Correlating Emotional Intelligence and Job Performance Among Jordanian Hospitals' Registered Nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Emotional intelligence (EI) is linked to employee performance and job satisfaction in various fields.
• Preliminary research suggests a correlation between EI and nurses' clinical performance.
• Limited research exists on the EI of Jordanian nurses, highlighting a knowledge gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and clinical performance among Jordanian nurses.
• To address the gap in research concerning EI in the Jordanian nursing population.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study design was utilized.
• Data were collected from 194 nurses across six Jordanian hospitals using questionnaires.
• Emotional intelligence was assessed with the Genos Instrument, and clinical performance was self-reported.

Main Results:

• Significant positive correlations were found between all EI subscales and job performance (r = .250 to .193, p < .007).
• Regression analysis revealed that working in medical-surgical wards, recognizing/expressing emotions (β = 0.186, p = .048), and controlling emotions (β = 0.255, p = .027) explained 19.1% of the variance in job performance.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms a significant correlation between nurses' emotional intelligence and their clinical performance.
• Findings underscore the importance of EI for effective nursing practice in Jordan.