Important Soft Skills for a Career in Healthcare

Important Soft Skills for a Career in Healthcare

Healthcare jobs are all about working as a team and helping patients—even if your job is in IT, accounting, or behind the scenes. Because of this, you need more than just technical skills. You also need soft skills.

Soft skills are personal qualities, like how well you work with others or how you handle problems. You don’t usually learn these in school, but they are just as important as job-specific skills.

Here are some of the most important soft skills in healthcare:

Communication Skills

Good communication helps make sure patients get the care they need. But sometimes people are upset, in a hurry, speak another language, or have trouble talking because of a health condition.

You need to:

• Listen carefully
• Share information clearly
• Choose the right time and words when talking to patients, families, and co-workers

Poor communication in healthcare can be dangerous, so strong communication skills really matter.

Empathy

Empathy means understanding how someone else feels. It’s like putting yourself in their shoes.

The World Health Organization says empathy is one of the most important parts of talking with patients. You should care about them as people—not just as patients.

Try to remember:

• They might be scared or in pain
• They are counting on your help
• They are human beings just like you

Teamwork

In healthcare, no one works alone. You’re part of a team that might include doctors, nurses, therapists, IT workers, social workers, and many others.

To be a good team player, you should:

• Work well with different people
• Be respectful and helpful
• Put the team’s goal—great patient care—first

Even if you have a disagreement or a bad day, the patient always comes first.

Decision-Making Skills

Healthcare is fast-paced. You’ll often have a lot to do at once, and many people might need your help right away.

You’ll need to:

• Think quickly
• Use good judgment
• Make the best decision based on the facts you have

There may not always be one perfect answer. You have to choose the best one for the moment.

Multitasking

In most healthcare jobs, you won’t finish one task before starting another. You’ll often be doing many things at the same time.

To multitask well, you should:

• Stay calm under pressure
• Stay organized
• Know what needs to be done first

Good multitasking helps keep everything running smoothly for your team and your patients.

Dealing with Stress

Helping people feels good, but healthcare can also be stressful. Some days will be hard. Patients may be upset, or you may make a mistake or feel overwhelmed.

You need to:

• Stay focused
• Keep a positive attitude
• Learn how to take care of your own mental health

The better you handle stress, the better you’ll be at helping others.

Cultural Competence

Western Massachusetts is home to many people from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds.

Being culturally competent means:

• Respecting other people’s beliefs and customs
• Being open to learning about different ways of life
• Treating everyone with kindness and fairness

This includes your patients and your co-workers, who may come from all over the world.

If you want to work in healthcare, start practicing these soft skills now. They’ll help you succeed in any job—and more importantly, they’ll help you give the best care to the people who need it.

Updated: May 19, 2025