Essential Interpersonal Skills in Nursing You Will Need to Succeed + Why They are Important

Written By: Darby FaubionDarby Faubion RN, BSN, MBA

Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Darby lives in Louisiana and loves exploring the state’s rich culture and history. Darby has a passion for caring for veterans and a special interest in those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. In her quest to make a difference for veterans, she founded a non-profit called “Operation Battle Buddy.” Read Full Bio »» RN, BSN, MBA

Patients, their families, and team members rely on nurses for so many things. From providing hands-on nursing care to offering advice, support, and education, nurses are truly at the heart of everything important in patient care. Success in nursing requires more than knowing how to check vital signs or administer medications. It requires knowing how to deal with people from all walks of life, which means having good interpersonal skills is crucial.

Even if you have been a nurse for a long time, you may still wonder, “What are the essential interpersonal skills required to succeed in nursing?” Having been a nurse for more than 20 years, I can tell you that developing strong interpersonal skills is one of the most important things you can do for your career. In this article, I will share the 10 essential interpersonal skills in nursing you will need to succeed + why they are important. By developing and honing these skills, you can become a vital part of any healthcare team.

What are the Essential Interpersonal Skills Required to Succeed in Nursing?

(The following are the 10 essential interpersonal skills in nursing you will need to succeed + why they are important.)

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #1: The Ability to Show Compassion

About the Skill:

In its simplest form, compassion is demonstrated by a person’s ability to show concern or pity for others and what they are experiencing. Although some people may argue compassion is more a character trait than a skill, since the ability to show compassion does not come naturally for everyone, it does require skill to learn when and how to do so.

Why It’s Important:

As the healthcare industry changes and evolves, we steadily become more reliant on technology for even the simplest of tasks. However, no amount of technology can duplicate the way patients feel when cared for by a nurse who shows genuine concern for them. That is one of the main reasons why the ability to demonstrate compassion is an essential interpersonal skill required to succeed in nursing.

When you show compassion, patients feel more at ease, which makes establishing solid nurse-patient relationships easier. Additionally, being compassionate positively impacts interprofessional relationships, making work less stressful. True compassion sets the stage for a supportive environment where patients and their families feel comfortable and where team members work together to promote positive patient and organizational outcomes.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #2: Excellent Communication

About the Skill:

As a nurse, you must communicate with patients, families, and team members daily, and good communication skills are essential for success in nursing. From gathering patient information and sharing it with the healthcare team to educating and supporting patients and their loved ones, communication is the key to everything you do as a nurse.

As a health educator, one of my favorite subjects to teach was Communication. It is interesting to see how people communicate differently based on their culture, background, and personal relationships. In my classes, I enjoyed incorporating role-play to help students learn and develop communication skills.

Why It’s Important:

Excellent communication is one of the most important interpersonal nursing skills you can have. Developing good communication skills is important, as they help you build solid interprofessional and nurse-patient relationships. With good communication skills, you can educate patients about their diagnoses, treatment plans, and expected outcomes. You can use your skills to collaborate with other healthcare professionals and to advocate for patients and your peers.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #3: Active Listening

About the Skill:

One of my biggest pet peeves is talking to someone who is distracted or makes me feel like what I am saying is irrelevant. When that happens, it makes me not want to communicate at all. Imagine how patients must feel when they try to share their thoughts and feelings, but no one seems to pay attention.

Active listening is another essential interpersonal skill in nursing. Although it is a type of communication, it is so much more than nonchalantly talking or listening. Active listening requires you to intentionally listen to and absorb what a person says to you and demonstrate an understanding of what they are saying by reflecting back to them.

Why It’s Important:

As a nurse educator, I cannot stress enough how important it is to make active listening a priority when dealing with patients and peers. Active listening shows you to value and respect another person's perspective. Patients who feel you care about their thoughts and feelings are more likely to be open and honest, which is crucial if you want to provide appropriate, individualized care. When you practice active listening with coworkers, it promotes strong team building, which benefits everyone, from the patients to the interdisciplinary team and the organization as a whole.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #4: Conflict Resolution

About the Skill:

Nurses deal with various kinds of conflicts from day to day. Conflicts have the potential to negatively affect everyone involved. Therefore, it is important for nurses to develop conflict resolution skills. Conflict resolution is simply the process by which two or more people work together to find a solution to a problem or dispute.

