Nurses' perceptions about social skills in care management from the perspective of complexity

Objective: To analyze nurses' perceptions about the social skills used in care management in a hospital. Method: A qualitative, comprehensive study conducted in a public university hospital in the South of Brazil with intentionally selected statutory nurses who were submitted to a semi-structured interview, with the data subsequently treated by a comprehensive analysis. Results: Eleven nurses participated in the study. Three empirical categories were identified: Main social skills in care management: specificities and interlaces; Factors involved in using social skills; and Benefits of social skills in nursing care management. Conclusion: Participants' perception of social skills in their managerial practice provides information for the institution to empower the positive actors in this process, and also to mold the organizational culture through educational processes that improve negative actors and contribute to appreciating interpersonal relationships in the nurses' daily routines.