The Relationship between Empathy and Emotional Intelligence Level in Nurses Working in Pediatric Clinics

It is known that emotional intelligence skill is associated with empathy and these two components facilitate communication in stressful times. The quality of care, job satisfaction and patient satisfaction provided by nurses with sufficient empathy and emotional intelligence are high. The study was carried out descriptively, cross-sectionally with 387 pediatric nurses between 21.03.2019-01.05.2019 in order to determine the relationship between empathy and emotional intelligence among nurses working in pediatric clinics. The data were collected using the Introductory Feature Form, Jefferson Empathy Scale (JES), Petrides Trait Emotional Intelligence Scale (PTEIS). In the evaluation, number, percentage, mean, Mann Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis, Spearman correlation (Spearman rank correlation - ρ), stepwise regression tests were used. The nurses participating in the research are 31.78 ± 7.60 years old on average and have been working in pediatrics clinics for an average of 6.10 ± 6.12 years. The mean score of the nurses in JES is 83.46, and the mean score of PTEIS is 5.21. There is a significant relationship between the total score of the JES and the number of years in nursing profession and the satisfaction in the working environment(p <0.05). Having children, working in the nursing profession for 16 years or more, physical and emotional satisfaction from the working environment increases the total score of the JES. There is a significant relationship between PTEIS total score and age, the clinic worked, satisfaction with the work environment and loving the profession (p <0.05). Growing age, working in outpatient / emergency clinics, satisfaction with the work environment and loving the profession increase PTEIS total score. While PT, the sub-dimension of JES, and well-being and emotionality, sub-dimensions of PTEIS had a weak but positive relationship. No relation was found between empathy and emotional intelligence of pediatric nurses. It can be recommended that nurses with professional experience be assigned in pediatrics clinics, the number of male nurses be increased, empathy and emotional intelligence levels be improved by organizing in-service trainings, advanced studies with different and larger groups on the subject be conducted.