In my career, I have witnessed patients and loved ones experiencing conflict over important medical decisions. I have been the mediator between staff in my charge who felt that they had come to an impasse due to conflict. My experience has taught me that conflict resolution is one of the most important skills one can have in nursing. Whether dealing with patients or coworkers, knowing how to deal with conflicts when they arise can benefit everyone.

Why It’s Important:

Stress or tension can develop for many reasons in a healthcare environment. Therefore, conflict resolution is an essential interpersonal skill in nursing. Nurses are often the first ones to realize their patients are experiencing conflict. Patients experience conflict for several reasons, from miscommunication to fear of the unknown. Conflict may also arise between nurses or other team members from time to time, which is understandable, as nursing can be a stressful job. Being level-headed and willing to listen to others can keep situations from getting out of hand.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #5: Time Management

About the Skill:

I would love to tell you that I am well-organized and manage time wisely. At times, that is true, but if we are being transparent, I must admit there are times when I fail miserably at time management. I have learned to be kinder to myself and prioritize the things that are important. However, I have also learned to appreciate that time management is a crucial skill, one that must be practiced and cultivated to be effective. Time management skills are the abilities that enable us to use our time efficiently and productively, and they are one of the most important skills a nurse can develop.

Nursing is a demanding job. Depending on where you work and your job title, you could have a lot to accomplish on any given day. Whether you manage patients, nursing teams, or whole organizations, the ability to manage time wisely and efficiently is essential.

Why It’s Important:

Time management is one of the most essential interpersonal skills in nursing because there are times when just a few moments could make a significant difference in a patient's outcome. To succeed in nursing, you must learn to use clinical judgment and reasoning to prioritize tasks, ensuring you dedicate enough time to each one. Time management is important because it helps you be more organized and efficient, making it easier to deliver high-quality care to your patients. It also helps you balance the demands of your job with other responsibilities and interests, which creates a healthy work/life balance.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #6: Critical Thinking

About the Skill:

Critical thinking skills are essential to providing quality, effective patient care. This skill involves identifying problems, determining the best way to solve them, and implementing interventions to resolve the issues. Critical thinking requires you to use clinical judgment and problem-solving skills and collaborate with patients and team members.

Why It’s Important:

Nurses are typically the patient’s primary contact within their healthcare team. As such, we are often the first to notice changes in our patient’s status, which means the ability to apply critical thinking skills is crucial.

As a healthcare educator, I like to stress the fact that critical thinking is not always about your opinion alone. It involves being able to assess a situation with an open mind, apply your knowledge and insight, and make decisions based on proven evidence with the patient’s best interest in mind. There may be times when you feel you know the best option or intervention based on your experience, but critical thinking involves more than relying upon your own feelings or personal experiences. To truly be effective, you must assess a situation from every possible angle and make informed decisions based on facts.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #7: Ability to Demonstrate Cultural Competence

About the Skill:

While cultural competence may not exactly be considered a skill, demonstrating it certainly is! Cultural competence in nursing refers to a nurse’s ability and willingness to provide care to patients while demonstrating awareness and respect for cultural differences. Culturally competent nurses willingly emphasize the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed to provide care to patients and their families, regardless of cultural differences.

Why It’s Important:

Being culturally competent in nursing is important because it fosters better nurse-patient relationships. Strong nurse-patient relationships are associated with better patient compliance and improved outcomes. Culturally competent nurses embrace professional growth and development, which is essential to being a good patient care provider. Finally, another reason practicing cultural competence is such an essential interpersonal skill in nursing is that it helps reduce health disparities by reminding nurses of the importance of safe, high-quality care for all patients, regardless of their cultural background.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #8: Flexibility

About the Skill:

I am usually a very easy person to get along with, as I take things in stride and do not like to make a big fuss over things. Although I know how to establish boundaries and when to stand up for things, I have found that being easy-going and flexible has been a big plus for my nursing career.

