Correlation Between Emotional Intelligence and Job Burnout Among Nurses Caring For Geriatric Patients

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 B.Sc. Nursing

2 Assistant Professor of Nursing Administration, Vice dean of education and students’ affairs, Faculty of Nursing Beni- Suef University

3 Assistant Professor of Medical Surgical Nursing, & Head of department, Faculty of Nursing, Beni-Suef University

4 Master’s student at faculty of nursing, Beni-suef university, Alexandria, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize, understand, and control one's
own emotions in order to reduce stress, communicate effectively, sympathize with others, overcome
obstacles, and diffuse conflict. Job burnout, on the other hand, is a state in which a person is
physically and intellectually overworked, as well as having emotional components that lead to
sadness at work. Aim of the study: Assessment
of Correlation between Emotional Intelligence and
Job Burnout among Nurses Caring for Geriatric Patients in Beni-Suef University Hospital through
the following objectives:
1. Assessing Emotional Intelligence level among Nurses Caring for Geriatric Patients in Beni-Suef
University Hospital
2. Assessing Job Burnout level among Nurses Caring for Geriatric Patients in Beni-Suef University
Hospital
3. Explore correlation
between Emotional Intelligence and Job Burnout among Nurses Caring for
Geriatric Patients in Beni-Suef University Hospital
Methods: Design: descriptive correlation was used. Sample: A convenience sample of 140 nurses
working at Beni-Suef university hospital. Setting: this study was conducted at Beni-Suef university
hospital, at all departments for long term geriatric patients Tools: two main tools were used to
conduct this study Tool I: Emotional Intelligence scale which consists of two parts: part (1) nursing
demographic data and job characteristic, part (2) Emotional intelligence scale. Tool II: Job Burnout
Questionnaire. Results: less than fifth of the nurses in the study sample (18.6%) had high total EI, it
ranged between 15.7% for sociability and 18.6% for wellbeing. And the nurses' study sample was
almost equally split between low (50.7%) and moderate\High (49.3%) total burnout. Conclusion:
there was a statistically significant negative correlation between burnout scores and emotional
intelligence scores. Recommendations: Programs of In-service training for nurses on EI skills are
recommended. Periodic screening of emotional distress, exhaustion,
decrease job satisfaction,
professional inefficiency, and social negative effects

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