EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN NURSING PRACTICE

Abstract

This article reflects on how professional nurses learn caring behaviors in nursing school and then transpose those behaviors in the clinical setting. Although nursing is considered to be one of the most 'trusted' professions and a 'caring for others' profession, often there is a disconnect between this and actual experiences of patients and families in the clinical setting. Nurturing professional growth through emotional intelligence will be explored and application of emotional intelligence concepts will be applied to the profession of nursing. The author contends that by fostering characteristics of emotional intelligence, nurses will not only be thought of as 'caring' but will also demonstrate behaviors that 'reconnect' the patient’s perception to reality of the care experience.