Determining the relationship between emotional intelligence and interpersonal sensitivity with quality of work life in nurses

Emotional intelligence and interpersonal sensitivity are known as important nursing skills. They have significant role in the promotion of nurses working life and the health care which they provide. The goal of this study was the determination of the relationship between emotional intelligence and interpersonal sensitivity with quality of work life in nurses working in governmental hospitals of Tehran city in 2019.

This investigation was a descriptive‑analytical and correlation study which was conducted among 256 nurses working in five governmental hospitals in Tehran. The studied nurses were selected through in access sampling method. The instruments of research included demographic, emotional intelligence, interpersonal sensitivity, and work life quality questionnaires. The analysis of data was done by descriptive and deductive statistics (t‑test and Pearson correlation coefficient) and also SPSS.

The conditions of emotional intelligence, interpersonal sensitivity, and work life quality of nurses were, in turn, in average, severe, and weak levels. The correlation between emotional intelligence and work life quality of nurses was significant (P ≤ 0.05) and they were positively correlated with each other (r = 0.311). The relationship between interpersonal sensitivity and work life quality of nurses was significant (P ≤ 0.05) and they were negatively correlated with each other (r = −0.43).

The development of emotional intelligence and sensitivity in reciprocally interpersonal relations of nurses lead to fundamental changes in nurses’ attitude toward themselves, their colleagues, patients and their profession and can promote their work life quality. Therefore, these two skills are necessary for nurses and they should be taken into consideration by nursing schools, faculty members, instructors, and nursing managers.