Effect of Training Program on Emotional intelligence among Nursing Students in Selected Nursing Colleges of Maharashtra

Emotional intelligence has a significant place in nursing, where compassion and caring are two foundations of the profession. In order to provide compassionate care, nurses must be able to identify, use, manage and understand emotions not only in themselves but also in others. Emotional intelligence is something that can be taught in a lecture class; it has to be developed through an active listening, engagement, and participation. Nursing curriculum embraces the cognitive and technical aspects, but the cognitive/affective aspects are not focused much, nor emphasized, yet it is expected to be possessed by all nurses.  The aim of the study was to assess the emotional intelligence of nursing students and provide an intervention of emotional intelligence training program in order to develop emotional intelligence. To assess the emotional intelligence EIS developed by Schutte N was used. Quasi-experimental pretest post test controlled group design was used on second year B.Sc. Nursing students. The data was collected by stratified proportionate sampling. The study group received 12 hours of training program while control group received the regular training. Later, the post tests were conducted at one month, three month and six months after completion of training on Emotional intelligence. Mann Whitney results among the groups showed that the emotional intelligence training program was significantly effective in raising the level of emotional intelligence in study group than the control group. It was recommended that emotional intelligence training program should be used as an adjunct strategy in nursing curriculum so as to enhance the affective learning.