A Look At Burnout Psychology Essay

A Look At Burnout Psychology EssayCHAPTER 2LITERATURE come off2.1 IntroductionThis study examined the relationship between aro partd science (EI) and burnout among nurses working in private hospitals in Malaysia. Theoretical literature related to this relationship provide be presented in the jump part of this chapter. The existing literature on the topics was examined and key pieces were brought together to establish a instalation for this study. The next part of the recapitulation explores the literature which has supported the offerd relationship between EI and burnout among the nurses in Malaysia.2.2 BurnoutThe status burnout has its roots in the medical and nursing disciplines. It was first defined by a psychiatrist, named Herbert Freudenberger in 1974. The system of burnout was developed with his clinical invite by exploring the turmoil that citizenry experience every day. According to Maslach and Jackson (1981a), burnout occurs in the helping professions, such(pr enominal) as nursing due to the degenerative stress associated with doing work that involves flock. Basic every(prenominal)y burnout occurs as feelings of stirred up exhaustion, negative feelings, and attitudes within the joke and the increase of negative self- concept. The soonest use of the burnout term in nursing literature was found in the articles published by Seymour Shubin in 1978. Shubin described burnout as hazardous to nursing and all other helping professions. The study of burnout, although not exclusive to nursing, continues to be an important occupational issue for the nursing profession.2.2.1 Definition of BurnoutThere argon many definitions of burnout, besides about definitions shargon a view of burnout as a state of fatigue and emotional exhaustion, as a result of emotional depletion and loss of motivation. The term burnout that was first coined by Freudenberger in 1974 refers to wearing out from the pressures of work. It was used to describe the experience of employees in professions that needs high degree of people contract. Freudenberger in 1975 pull ahead defined burnout as wearing out, failing, becoming exhausted, and it occurs when excessive demands on energy, strength or resources are made.Cherniss (1980) was among the first to describe burnout within human service stadium who defined burnout as a process that falls to an individuals attitudes and behavior change in negative ways in response to work stress. On the other hand, Maslach (1982) who has extensively look intoed about burnout has provided the approximately commonly accepted definition of burnout as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, de in-personization, and reduced personal accomplishment that bath occur among individuals who do people work of some kind. Maslach identified triple related themes (1) painful emotional experiences often resulted in clinical practitioners feeling emotionally exhausted and drained (2) as a result, they developed negative and cynical attitudes towards their clients and (3) personal competence suffered resulting in feelings of failure about their top executive to work in the health care profession. These three themes were summarized as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment and later operationalized to measure burnout exploitation the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (Maslach, Jackson Leiter, 1996).Garrosa, Moreno-Jimenez, Liang and Gonzalez (2008) pointed out that burnout is a detail form of chronic and occupational stress in the professional social services. According to Westman and Eden (1996), studies have sh suffer a strong relationship between work stress and burnout in many occupations. Especially, burnout has been repeatedly linked to job stress in the human service scope due to the frequent and intense interactions with clients (Cordes Doughery, 1993 Lee Ashforth, 1996). Additionally, studies have too sh proclaim that nurses who experience occupational stress experience greater burnout (Stechmiller Yarandi, 1993). Thus, burnout is related to stress whereby burnout is a reaction to stress. Prolonged and unrelieved work stress often leads to burnout which results in negative attitudes towards work. Freudenberger (1975) postulates that burnout involves personal and behavioral symptoms. Behavioral consequences of burnout include decreased interaction with care recipients, ineffective absenteeism, and high levels of job turnover (Maslach, 1982 Maslach Leiter, 1997).2.2.2 Models of BurnoutThe burnout literature provides several nonpluss of burnout. This subsection describes four moulds constructed in the early eighties which proceed from the simplest to the most complex bewilder.2.2.2.1 Cherniss transaction modelling of burnoutCherniss (1980) was a signifi bungholet figure of the first wave of burnout researchers and offered a burnout model that articulate transactional imbalance between the personal resources of the giver and the dema nds of the recipient or situation. Cherniss described burnout as a transactional stress process that involves three shows. The first face is stress whereby demands placed exceed individual resources for coping. The second stage is offer, the initial emotional response to stress which usually includes feelings of