Flexibility may have different meanings to various people, but in nursing, I believe it refers to a willingness to change our opinions, behaviors, thoughts, or plans when it is in the best interest of our patients or team. It deals with one’s ability to adapt to changes in circumstances without becoming angry or overwhelmed.

Why It’s Important:

Flexibility is one of the top essential interpersonal skills in nursing for several reasons. First, nurses are often faced with emergency situations or changes in patient statuses that require immediate intervention. Being flexible allows you to adapt to the changing situation. Additionally, being flexible is one way to show your willingness to be a true team player, and having a strong interdisciplinary team is essential in providing quality patient care and improving patient outcomes.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #9: Relationship Building

About the Skill:

Anyone can go to work, complete a shift, and go home. Nursing is so much more than that, though. Nursing is a profession based on human compassion and empathy, which requires us to build relationships with patients and peers. In fact, the ability to build solid nurse-patient and interpersonal relationships is an essential interpersonal skill in nursing that all nurses should strive to perfect.

Why It’s Important:

Relationship building is important because it impacts both patient and organizational outcomes. Nurses who are skilled at building relationships are key to creating safer care and work environments, promoting higher morale among peers, and encouraging patients to achieve their health goals.

I worked with a pediatrician many years ago who was one of the easiest people to get along with. She always had an encouraging word to say and was willing to lend a hand any time she could. On days when we were busy or when tough cases came in, she seemed to know what to say or do to pull our team together and get the job done.

It wasn’t until I worked with her for several months that I learned she was a registered nurse before pursuing her dream and becoming a pediatrician. She told me that one of the most important skills she learned as a nurse was how to build strong relationships and that she vowed to carry that knowledge with her throughout her career. I learned so much from her example of peer support, care for her patients, and unwavering dedication to our team, which is why I now stress the importance of building strong relationships.

INTERPERSONAL SKILL #10: Stress Management

About the Skill:

As a nurse, you face diverse situations that lead to stress. Long shifts, being short-staffed, caring for multiple patients, and having a high number of critically ill patients are just a few examples of things that lead to stress for nurses. Stress management refers to the techniques individuals use to help reduce stress and its negative impact on physical and mental wellness.

Why It’s Important:

Stress management is one of the most essential interpersonal skills in nursing because stress has far-reaching effects that have the potential to impact many people. Unmanaged stress can lead to nurse burnout, tension among team members, medication errors, and other risks to patient safety.

We all have our own ideas of how to relieve stress, and whatever works best for you is okay. For example, if you enjoy the outdoors, you may find stress relief from something as simple as taking a walk in the park or gardening. When I feel the need to de-stress, I like to work with my farm animals or in my fruit orchard. Also, even though I spend my workdays researching and writing, I still enjoy reading and journaling. There is no right or wrong when it comes to stress management; the important thing is to find a way to channel stress and anxiety in a positive way so that it does not interfere with your personal and professional lives.

My Final Thoughts

Being a good nurse takes effort. We must learn and grow personally and professionally to be truly effective. One critical part of being a successful nurse is developing and using interpersonal skills, but maybe you wonder, “What are the essential interpersonal skills required to succeed in nursing?”

As a nurse, it is important to be intentional about how we deal with others. From the way we talk to the way we manage time, handle stress, and deal with change, good interpersonal skills can make our jobs easier. In this article, I shared 10 essential interpersonal skills in nursing you will need to succeed + why they are important. By developing and implementing these skills, you can demonstrate professionalism, build stronger relationships, and make a true difference!

List of Sources Used for This Article

1. “12 Ways to Show Compassion in Nursing (with Examples)” (nursingprocess.org)
2. “Understanding Communication in Nursing (with Examples, Importance, & How to Improve)” (nursingprocess.org)
3. “9 Key Time Management Skills and How to Improve Them” (indeed.com)
4. “Critical Thinking in Nursing: Tips to Develop the Skill” (American Nurses Association)
5. “What Is Cultural Competence in Nursing? (with Examples, Importance, & Barriers” (nursingprocess.org)