{"title":"The Nexus of Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, and Moral Sensitivity: Enhancing Ethical Nursing Practices in Clinical Settings","authors":"Esaam Khalid Ibrahim, Radhwan Hussein Ibrahim","doi":"10.1155/jonm/9571408","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n <p><b>Background:</b> Moral sensitivity is crucial for ethical decision-making in nursing, enabling nurses to respond appropriately to ethical dilemmas in clinical settings. Emotional intelligence and empathy have been identified as key factors influencing moral sensitivity. However, limited research examines the interplay between these variables, particularly in nursing practice.</p>\n <p><b>Objective:</b> This study explores the relationships between emotional intelligence, nursing empathy, and moral sensitivity among nurses in Mosul teaching hospitals and examines empathy’s mediating role in these relationships.</p>\n <p><b>Methods:</b> This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. It involved 300 nurses from Mosul teaching hospitals in Iraq. Data collection occurred from July 1, 2024, to October 1, 2024. Validated measurement tools were used, including the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS), the Jefferson Scale of Empathy, and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. Statistical analyses, including Pearson’s correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis, were conducted to examine the relationships among emotional intelligence, empathy, and moral sensitivity.</p>\n <p><b>Results:</b> Emotional intelligence and nursing empathy were significantly positively correlated with moral sensitivity (<i>r</i> = 0.58 and <i>r</i> = 0.66, respectively; <i>p</i> < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that both emotional intelligence (<i>β</i> = 0.30, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and nursing empathy (<i>β</i> = 0.52, <i>p</i> < 0.01) significantly predicted moral sensitivity, explaining 39% of the variance. Mediation analysis indicated that empathy partially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and moral sensitivity (<i>p</i> < 0.01).</p>\n <p><b>Conclusion:</b> This study highlights the significant roles of emotional intelligence and empathy in enhancing nurses’ moral sensitivity, with empathy acting as a partial mediator. Interventions that promote emotional intelligence and empathy development in nursing education and clinical practice could improve ethical decision-making and patient care quality. Further research is needed to explore these relationships longitudinally and in diverse healthcare settings.</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":49297,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nursing Management","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/jonm/9571408","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Nursing Management","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/jonm/9571408","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MANAGEMENT","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Moral sensitivity is crucial for ethical decision-making in nursing, enabling nurses to respond appropriately to ethical dilemmas in clinical settings. Emotional intelligence and empathy have been identified as key factors influencing moral sensitivity. However, limited research examines the interplay between these variables, particularly in nursing practice.
Objective: This study explores the relationships between emotional intelligence, nursing empathy, and moral sensitivity among nurses in Mosul teaching hospitals and examines empathy’s mediating role in these relationships.
Methods: This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. It involved 300 nurses from Mosul teaching hospitals in Iraq. Data collection occurred from July 1, 2024, to October 1, 2024. Validated measurement tools were used, including the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS), the Jefferson Scale of Empathy, and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. Statistical analyses, including Pearson’s correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis, were conducted to examine the relationships among emotional intelligence, empathy, and moral sensitivity.
Results: Emotional intelligence and nursing empathy were significantly positively correlated with moral sensitivity (r = 0.58 and r = 0.66, respectively; p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that both emotional intelligence (β = 0.30, p < 0.01) and nursing empathy (β = 0.52, p < 0.01) significantly predicted moral sensitivity, explaining 39% of the variance. Mediation analysis indicated that empathy partially mediated the relationship between emotional intelligence and moral sensitivity (p < 0.01).
Conclusion: This study highlights the significant roles of emotional intelligence and empathy in enhancing nurses’ moral sensitivity, with empathy acting as a partial mediator. Interventions that promote emotional intelligence and empathy development in nursing education and clinical practice could improve ethical decision-making and patient care quality. Further research is needed to explore these relationships longitudinally and in diverse healthcare settings.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Nursing Management is an international forum which informs and advances the discipline of nursing management and leadership. The Journal encourages scholarly debate and critical analysis resulting in a rich source of evidence which underpins and illuminates the practice of management, innovation and leadership in nursing and health care. It publishes current issues and developments in practice in the form of research papers, in-depth commentaries and analyses.
The complex and rapidly changing nature of global health care is constantly generating new challenges and questions. The Journal of Nursing Management welcomes papers from researchers, academics, practitioners, managers, and policy makers from a range of countries and backgrounds which examine these issues and contribute to the body of knowledge in international nursing management and leadership worldwide.
The Journal of Nursing Management aims to:
-Inform practitioners and researchers in nursing management and leadership
-Explore and debate current issues in nursing management and leadership
-Assess the evidence for current practice
-Develop best practice in nursing management and leadership
-Examine the impact of policy developments
-Address issues in governance, quality and safety