EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AMONG FIRST YEAR B.Sc. NURSING STUDENTS IN A SELECTED COLLEGE OF NURSING, IDUKKI, KERALA.

Background of the study: Emotional intelligence in nursing students is inevitable in their personal and professional life. They have to develop the abilities to interpret their own emotional experiences and emotional expressions of clients. Thus, they can provide quality care to the clients and experience the satisfaction in nursing care. Aim: To assess the level of emotional intelligence among first year B.Sc. Nursing students and to determine the association between level of emotional intelligence and baseline proforma. Methods and materials: Quantitative research design was adopted. This descriptive study was conducted in St. John’s College of Nursing, Idukki, Kerala among 40 students, selected using convenient sampling technique. Emotional intelligence was evaluated by using Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence scale. Results: The findings of the study revealed that majority of participants (70%) had moderate level of Emotional Intelligence, 20% of them possessed high level of Emotional Intelligence and only 10% of students had low Emotional Intelligence.