Emotional intelligence in managing challenging situations: individual, team and organisational practice

Nursing is an emotionally demanding profession characterised by continual exposure to patient suffering, ethical complexity and high-acuity care, often within resource-constrained environments. These conditions place nurses at heightened risk of stress, burnout and psychological distress. Emotional intelligence has been identified as a potential mechanism through which nurses perceive, interpret and respond to emotionally challenging situations. This article examines the role of emotional intelligence in supporting emotional resilience in nursing practice. It explores how emotional intelligence underpins key capabilities, including self-awareness, emotional regulation, empathy and interpersonal effectiveness, and considers how these intersect with established theories of stress, coping and emotional labour. The author also analyses how emotional intelligence operates across individual, team and organisational levels to promote staff and patient well-being and to sustain compassionate care.