faculty emphasis on teaching these crucial skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how top-ranked U.S. nursing faculty integrate soft skills training into their curriculum.
• To understand the extent to which nursing education prepares students for workplace success through soft skills development.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered in Spring 2020 to faculty at 25 leading U.S. nursing schools.
• The survey targeted faculty who had taught bachelor's or master's students within the preceding two years.
• A total of 144 faculty members completed the survey (response rate: 7%).

Main Results:

• A significant majority of nursing faculty perceive soft skills as highly important for students.
• Most faculty members feel a sense of responsibility for imparting these essential skills.
• Faculty reported teaching a variety of soft skills to their students.

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest that most nursing faculty actively teach soft skills.
• When soft skills are taught, faculty are also likely to provide constructive feedback to students.
• This indicates a proactive approach within top nursing programs to enhance student employability through soft skills education.