Improving emotional intelligence and its effect on teamwork competence in intensive care units’ nurses

Background and aims: Teamwork is essential in nursing, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs) where complex working conditions prevail. Many nurses are inadequately prepared for teamwork, leading to workflow disruptions and inefficient resource use. This study evaluates the effects of an emotional intelligence-based empowerment program on the professional competence of ICU nurses. Methods: A semi-experimental study was conducted in Shahrekord educational hospitals in 2023, where nurses were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in a four-day online workshop focused on emotional intelligence. Teamwork assessments were conducted before and after the intervention. Initially, the control group had a teamwork score of 141.9±19.8, while the intervention group scored 144.5±16.5. There was no significant difference between the groups initially (P=0.59), but post-intervention, the intervention group demonstrated significantly improved performance (P=0.001). Results: The teamwork score in the control group was 141.9±19.8, while in the intervention group, it was 144.5±16.5. Post-intervention, the intervention group showed significantly improved performance compared to the control group (P=0.001). Conclusion: The emotional intelligence-based empowerment program effectively enhanced ICU nurses’ self-confidence and teamwork skills, highlighting it as a strategic approach to improving nursing service quality and patient care outcomes. It is recommended that nurses, managers, and healthcare stakeholders utilize these insights to strengthen nurses’ qualifications through targeted in-service training.