anxiety, tension, fatigue, and exhaustion. Finally, defensive coping occurs which leads to changes in attitudes and behavior such as the tendency of burnout individuals to treat clients in depersonalized way. Two years later, Cherniss modified his model and elaborated on the model that the causes of stress can either be indwelling or external demands. Additionally, the limited resources contributing to stress can also be external (e.g. availability of time, work space, and equipment) or internal (e.g. skills, knowledge, energy, and personality).In summary, Cherniss theorized that burnout is a coping response in a transactional process that begins with excessive and prolo nged exposure to job stress. The un check offlable stress causes strain in the individual which influences the coping process. If the stress is prolonged or sprains more intense, it will deplete the coping resources of an individual and force the individual to withdraw psychologically.2.2.2.2 Edelwich and Brodsky five stages of burnoutEdelwich and Brodsky (1980) suggested five stages of burnout (1) zeal (2) stagnation (3) frustration (4) apathy and (5) intervention. At the first stage, employees have great enthusiasm for their new jobs. They do not know a good deal about their job and have unrealistic expectations about outcomes of their effort. Therefore, when the outcome is not as expected, they become disillusioned. During the period of stagnation at stage two, realities of the job become evident. The job is no longer satisfying as it first appeared. Employees are now more concerned with meeting personal needs, working hours, and career development. The tercetly stage is ca lled the period of frustration. Employees begin to question their job effectiveness and the value of their job. The limits imposed by bureaucracy frustrate the individuals and they become dissatisfied with the job situation. At this stage, employees begin to develop emotional, physical, and behavioral problems.Proceed to stage four employees frustration turns to apathy because individuals feel trapped. On one hand, they feel frustrated by the job situation but on the other hand, they need the salary. The emotional and physical responses of individuals become worse whereby they would avoid clients whenever possible. The final stage is intervention. Nevertheless, it cannot be determined whether this stage would occur in an organization or the individual who is experiencing burnout would recognize their psychological state as undesirable. In summary, Edelwich and Brodsky viewed burnout as an evolutionary process that begins with idealistic enthusiasm and commitment. Subsequently, the loss of idealism, vigor, and purpose is triggered largely by work conditions (Edelwich Brodsky, 1980).2.2.2.3 Maslach Burnout caused by social interactionMaslach, a social psychologist, who became a stellar figure in the emerging research of burnout, has provided the conceptual definition that begun the second wave of research. Maslach (1982) described burnout as a three-dimensional syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Another specific contribution Maslach made was the supposed emphasis on the relational causes of burnout which linked to the social roots of emotional expenditure (Leiter Maslach, 1988 Maslach Leiter, 1997).Maslach (1982) saw that emotional overload and consequent emotional exhaustion is the heart of the burnout syndrome. Thus, the first response to a stressful interaction with other people is emotional exhaustion. As people become emotionally depleted, they cope by cutting back on their involvem ent with others. This detached response which called depersonalization is the second aspect of burnout and leads to various negative attitudes and behaviors. At this stage, individuals who experience burnout feel more emotional distress and guilt about how they have treated those that they are trying to help. Finally, the feeling of reduced personal accomplishment which is the third aspect of burnout appears. At this point, the individuals feel inadequate about their ability to treat or help others. They tend to believe that they have failed professionally and chosen the reproach profession.A major contribution by Maslach was the development of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Maslach and Jackson (1981a, 1981b) developed the MBI, which was one of the first reliable shafts for valid measurement of burnout. MBI is lock away the most widely-used measure of burnout in current research. MBI assesses psychological burnout and has three different versions, which include one general survey, one for human service professionals, and one for educators. The most commonly used measure of burnout is the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey or MBI-HSS (Maslach, Jackson Leiter, 1996) which was developed to measure occupational burnout among people working in the field of human services.2.2.2.4 Golembiewski, Munzenrider and Carter uncompromising scientific researchWhile other models focused on the order in which burnout aspects occur and the helping professions, Golembiewski, Munzenrider and Carter (1983) were concerned to make the study of burnout more unrelenting and to broaden the population in which burnout was examined. Golembiewski et al. noticed