Head Nurses’ Emotional Intelligence Contribution to Staff Nurses’ Work Engagement

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 A teacher at the Abu Homs Boys Nursing School, Directorate of Health and Population, in Beheira Researcher of Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University, Egypt.

2 Prof. of Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University, Egypt.

3 Assist Prof. of Nursing Administration, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Emotional Intelligence provides an essential assistance and become one of
necessary head nurses' competencies. The head nurses use of control over emotions
benefit staff nurse by creating a convenient and healthy environment for their work
engagement. Aim: Assess head nurses’ emotional intelligence contribution to staff
nurses’ work engagement. Subjects and Method: A descriptive correlation research
study design was used in this study. It was conducted in all departments at El-Menshawy
General Hospital affiliated to the Ministry of Health and Population. Subject: Two
groups of subjects’ (a) All (n=60) head nurses (b) Stratified random sampling (n=400) of
staff nurses Tools: two tools were used for collecting data (1) Head nurses’ emotional
intelligence assessment scale (2) Staff nurses engagement questionnaire. Results: Head
nurses 76% had high level of overall emotional intelligence. Head nurses 85%, 83%,
81.7% and 80% respectively had high level in emotional self-control, emotional
management of others, emotional self-management and emotional awareness of others.
Staff nurses 84.8% had high level of overall work engagement. Staff nurses range
(75.5%- 77.3% ) had high level of emotional, physical, cognitive and behavioral
engagement respectively. There was a statistically significant positive correlation
between head nurses overall emotional intelligence and staff nurses overall work
engagement. Conclusion: there was contribution of head nurses' emotional intelligence to
staff nurses' work engagement. Recommendation: Periodical training programs needed
for head nurses and staff nurses about emotional intelligence and work engagement. Add
emotional intelligence's competencies and work engagement in undergraduate and
postgraduate nursing educational programs.