The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Workplace Stress among Maternity Nurses

Document Type : Research articles

Authors

Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University

Abstract

Workplace stress is often reported by nurses working in many fields and particularly in
maternity nurses. Nurses working in perinatal units usually faced continuous unpredicted work
environment, many crisis and strong emotional tone due to attachment with their clients. Thus,
emotional intelligence plays a great role in helping those nurses to regulate their emotions and deal
with conflict. Objective: Identify emotional intelligence and workplace stress among nurses caring for
maternity women. Setting: The study was conducted at El-Shatby Maternity University Hospital and
four Family medicine centers. Subjects: A convenient sample of 120 nurses working for at least 2
years in the perinatal units of the previously mentioned settings. Tools: Emotional Intelligence Scale
and the Workplace Stress Scale. Results: The results revealed that there is a statistically significant
negative correlation between nurses' workplace stress and overall emotional intelligence, age, marital
status, working hours per day and the number of cases assigned to each nurse. On further analysis
using stepwise multiple regression, the study revealed that self-awareness emerged as the first
predictor of workplace stress, and the number of cases assigned to each nurse emerged as the
strongest predictor of workplace stress. Conclusion: Emotion intelligence, years of work experience
and being married are related to and can predict less perceived workplace stress, while increased
workload is related to and can predict more perceived workplace stress. Recommendations:
Workplace should offer courses, seminars, conferences, workshops and panels about emotional skills
and in-service programs about coping with workplace stress.

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