The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Job Stress among Nurses in Shiraz, Iran

Background: Nursing is a stressful occupation, and nurses face multiple stressors daily. Emotional intelligence causes an individual to overcome environmental stresses. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between emotional intelligence and job stress among nurses in Shiraz.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 500 nurses, selected through multistage cluster sampling, from the hospitals in Shiraz in 2017. The data collection tools were the Siberia Schering's Emotional Intelligence Standard Questionnaire and the Hospital Job Stress Standard Questionnaire, completed through the self-report method. The data were analysed using SPSS 22 software.

Results: The mean scores of emotional intelligence and job stress were 113.59 ± 14.70 (total score = 165) and 97.10 ± 14.27 (total score = 175), respectively. The correlation test showed that there was an inverse relationship between emotional intelligence and job stress (r = -0.474, P < 0.001). Also, the multiple linear regression analysis showed that self-awareness, social consciousness, and income predicted 25% of the job stress in the subjects under study (r2 = 0.25).

Conclusion: Regarding the relatively strong and inverse relationship between the nurses' emotional intelligence and job stress, it is suggested that emotional intelligence workshops be included in the in-service training programs of the nurses.