Role of emotional intelligence in shaping self-esteem among Indian nurses at Trichy, Tamilnadu

Nursing is a multifaceted profession that requires a blend of technical skills and emotional intelligence (EI) to manage various responsibilities, from patient care to team supervision. EI is closely connected to self-esteem, a psychological construct representing an individual's self-worth and competence. Self-esteem significantly influences how nurses perceive their abilities and engage with their work environment. The current study adopted the non-experimental descriptive correlational survey design to assess the emotional intelligence and self-esteem among the nurses. The study was conducted for a period of two months, among 301 Nurses working in various departments of the hospital, Trichy, Tamilnadu. The assessment of the samples was done using the background variables, TEIQue-SF- (Trait Emotional Intelligence questionnaire- short form) and Rosenberg's self-esteem scale. The data was collected through the Google Form for 4 weeks. The study results show that 81.1% of the nurses had average emotional intelligence only, 18.9% of the nurses had a high level of emotional intelligence and none of the nurses had a low level of emotional intelligence. In the aspects of self-esteem 76.4% of nurses had moderate level of self-esteem, 21.3% had high level of self-esteem and 2.3% had low level of self-esteem, there was a weak positive correlation between the level of Emotional intelligence and the level of Self- esteem with "r" value 0.321 & "p" value 0.01. Nurses render care to those who are emotionally heightened for patients and families. The persons exhibit confidence when they are emotionally intelligent, capable of understanding and stabilize their emotions. Self-esteem can be shaped by individuals' relationships with others, experiences and accomplishments in life.