Emotional Intelligence: Soft Skills Training Curriculum, an Educational Training for Healthcare Students for Increased Success during Clinical Rotations

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI), or soft skills, is a set of skills including professionalism, effective communication skills, organizational skills, and responsivity to feedback. Research indicates that healthcare students entering their clinical rotations may lack these sets of skills The lack of soft skills during clinical experience can strain the student's professional relationship with their clinical educators/instructors (supervisors) and may result in failure After a review of relevant literature, the purpose of this research project is to augment the evidence-based, soft skills training curriculum being developed at SUNY Downstate Medical Center Occupational Therapy Master's Program through the production of three educational videos that incorporate the perspectives of clinical educators, alumni, and current students. The goal of the project is to increase students' knowledge of emotional intelligence and inspire self-awareness and reflection on their own professionalism. The curriculum would ideally function to increase students' success during clinical rotations and develop more competent clinicians. The curriculum was piloted with second year occupational therapy students prior to their clinical rotations. The curriculum educated students on soft skills and promoted reflection on their own professionalism. The curriculum findings demonstrated significant outcomes with students reporting the use of emotional intelligence skills during clinical rotations to be valuable. The findings of this study indicate that the need for emotional intelligence training may also be applicable and valuable to students in various healthcare programs.

Identifying Essential Competency Areas for Occupational Therapy Education: A Scoping Review

“…The utilization of soft skills is particularly important as OTs seek to collaborate with clients and their family members to design interventions and facilitate client participation (Thomas et al, 2018). Moreover, these attributes are not only essential in establishing and maintaining the relationship between the client and their healthcare professional, but also in promoting collaboration among healthcare professionals, which will directly affect work performance and organizational culture (Deptula & Chun, 2013;Fernandez et al, 2012;Gonzalez et al, 2013).…”

“…Fieldwork education has played a fundamental role in OT education programs by providing students opportunities for professional development and competency acquisition in efforts to bridge the transition between didactic education and clinical practice. However, fieldwork educators indicated that soft skills, especially those involved in communication and attitude, are attributes that are crucial for fieldwork success (Campbell et al, 2015;Thomas et al, 2018). The underemphasis of soft skills training in OT curricula not only influences fieldwork, but may also consequently affect the performance of incoming entry-level practitioners as they have not been adequately equipped for enhanced clinical reasoning skills and therapeutic use of self, which will ultimately affect service outcomes.…”