that research was lacking in terms of empirical investigation of the stages of burnout. To rectify both the lack of empiricism and put across the study of burnout to wider work settings, the authors used Maslach and Jacksons MBI (1981a, 1981b) to measure burnout among nursery school teachers and nurse educa tors.Golembiewski et al.s results in 1983 suggested that depersonalization occurs first and increases greatly before reduction in personal accomplishment occurs and finally emotional exhaustion follows. Their argument was ground on the fact that when people sense a loss of control and autonomy, their self-image is threatened. Initially, individuals may desire constructive ways out of the situation such as leaving the job. However, if the situation persists, they may begin to treat others as objects resulting in depersonalization. This will lead to diminished personal accomplishment and ultimately worsening emotional exhaustion. Based on Golembiewski et al.s findings and discussion of the burnout model in 1983, it can be classified that their model is similar to the earliest version of burnout model proposed by Cherniss (1980).Additionally, based on their model, Golembiewski et al. used a modified version of MBI and administered the instrument to a small population. The results all owed them to propose a model of burnout with eight stages. However, their model did not clarify or simplify the intellect of burnout. They moved to more rigorous methods of data collection and summary using MBI as measurement instrument and expanded the population of employees to which results can be generalized.2.2.3 Burnout and NursingEmployees in general experience burnout on the job, especially those in jobs with high contact with people. Nevertheless, nurses are considered at high risk of work-related stress and particularly susceptible to burnout among the different healthcare providers (Keane, Ducette Alder, 1985 Kilpatrick, 1989 Schaefer Moos, 1993 Schaufeli Janczur, 1994 Duquette, Kerouac Sandhu Beaudet, 1994 Farrington, 1995 Decker, 1997 Marsh, Beard Adams, 1999 Koivula, Paunonen Laippala, 2000 Taormina Law, 2000 Shimizu, Mizoue, Kubota, Mishima Nagata, 2003 Jenkins Elliott, 2004 Piko, 2006). This is also proven by the fact that burnout in nursing has received w orld-wide attention (Demerouti, Bakker, Nechreiner Schaufeli, 2000). Several studies have identified nurse burnout rates are as high as 40-50% (Hapell, Martin Pinikahana, 2003 Vahey, Aiken, Sloane, Clarke Vargas, 2004). Nurses are particularly susceptible to the development of burnout, master(prenominal)ly because of the nature and the emotional demands of their profession.Nurses experience considerable stress in their job because they have long working hours, a wide range of tasks, interpersonal conflict with tolerants and their families, doctors, and other co-workers, exposure to death and dying, and noise pollution (Schmitz, Neuman Opperman, 2000 Maslach, Schaufeli Leiter, 2001 Shimizu et al., 2003). Studies have also confirmed that stressful circumstances for hospital nurses are escalating and including work load (Foxall, Zimmerman, Standley Bene, 1990 Healey McKay, 2000 Koivula et al., 2000). Basically, nurses are subjected to many demands in the workplace which includ e physical demands and the psychological/emotional demands. The physical demands are related to the physical energy required to perform the daily duties of nursing such as transferring patients in and out of bed and lifting patients onto a bed. On the other hand, psychological/emotional demands are related to the emotional energy required to care for patients with chronic illness (Van Servellen Leake, 1993). Therefore, nurses who feel overloaded perceive a lack of meaningful society with the patients.2.3 aflame Intelligence (EI)Emotional intelligence (EI) is complementary to cognitive abilities (IQ) (Devrim, Nadi, Mahmut, Mustafa Mustafa Kemal, 2005). Goleman (1995) stated that EI is significant to success. Goleman further explains the difference between people with high IQs who experience difficulties in their personal and professional lives and people with moderate IQs who are very successful in all their endeavours. Emotions are separated from that of the rational mind having independent views and a mind of their own (Freshwater Stickley, 2004). Therefore, one has two minds, a rational mind that thinks and an emotional mind that feels. In conclusion, both the rational mind and emotional mind, lay in memories and influence our responses, actions, and choices. Furthermore, EI such as academic intelligence can be learned and developed with age (Mayer, Caruso Salovey, 2000).Research has shown that people with high EI understand their own and others feelings, know how to manage themselves, deal successfully with others, and respond effectively to work demands (Dulewicz Higgs, 2003 Goleman, 2005). Cooper (1997) stated that people with high levels of EI experience more career success, trope stronger personal relationships, lead more effectively, and enjoy better health than those with low EI. Hence, developing EI competencies in existing employees or finding individuals who posses these skills will enhance the organizations undersurface line (Goleman, 19 98a, 1998b) and ensure long-term success for