In today’s rapidly transforming era, healthcare is witnessing unprecedented challenges at the hands of technology and the evolving environment. From novel viruses to advanced technological upgrades, the healthcare sector is constantly tackling both favorable and unfavorable changes. Given this reason, it becomes critical for healthcare workers to match pace with the developments and transformations. Since healthcare is similar to any other service-oriented sector, the quest for skilled, competent, and knowledgeable employees also runs parallel. Alongside this, the skill gap facing the health industry post-pandemic further aggravates the situation.

Employability Skills for Healthcare Professionals

Whether you’re setting foot in the healthcare industry or are already serving in a specific domain, honing employability skills becomes inevitable. Previously, employers would search for clinical skills when hiring healthcare professionals, but now the trend has changed. In today’s time, healthcare facilities eagerly look for soft skills such as teamwork, communication, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and the like. Besides, healthcare workers must possess these essential skills and capabilities to climb the ladder to higher leadership positions. In this regard, pursuing higher academic programs serves as a viable way to hone the required skills and expertise.

But one question that often arises in working professionals’ minds is how to squeeze in academic endeavors in their already hectic work schedules. Fortunately, eLearning allows working individuals to earn higher degrees while fulfilling work and other commitments. For instance, nurses looking to expand their knowledge base and hone essential skills can opt for the RN to MSN degree program and boost employability. And the same goes for other healthcare workers seeking to attain career advancement and hone employability skills.

Now, let’s go through the essential employability skills healthcare professionals need to hone to thrive in the healthcare sector:

1. Communication Skills

Communication skills are indispensable in the ever-changing healthcare environment. The conspicuous, cordial, and constructive method of bringing everyone together with these skills makes it take center stage when talking about soft skills. In healthcare, communication skills are incredibly essential since workers deal with the well-being and lives of others. A small glitch in communication— sending or receiving information can cost someone’s life. Likewise, effective communications skills pave the way for a reliable and trustworthy patient-practitioner relationship, ultimately boosting patient outcomes. Moreover, constant and seamless coordination among all staff members leaves no room for medical errors.

Effective communication includes verbal and non-verbal communication, writing skills, and active listening. Slipup in any of these communication modes can prove costly for the hospital, patients, and the career of a healthcare professional.

2. ICT or Information Communication and Technology Skills

ICT refers to a blend of technologies and resources used for communication. In healthcare, various technological devices are leveraged to ensure smooth coordination and collaboration. There are pagers, electronic healthcare records, wearable devices to check vitals, and so forth. While such advanced tools are easing workplace tasks, they also pose specific challenges for healthcare professionals.

ICT is challenging until you don’t know how to use these applications, and that’s primarily why mastering it is significant for healthcare professionals to thrive in their careers. Moreover, given the urgent need for this skill, employers should motivate and train their current employees to utilize these devices and technologies appropriately.

3. Teamwork Skills

It’s rare to come across healthcare workers operating independently since you’ll mostly find them working interdependently. Teamwork and collaborative efforts play an integral role in providing satisfactory treatments and ensuring positive patient outcomes. In any healthcare facility, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other professionals work together to provide optimal quality care to patients. Therefore, teamwork skill is indispensable in a healthcare setting. The interdisciplinary teams ensure the safety of the patients and mutually strive to attain positive outcomes.

Effective and collaborative teams reduce the chances of making costly errors in intensive care, operation theatres, and trauma care centers.

4. Critical Thinking Ability

The ability to gather, analyze, and comprehend information for effective decision-making is crucial for all healthcare professionals. Since healthcare is a dynamic field, not a single day is the same for any care facility. For this reason, healthcare requires professionals who can work with constrained information and use their prior experience to make informed decisions.

Due to the complexity of procedures and complicated diseases, there’s a dire need for problem solvers. Critical thinking enables individuals to observe, infer, analyze, and solve complex issues, making it a highly sought-after skill. Therefore, it’s imperative to hone critical thinking skills for those looking to thrive in the healthcare sector.

Conclusion

Healthcare is an incredibly challenging and competitive field. Surviving and thriving in this dynamic field requires skill development and continued education from healthcare professionals. Given the emerging diseases, novel viruses, technological integration, healthcare workers are compelled to upskill and reskill. To remain ahead of the curve, healthcare workers need to update their existing skills from communication to teamwork, critical thinking, and other essential skills. Sharpening the skills mentioned above will help healthcare workers thrive and enable them to land higher senior roles.