Emotionally Intelligent Nurses For Healthier Tomorrow- Emotional Intelligence And Associated Factors Among Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) — encompassing the perception, regulation, and adaptive use of emotions — is a recognised determinant of clinical competence, professional resilience, and patient outcomes in nursing. Undergraduate nursing students encounter emotionally demanding training environments early in their education, yet systematic data on their EI profiles remain scarce in the eastern Indian context. Aims: To assess the level of EI across four domains among undergraduate nursing students in a selected institution and to determine its association with selected sociodemographic variables. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed. A total of 274 nursing students (B.Sc. Nursing and GNM programmes) were recruited by non-probability convenience sampling from a nursing college affiliated with the West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata, during 2024–2025. Data were gathered via a semi-structured 10-item demographic questionnaire and the validated Quick Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment (QEISA; Paul Mohapel, 40 items, four domains: emotional awareness, emotional management, social-emotional awareness, and relationship management; score range 0–40 per domain). Content validity was established by a panel of subject experts; instrument reliability was confirmed by pilot-study administration (n=28, 10% of sample). Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, median, interquartile range) and inferential statistics (chi-square test; significance threshold p<0.05) were applied. Results: Among 274 participants (mean age 19.7 years; 54.8% aged 16–20 years), emotional awareness yielded the lowest mean score (24.83±5.88), with 49.6% of students classified in the ‘area of enrichment’ (score 0–24). Mean scores for emotional management (28.56±6.71), social-emotional awareness (28.45±6.36), and relationship management (28.56±6.71) all corresponded to the ‘effective functioning’ category (score 25–34). Chi-square analysis identified statistically significant associations between overall EI level and presence of a social support system (χ²=7.82, df=1, p=0.01) and family size (χ²=5.76, df=1, p=0.02). Age, programme of study, residential area, family type, and socioeconomic status did not reach significance. Conclusions: Undergraduate nursing students exhibit a selective deficit in emotional awareness while maintaining adequate functioning in the remaining EI domains. Social support and family size emerge as modifiable contextual determinants of EI. Structured EI training embedded within nursing curricula — through reflective practice, simulation, and mentorship — may address this gap and strengthen professional preparedness.