Head Nurses’ Emotional Intelligence and Staff Nurses’ Engagement

Abstract

Background: Emotional intelligence (EI) is important for nurse managers. Understanding the interaction between managers’ EI and staff nurses’ engagement is deemed important. Aim of study: to identify the relationship between head nurses' EI and staff nurses' engagement. Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional analytic study was conducted at Shebin El-kom Educational Hospital, at Menoufia. The study subjects involved 30 head nurses and 30 of their assistants, in addition to a convenience sample of 222 of their subordinate staff nurses. Data collection tools were a standardized validated EI scale for head nurses and an engagement questionnaire for staff nurses. The fieldwork lasted from October to December 2018. Results: Overall, 75.0% of the head nurses and their assistants had high EI. Significant weak positive correlations were shown between their experience years EI score (r=0.299). A higher qualification was a positive predictor of total EI scores, while training courses was a negative predictor. Staff nurses mostly (73.9%) had a moderate level of engagement and only 11.7% had a high level. Age was a significant positive predictor of the scores of “leadership/management” and “communication” domains; Experience years was a significant positive predictor of the “the job” domain score, but a negative predictor of the scores in the domains of “leadership/ management” and “communication.” The total EI scores of head nurses and their assistants and of staff nurses’ engagement had no significant correlations. Conclusion and Recommendations: Head nurses’ EI is not correlated to staff nurses’ engagement. The study recommended intensive training programs for staff nurses to foster their engagement. Future study of the effect of improving emotional intelligence on nurses’ work engagement is proposed.