Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, understand and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence in nursing is crucial, as it facilitates trusting patient-provider relationships, improves patient care and enhances both patient satisfaction and nurse engagement.
Emotional intelligence (EI), also known as emotional quotient (EQ), is your ability to identify and manage your own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence in nursing is essential, as nurses must interact with patients and colleagues with diverse personalities and backgrounds . As a registered nurse (RN), possessing EI can help you do your job more effectively.
At Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU), we aim to support the development of the whole student, including their emotional intelligence, clinical skills and nursing knowledge. Notre Dame’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is designed for career changers interested in earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as few as 15 months while benefiting from a values-based curriculum and hands-on, immersive learning.
Discover steps you can take to cultivate your own emotional intelligence in nursing school and throughout your career.
What Is Emotional Intelligence in Nursing?
In nursing, emotional intelligence is an essential soft skill that facilitates positive, productive interactions with others and helps build professional relationships. A nurse with strong EI can perceive, understand and regulate their own emotions as well as the emotions of patients, fellow nurses and colleagues.
Key Components of Emotional Intelligence in Nursing Practice
Emotional intelligence is a broad concept, but it can be broken down into a handful of discrete soft skills, including:
- Empathy: The ability to sense the emotions and perspectives of others, and to understand how other people are affected by their own experiences
- Intrinsic motivation: The ability to work toward a goal without promise of reward, and to persevere toward that goal despite setbacks and challenges
- Self-awareness: The ability to recognize and understand your own emotions and how they affect you and others
- Self-regulation: The ability to avoid letting your emotions control your actions
- Social skills: The application of EI to interpret social situations, interact with others harmoniously and manage emotions during those interactions
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Benefits of Emotional Intelligence for Nurses
There are numerous benefits of a nurse’s emotional intelligence. Nurses with strong EI may be better positioned to provide patient-centered care that aligns with the patient’s own preferences and goals. For example, a study in the Journal of Nursing Management found that the higher a nurse’s emotional intelligence is, the better their work performance and engagement.
Other potential benefits of a nurse’s emotional intelligence include:
- Fewer workplace conflicts
- Improved collaboration and communication in the workplace
- Reduced stress at work and lowered risk of burnout
- Stronger, more trusting relationships with patients and colleagues
Emotional intelligence can influence everything a nurse does, from connecting with a patient’s worried family members to networking effectively with colleagues.
Emotional Intelligence in Nursing Leadership
Emotional intelligence is essential for every nurse, no matter their specialty or role. Yet, emotional intelligence in nursing leadership is especially important, as other RNs look to nurse leaders to set the example, establish the work culture, serve as role models and reinforce standards of professional nursing care.
An emotionally intelligent nurse leader can build positive professional relationships with their team, which, in turn, increases their team’s satisfaction in the workplace and inspires them to provide excellent nursing care.
Strong emotional intelligence in nursing leadership can accomplish the following:
- Build a positive work culture
- Enhance patient and nursing team satisfaction
- Facilitate workplace collaboration
- Improve patient outcomes
- Reduce and resolve workplace conflicts
Real-World Examples of Emotional Intelligence in Nursing
There are many real-world examples of exercising emotional intelligence in the clinical environment. One involves the delivery of bad news. Nurses often need to deliver bad news, such as when a patient receives a tough diagnosis or when informing family members that their loved one has died. Nurses with strong EI may approach this task with a better understanding of how to support patients and family members as they adapt to recent developments.
Another example concerns specific nursing specialties, such as pediatric oncology nursing. It can be very emotionally challenging to work with children who are struggling with a life-threatening disease, as well as with their families. Nurses who have had EI training may be more resilient, with stronger coping skills and a better ability to set professional boundaries.
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How to Develop Emotional Intelligence as a Nursing Student or Nurse
You can actively work on cultivating emotional intelligence in nursing school and throughout your career. Start by spending some time in self-reflection. Think about the components of EI and consider which of them you already excel at and which need some work.
Practice active listening, empathy and compassion. Learn to connect with others on a meaningful yet professional level. Understand that angry patients and belligerent family members are often behaving inappropriately because they’re scared, stressed, tired and feeling out of sorts in the clinical environment.
Practice mindfulness, as well. Throughout each day, strive to become more aware of your thoughts and feelings. Consider what effect your emotions have on yourself and others.
If you find yourself controlled by negative feelings in an emotionally charged situation, take a pause. Breathe deeply, then respond as a professional nurse should.
How ABSN Programs Help You Build Emotional Intelligence
In nursing school at Notre Dame, you’ll have ongoing opportunities to develop stronger emotional intelligence by learning to better recognize, understand and regulate your own emotions as well as those of others.
For example, NDMU’s ABSN program is fast-paced, with an accelerated timeline to graduation. Although you’ll have the support of an Academic Success Coach, your professors and peers, it’s normal to experience stress during this time. When you start feeling overwhelmed, you may find yourself thinking analytically about your stress response and how you can adjust it.
During nursing labs and cohort study sessions, you’ll have opportunities to develop teamwork, collaboration and interpersonal skills. You’ll learn to work with fellow cohort members, and you can practice recognizing and understanding their emotions through collaborative activities.
Similarly, in clinical rotations, you’ll interact with many patients with a range of personalities. In the hospital setting, patients are often not at their best. They may be stressed out, worried about their health, inconvenienced by being away from home and homesick. You’ll also encounter grieving family members. These challenging situations provide opportunities for personal growth.
Study Nursing at Notre Dame
If you already have a completed non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you could earn a nursing degree in as few as 15 months at Notre Dame of Maryland University. After graduation, you’ll be prepared to take the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and pursue any number of nursing specialties.
At Notre Dame, you can choose from on-campus or online coursework. Either choice delivers a values-based curriculum, small class sizes and faculty mentoring. You can also use our tutoring services and work one-on-one with an Academic Success Coach.
Request more information today and take the first step toward your new career.