the company.2.3.1 Background and Definition of Emotional Intelligence (EI)The idea of EI has its roots in the social intelligences. EI was first proposed by Thorndike in 1921, who noted that it was of value in human interactions and relationships. Gardners (1983) multiple intelligence theory later also contributed to the theory of EI through the identification of intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences. Interpersonal intelligence comprised of the ability to understand others and to co-operate with them, whereas intrapersonal intelligence comprised of the ability to be self-aware, to recognize ones own feelings, and to use this to operate successfully in life. However, the term EI was not brought into mainstream psychology until mid-nineties (Mayer, DiPaolo Salovey, 1990 Salovey Mayer, 1990). Hence, EI is a new construct since the first peer-reviewed article that was published in 1990 (Salovey Mayer, 1990). The concept is also des cribed as a new theory which is still in the initial stage of development and testing (Ashkanasy, Hartel Daus, 2002 Cherniss, Extein, Goleman Weissberg, 2006). As a result, definition of EI varies.Salovey and Mayer (1990) first coined the term of EI and defined EI as the ability to monitor ones own and others feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide ones thinking and actions. Mayer et al. (2000) further defined EI as an ability to recognize the meanings of emotions and their relationships, and reason and problem-solve on the basis of them. EI is involved in the capacity to perceive emotions, assimilate emotion related feelings, understand the information of those emotions, and manage them. However, the concept of EI was popularized by Goleman (1995) through his book Emotional Intelligence, which became a popular book for business and education leaders. Goleman (1998a) identified EI as the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships. In addition, Bar-On (2005) defined EI as a cross-section of interrelated emotional and social competencies, skills, and facilitators that determine how effectively we understand and express ourselves, understand others and relate with them, and cope with daily demands.In conclusion, recognizing feelings and controlling emotions are described as the core competencies of EI. Individuals who are emotionally intelligent can understand one another and each others views to overcome conflict and avoid negative the relationship. Therefore, EI is about sensing what others are feelings and handling relationships effectively (Dulewicz Higgs, 2000). Previous research also addressed the relationship between EI and work outcome variables such as stress perceptions in the workplace (Bar-On, Brown, Kirkcaldy Thome, 2000 Nikolaou Tsaousis, 2002), job satisfaction (Wong Law, 2002), jo b commitment (Nikolaou Tsaousis, 2002), leader effectiveness (Higgs Aitken, 2003), and performance (Lam Kirby, 2002 Van Rooy Viswesvaran, 2004 Lopes, Grewal, Kadis, Gall Salovey, 2006).2.3.2 Theories of Emotional Intelligence (EI)Since the take of the concept of EI in 1990s, many theories have been proposed. Nevertheless, three theories have gained acceptance among scholars and practitioners (Dulewicz, Higgs Slaski, 2003). These three major theoretical constructs each focused on understanding the roles of skills, traits, and abilities in EI (Emmerling Goleman, 2003). EI has been defined as an ability (Salovey Mayer, 1990), a set of traits and abilities (Bar-On, 2005) or a combination of skills and personal competencies (Goleman, 1995).The ability model is based on an individuals ability to use emotion as part of the reasoning process (Mayer et al., 2000). Mayer et al. asserted that EI depends on the ability to process emotional information and to use core abilities related to emotions. Bar-On (2005) conceptualized EI as a set of personality traits and abilities that predict emotional and social adaption within environments. Bar-On also affirmed that EI is teachable and learnable. According to Goleman (1995), EI is a set of learned skills and competencies and this formulation is most widely accepted outside academia. Golemans ideas have contributed to the development of leadership models that outline skills and competencies related to emotionally competent leadership (Emmerling Goleman, 2003).Additionally, the literature has evolved into two main categories of EI models (1) ability model and (2) obscure model (Feyerherm Rice, 2002). The Salovey and Mayer theory is considered an ability model of EI, while the Bar-On and Goleman theories are considered mixed model of EI (Mayer et al., 2000). Basically, the ability model encapsulates EI as a skill and the mixed model go beyond ability by including additional personality characteristics that leads to ce rtain behavior.2.3.2.1 Ability ModelThe ability model of EI is the Salovey and Mayer (1990) model which officially launched the field of EI. Salovey and Mayer viewed EI as an ability that exists, interacts, and complements an individuals cognitive capabilities. Ability theory promotes the relationship between cognition and emotion based on intellectual abilities (Mayer, Salovey Caruso, 2004). Salovey and Mayer conceptualized EI as a set of interrelated skills composed of four branches of abilities, which