Introduction

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, assimilate and regulate one’s own emotions, as well as to know how to act when there is a problem affecting the relationship of students, interns or nurses with patients.

Objective

To identify EI levels in undergraduate nursing students in 2017.

Materials and Methods

A descriptive quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 90 undergraduate nursing students in Mexico City. Five scales were applied (EIS-25, GHQ-12, PANAS, EES, MBI-SS and UWES-S). Pearson’s chi-squared test and Fisher’s exact test were also applied.

Results

13.3%(12) have adequate levels of EI, from which 100%(12) are satisfied with their studies, compared to 60.25%(47) in those with lower EI (p=0.007). Age, academic term, gender, class hours and degree reported a p-value of >0.203.

Discussion

Similar results were obtained to those of the University of Veracruz, Mexico which revealed that a lower EI has an effect on health and alterations in emotional well-being. The study found out that nursing education has traditionally focused on skills, competencies, aptitudes and intellectual measurement rather than EI.

Conclusions

EI in undergraduate nursing students has high emotional demands so authorities should make efforts to implement study programs that include strategies promoting EI development more than just intellectual development.

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