Emotional intelligence and clinical competence among nursing interns: a structural equation modeling study

Background Emotional intelligence (EI) has been recognized as a key psychological resource for managing emotions and coping with highly stressful healthcare environments, which may influence clinical competence. Nursing internship is a critical period for developing clinical skills amid increasing expectations for interns. Despite growing evidence, there remains a notable lack of empirical evidence examining whether emotional intelligence influences the clinical competence of nursing interns in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to examine the association of emotional intelligence with the clinical competence among nursing interns. Method A descriptive cross-sectional, correlational design using structural equation modelling was used to test a hypothesized model. A convenience sample of 181 nursing interns was recruited from a governmental hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Eligible participants were interns currently enrolled in the internship program; those on extended leave, unable to complete the assessment, or with conditions affecting clinical performance were excluded. Data were collected using an online survey. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), and clinical competence was assessed using the Holistic Clinical Assessment Tool (HCAT). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine direct and indirect relationships between variables. Results The mean score for EI was 5.0 ± 1 and for clinical competence was 3.1 ± 0.9. In the structural model, EI (WLEIS) had a significant positive effect on the clinical competence (HCAT) with a standardized coefficient of 0.62. Age was positively associated with all subdomains of clinical competence and with overall clinical competence (HCAT) (standardized coefficient = 0.25), while GPA showed a significant association with EI (WLEIS) (standardized coefficient = 0.50). Conclusion EI plays a crucial role in enhancing the clinical competence of nursing interns. Hence, integrating emotional intelligence into the nursing curriculum and providing emotional intelligence training for nursing interns are recommended to enhance their emotional management and clinical competence.