include (1) perception and expression of emotion (2) using emotions to facilitate thought (3) understanding and analyzing emotions and (4) managing emotions (Mayer et al., 2004). The four branches can be described as follows (1) the perceiving emotions branch relates to the ability to detect emotions in oneself and in others (2) the using emotions branch relates to the ability to use emotions in cognitive activities such as problem solving (3) the understanding emotions branch rel ates to the ability to comprehend the complexity of emotional language and emotional relationships and (4) the managing emotions branch relates to the ability for one to charm emotions in oneself and in others.The ability model of EI is different from other theories because the model is the only one which utilizes an instrument designed to measure ability (Dulewicz et al., 2003). This model operationalizes EI using ability-based measures the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MECEIT) (Mayer, Salovey Caruso, 2002) and its predecessor, the Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale (MEIS) (Salovey Mayer, 1990). The ability tests measure how well people perform tasks and solve emotional problems, as remote to other EI scales which rely on the individuals subjective assessment of his or her perceived emotional skills. However, ability tests are expensive and require more resources to administer and score. MSCEIT instrument is difficult to score and lacks workplace appli cability (Brackett, Rivers, Shiffman, Lerner Salovey, 2006). Consequently, self-report assessment outnumbers ability tests are more widely used in the mixed models.2.3.2.2 Mixed ModelsEI mixed theories set off the emotional and social functioning of individuals (Goleman, 2005 Bar-On, 2006). Therefore, Bar-On categorizes his model of EI as a key of emotional-social intelligence (ESI). Bar-On (2005) asserted five key competencies are associated with ESI, whereby the five domains of this mixed model are (1) intrapersonal capacity (the ability to be aware and understand ones own emotions and to express ones feelings and ideas) (2) interpersonal skills (the ability to be aware, understand, and appreciate others feelings as well as to build and fight down effective and satisfying relationships with others) (3) adaptability (the ability to adapt to various situations by effectively managing personal, social, and environmental changes by employing various skills such as problem solving, reality testing, and flexibility) (4) stress management strategies (the ability to manage emotions and to use those emotions to stay set offd and persistent) and (5) motivational and general mood factors (the ability to be optimistic, to enjoy oneself and others, and to maintain positive feelings) (Bar-On et al., 2000).The Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i), a self-report measure is considered as the most widely used measure of ESI (Bar-On, 2005). The EQ-i analyzes the concept of emotional and social functioning by measuring a persons ability to deal with daily demands and pressures. People who are taking EQ-i answer questions based on five competencies (1) intrapersonal skills such as emotional self-awareness, self-regard, self-actualization, or independence (2) interpersonal skills such as interpersonal relationships, empathy, and social responsibility (3) adaptability, including problem solving, flexibility, and reality testing (4) stress management, including tolerance and imp ulse control and (5) general mood of optimism and happiness.Goleman developed his mixed model theory of EI by building on the work of Salovey and Mayer, in addition to other researchers in the field (Emmerling Goleman, 2003). Basically, Golemans model of EI can be grouped into personal competencies and social competencies that affect personal success in the workplace. Goleman (2005) stated that a personal competence is the ability to keep self-awareness and manage ones behaviors while a social competence is the ability to understand the behaviors of others and manage relationships effectively. These competencies are described in detail as (1) self-awareness (knowing ones internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions) (2) self-management (managing ones internal states, impulses, and resources) (3) motivation (emotional tendencies that facilitate reaching goals) empathy (awareness of others feelings, needs, and concerns) and (4) social skills (adeptness at inducing desirabl e responses in others) (Goleman, 1998a).Based on the emotional competencies identified by Goleman (1998a), the Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI) was designed to assess EI. ECI is a 360-degree scale which gathers self, subordinate, peer, and supervisory ratings on social and emotional competencies of individuals in organizations. Subsequently, Boyatzis (2007) designed Emotional Social energy Instrument (ESCI), a multi-rater assessment in real organizational contexts which comprised of four emotional and social competencies, which include (1) self-awareness (2) self-management (3) social awareness and (4) relationship management.In general, EI mixed models stress performance based on behavioral competencies and personality traits suitable for a wide range of work