Nurses’ and Midwives’ Perceptions of Top Nursing Soft Skills for Teaching and Practice in Ghana

Introduction The world is in an era where healthcare professionals require training in soft skills to improve their caring ability. Regrettably, a concise compilation of nursing soft skills remains empirically unclassified. Objectives This study described a perceived list of soft skills necessary in nursing, as itemized by nurses and midwives in Ghana. Methods This descriptive qualitative study employed semistructured interviews with nurses and midwives from three regions of Ghana regarding key soft skills needed in nursing and midwifery. We conducted individual, face-to-face, in-depth interviews with nursing and midwifery educators and practising clinical nurses. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the interview data after transcription. Results Twenty-seven nurses and midwives, comprising 18 clinical practitioners and nine educators, were selected and interviewed. Following analysis, two primary categories emerged: one comprising nurse educators instructing soft skills and the other consisting of practising clinical nurses’ soft skills. Whereas educators thought of key soft skills as communication, collaboration, and clinical reasoning, the nurse clinicians considered effective communication, leadership skills, intrapersonal traits, interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence as the top soft skills required to nurse. The analysis resulted in the identification of nine top soft skills in nursing. Conclusions This study highlighted differing yet complementary perspectives on essential soft skills in nursing, as identified by nurse educators and clinical nurses. While educators emphasized communication, collaboration, and clinical reasoning, clinical nurses prioritized a broader range of skills, including leadership, emotional intelligence, and both intra- and interpersonal traits and skills. Overall, the analysis culminated in the identification of nine critical soft skills vital for effective nursing practice, underscoring the multifaceted nature of professional competence in both educational and clinical settings.