Evaluation of emotional skills in nursing using regression and QCA models: A transversal study

Emotional skills are fundamental for quality service by nursing professionals, providing more personalized attention and a close relationship between the professional and patient.

To compare linear relationship models (linear regressions) and models based on comparative qualitative analysis (QCA) in the analysis of the possible influence of socio-demographic variables (age and sex), working conditions (type of contract and seniority) and academic training (type of degree and specific training) on emotional abilities (emotional intelligence and empathy) in nursing.

It is a transversal design in a single temporary moment.

The sample of this study consisted of 217 direct patient care nursing professionals from 7 public hospitals in Valencia, Spain.

The Jefferson Scale for Nursing Empathy was used to measure empathy and the Trait of Meta-Mood Scale 24 to measure emotional intelligence. Two different statistical methodologies were used: traditional regression models and qualitative comparative analysis models of fuzzy sets (fsQCA).

The results of the regression model suggest that only sex (negatively in the case of perspective taking) and positively (in compassionate care and thinking like the patient) is a predictive variable in the case of empathy, but not in emotional intelligence. Thus, the results of the fsQCA models provide a greater amount of predictive value for both emotional intelligence and empathy, although when varying the variables that best explained the dimensions, the type of contract and age were the main conditions that were sufficient but not necessary.

Given the differences in linear relationship models and fsQCA, far from prioritizing one technique over another, both are complementary and should be used simultaneously in other studies.