The effect of emotional intelligence on nurses’ job performance: the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stress
Abstract Background Although previous studies have linked emotional intelligence to nurses’ job performance, research lacks how moral intelligence and occupational stress mediate this relationship. Addressing this gap is essential for improving nursing care outcomes. This study aims to determine the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-02-01
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| Series: | BMC Nursing |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-02744-3 |
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| author | Rozita Cheraghi Naser Parizad Vahid Alinejad Mehri Piran Laleh Almasi |
| author_facet | Rozita Cheraghi Naser Parizad Vahid Alinejad Mehri Piran Laleh Almasi |
| author_sort | Rozita Cheraghi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Although previous studies have linked emotional intelligence to nurses’ job performance, research lacks how moral intelligence and occupational stress mediate this relationship. Addressing this gap is essential for improving nursing care outcomes. This study aims to determine the mediating effect of moral intelligence and occupational stress in this relationship among Iranian nurses. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional correlational study was conducted in Urmia Teaching Hospital from February to April 2022. Six hundred and twenty-one nurses were recruited using quota sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Lenik and Kiel’s Moral Intelligence Questionnaire (LK-MIQ), Siberia Schering’s Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (SS-EISQ), Patterson’s Job Performance Questionnaire (P-JPQ), and the Nursing Stress Scale (NSS). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS ver. 23 and Smart-PLS ver. 3.0. Results The effect of emotional intelligence on job performance was positive, direct, and weak (β = 0.099, t-value = 2.285, p = 0.023). Emotional intelligence had a negative, direct, and weak effect on moral intelligence (β = − 0.257, t-value = 4.754, p = 0.000) and a negative, direct, and moderate effect on occupational stress (β = − 0.316, t-value = 6.482, p = 0.000). Moral intelligence mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and occupational stress (β = 0.0842, 95% CI: 0.0532, 0.1194). However, the mediating role of occupational stress between emotional intelligence and job performance was not supported (β = 0.003, 95% CI: − 0.0139, 0.0184). Conclusion Moral and emotional intelligence should be key criteria for selecting nursing staff and managers to create a safe, low-stress environment that boosts nurses’ job performance. Healthcare managers should promote nurses’ emotional intelligence by offering practical courses for enhancing nurses’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management skills. It is essential to support moral intelligence by organizing educational classes that improve their integrity, responsibility, compassion, and forgiveness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-02f98875fda8436baacb4bb707b6ab7a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6955 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Nursing |
| spelling | doaj-art-02f98875fda8436baacb4bb707b6ab7a2025-02-09T12:27:18ZengBMCBMC Nursing1472-69552025-02-0124111210.1186/s12912-025-02744-3The effect of emotional intelligence on nurses’ job performance: the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stressRozita Cheraghi0Naser Parizad1Vahid Alinejad2Mehri Piran3Laleh Almasi4Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical SciencesPatient Safety Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Biostatistics, Urmia University of Medical SciencesImam Khomeini Hospital, Urmia University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Although previous studies have linked emotional intelligence to nurses’ job performance, research lacks how moral intelligence and occupational stress mediate this relationship. Addressing this gap is essential for improving nursing care outcomes. This study aims to determine the mediating effect of moral intelligence and occupational stress in this relationship among Iranian nurses. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional correlational study was conducted in Urmia Teaching Hospital from February to April 2022. Six hundred and twenty-one nurses were recruited using quota sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Lenik and Kiel’s Moral Intelligence Questionnaire (LK-MIQ), Siberia Schering’s Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (SS-EISQ), Patterson’s Job Performance Questionnaire (P-JPQ), and the Nursing Stress Scale (NSS). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS ver. 23 and Smart-PLS ver. 3.0. Results The effect of emotional intelligence on job performance was positive, direct, and weak (β = 0.099, t-value = 2.285, p = 0.023). Emotional intelligence had a negative, direct, and weak effect on moral intelligence (β = − 0.257, t-value = 4.754, p = 0.000) and a negative, direct, and moderate effect on occupational stress (β = − 0.316, t-value = 6.482, p = 0.000). Moral intelligence mediates the relationship between emotional intelligence and occupational stress (β = 0.0842, 95% CI: 0.0532, 0.1194). However, the mediating role of occupational stress between emotional intelligence and job performance was not supported (β = 0.003, 95% CI: − 0.0139, 0.0184). Conclusion Moral and emotional intelligence should be key criteria for selecting nursing staff and managers to create a safe, low-stress environment that boosts nurses’ job performance. Healthcare managers should promote nurses’ emotional intelligence by offering practical courses for enhancing nurses’ self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management skills. It is essential to support moral intelligence by organizing educational classes that improve their integrity, responsibility, compassion, and forgiveness.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-02744-3Moral intelligenceEmotional intelligenceOccupational stressJob performanceNurse |
| spellingShingle | Rozita Cheraghi Naser Parizad Vahid Alinejad Mehri Piran Laleh Almasi The effect of emotional intelligence on nurses’ job performance: the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stress BMC Nursing Moral intelligence Emotional intelligence Occupational stress Job performance Nurse |
| title | The effect of emotional intelligence on nurses’ job performance: the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stress |
| title_full | The effect of emotional intelligence on nurses’ job performance: the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stress |
| title_fullStr | The effect of emotional intelligence on nurses’ job performance: the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of emotional intelligence on nurses’ job performance: the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stress |
| title_short | The effect of emotional intelligence on nurses’ job performance: the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stress |
| title_sort | effect of emotional intelligence on nurses job performance the mediating role of moral intelligence and occupational stress |
| topic | Moral intelligence Emotional intelligence Occupational stress Job performance Nurse |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-02744-3 |
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