contexts, job roles, and job levels (Petrides, Furnham Martin, 2004 Goleman, 2005 Boyatzis, 2007). The mixed model is also comprised of other measurement instruments. For examples, measures such as the Schutte Self-Repor t Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) (Schutte, Malouff, Hall, Haggerty, Cooper, Golden Dornheim, 1998), and Wong and Laws (2002) leadership-focused measure of EI. Many studies in the literature utilize self-report measures of EI based on mixed model perspective that incorporates both disposition and ability (Chan, 2006). According to MacCann, Matthews, Zeidner and Roberts (2003), mixed model scales vastly outnumber ability tests at the stage of EI development, meaning that EI is more commonly assessed as a disposition, rather than as an ability. Additionally, self-report or peer-report measures require less amount of time to complete and are most cost-effective than the ability based measure.2.3.3 Emotional Intelligence (EI) and NursingThere is a large body of knowledge related to EI exists outside nursing whereas EI theory and research within nursing is scarce and a more recent phenomenon (Akerjordet Severinsson, 2007 Smith, Profetto-McGrath Cummings, 2009). Smith et al. (2009) conducted a literature review related to EI and nursing during 1995-2007. Smith et al. found only 21 theoretical and 9 empirical articles related to the subject and concluded that although the body of theoretical literature in nursing is growing, scientific research about EI and nursing is just beginning. Apart from that, researches that link EI and nursing are mostly correlation designs using small sample sizes.Akerjordet and Severinsson (2007) asserted that EI has significant implications for nurses theatrical role of work in healthcare. Therefore some qualitative studies have been conducted to explore the concepts and ideas of EI in nursing (Akerjordet Severinsson, 2004 Freshwater Stickley, 2004 Kooker, Shoultz Codier, 2007 Hurley Rankin, 2008). Akerjordet and Severinsson (2004) used qualitative interviews to gain insight into mental health nurses emotional experiences in practice and sought to understand the connection between nurses articulations of emotions in practice a nd EI concepts. Four main themes emerged from the study, which include (1) relationship with the patient (2) the substance of supervision (3) motivation and (4) responsibility which are related to different aspects of EI. For instance, relationship with the patient which was a central research finding is linked to EI through the ability to interpret and communicate emotional information. Akerjordet and Severinsson concluded that EI implies important personal and interpersonal skills in nurses therapeutic use of self, critical reflection, and stimulates the search for a deeper understanding of professional nursing identity.Additionally, quantitative studies in nursing have linked EI with coping strategies (Rochester, Kilstoff Scott, 2005 Montes-Berges Augusto, 2007) and burnout (Gerits, Derksen, Verbruggen Katzko, 2005). Montes-Berges and Augusto (2007) investigated links between nursing students EI, coping with stress and success at school or work. They indicated that nursing stu dents who possess EI competencies are more likely to manage the pressures of school and continue throughout the nursing programs. The findings further pointed out a moderate correlation between nurses EI and coping within work-related environments. Another study found a clear link between EI and burnout in nurses measured at two different points in time (Gerits et al., 2005). Gerits et al. conducted a two-year longitudinal study on the EI profiles with 380 nurses working in 56 Dutch residential facilities for people with mental retardation. The fewest symptoms of burnout were reported by female nurses with relatively high EI profiles and relatively low social skills.EI has been identified as important for leaders in healthcare environments (Vitello-Cicciu, 2002 Cummings, 2004 McQueen, 2004). Organizational literature supports the notion that strong leaders who know how to manage emotions within complex healthcare systems is needed and will further take in patient care, nurses, and organizations (Snow, 2001 Herbert Edgar, 2004 Feather, 2009). Emotionally intelligent leaders use emotionally intelligent skill to recognize the professional and emotional needs of colleagues, establish positive relationships with nurses, motivate passion and dedication in the workplace and ultimately influence patient care practices (Vitello-Cicciu, 2003). In a nutshell, emotionally intelligent leaders secure a commitment for excellence in practice through emotionally intelligent relationships that promote improvements in thinking, critical decision making, and care delivery (Strickland, 2000 Snow, 2001 Goleman, 2005).In summary, EI concept is increasingly recognized and is making an appearance in nursing journals (Cadman Brewer, 2001 Evans Allen, 2002 Freshman Rubino, 2002). The literature revealed EI is important and relevant to nursing from both an empirical and a theoretical perspective. EI influences emotion within caring relationships, quality of care and stress managemen t. Emotionally intelligent leaders influence employees retention, quality of patient care, and pati