Despite longstanding recognition of their value, soft skills have been historically undervalued in nursing education compared to technical clinical competencies. The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique shift in nursing education, requiring periods of online instructional delivery that highlighted student needs for soft skills development. This article explores how an undergraduate community nursing simulation course adapted to a remote, discussion-based format during the pandemic, providing an unexpected but powerful space to cultivate essential soft skills. We use reflective observations to identify challenges in areas such as person-centered care, emotional sensitivity, accessible communication, and receiving feedback. The experience highlighted the need to rebalance curricula to more deliberately integrate soft skills development alongside technical training. Recommendations include suggestions for structuring simulations, utilizing standardized patients, and tailoring feedback to foster a resilient, communicative, and well-rounded nursing workforce.
AbiriA.KaligotlaL.IrishJ.Chance-RevelsR.PhanQ.ChicasR.HamiltonJ.DownesE.McDermottC. (2025). Advancing pre-licensure nursing competency for social determinants of health. Journal of Professional Nursing, 59, 15–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2025.04.006
2.
Al-GhareebA.McKennaL.CooperS. (2019). The influence of anxiety on student nurse performance in a simulated clinical setting: A mixed methods design. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 98, 57–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.06.006
BajjalyS. T.SaundersL. (2021). Soft skills teaching by top-ranked U.S. nursing faculty. Journal of Nursing Education, 60(8), 437–443. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20210722-04
5.
FeyM. K.MorseK. J. (2024). The transformative teaching framework: A roadmap for 21st century teaching. Journal of Professional Nursing, 55, 90–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2024.09.010
6.
GeorgeR. E.WellsH.CushingA. (2022). Experiences of simulated patients in providing feedback in communication skills teaching for undergraduate medical students. BMC Medical Education, 22(1), 339. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03415-6
7.
GoldmanJ.WongB. M. (2020). Nothing soft about ‘soft skills’: Core competencies in quality improvement and patient safety education and practice. BMJ Quality & Safety, 29(8), 619–622. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2019-010512
8.
GonzalezL.Kardong-EdgrenS. (2017). Deliberate practice for mastery learning in nursing. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 13(1), 10–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2016.10.005
9.
GrossmanS.CooperZ.BuxtonH.HendricksonS.Lewis-O’ConnorA.StevensJ.WongL. Y.BonneS. (2021). Trauma-informed care: Recognizing and resisting re-traumatization in health care. Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open, 6(1), e000815. https://doi.org/10.1136/tsaco-2021-000815
10.
Gutiérrez-PuertasL.Márquez-HernándezV. V.Gutiérrez-PuertasV.Granados-GámezG.Aguilera-ManriqueG. (2020). Educational interventions for nursing students to develop communication skills with patients: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(7), 2241. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072241
11.
KnightE. P.PrettymanA. V. (2020). Rural telehealth team education for baccalaureate and nurse practitioner students. Journal of Nursing Education, 59(5), 274–277. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20200422-07
12.
LewisL. S.RebeschiL. M.HuntE. (2022). Nursing education practice update 2022: Competency-based education in nursing. SAGE Open Nursing, 8, 23779608221140774. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608221140774
13.
McDermottD. S. (2020). Prebriefing: A historical perspective and evolution of a model and strategy (Know: Do: Teach). Clinical Simulation In Nursing, 49, 40–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2020.05.005
14.
McGaghieW. C.BarsukJ. H.CohenE. R.KristopaitisT.WayneD. B. (2015). Dissemination of an innovative mastery learning curriculum grounded in implementation science principles. Academic Medicine, 90(11), 1487–1494. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000907
15.
MillerA. C.MillsB. (2019). ‘If They Don’t Care, I Don’t Care’: Millennial and generation Z students and the impact of faculty caring. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 19(4), 78–89. https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v19i4.24167
16.
MrayyanM. T.AbunabH. Y.Abu KhaitA.RababaM. J.Al-RawashdehS.AlgunmeeynA.Abu SarayaA. (2023). Competency in nursing practice: A concept analysis. BMJ Open, 13(6), e067352. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067352
RudolphJ. W.RaemerD. B.SimonR. (2014). Establishing a safe container for learning in simulation. Simulation in Healthcare: The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, 9(6), 339–349. https://doi.org/10.1097/SIH.0000000000000047
19.
Sancho-CantusD.Cubero-PlazasL.Botella NavasM.Castellano-RiojaE.Cañabate RosM. (2023). Importance of soft skills in health sciences students and their repercussion after the COVID-19 epidemic: Scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6), 4901. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064901
20.
SinclairS.BeamerK.HackT. F.McClementS.Raffin BouchalS.ChochinovH. M.HagenN. A. (2017). Sympathy, empathy, and compassion: A grounded theory study of palliative care patients’ understandings, experiences, and preferences. Palliative Medicine, 31(5), 437–447. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269216316663499
21.
WidadA.AbdellahG. (2022). Strategies used to teach soft skills in undergraduate nursing education: A scoping review. Journal of Professional Nursing, 42, 209–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.07.010
