Here's how you can enhance emotional support to patients and their families through emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions, as well as to recognize, understand, and influence the emotions of others. In nursing, this translates to being aware of the emotional states of patients and their families, empathizing with their experiences, and responding appropriately to their emotional needs. By enhancing your EI, you can provide better emotional support, which is critical in healthcare settings where patients and families are often dealing with stress, fear, and uncertainty.