Develop and Use Emotional Intelligence in Nursing

Question: Discuss about theDevelop and Use Emotional Intelligence in Nursing. Answer: Introduction A person who accurately perceives their self and others emotions are wise leaders - Travis Bradberry (2009) Nursing is an art and science. Nursing means giving physical and emotional care to relieve the suffering of the people (Douglas, 2004). A nurse should be emotionally intelligent to meet her patients needs. Emotional intelligence is always learned but not acquired. Being intelligence is wise that too being emotionally intelligent is too wise to be a good nurse. Emotional intelligence is more than being intellect but also includes practical aspects in the working environment. The term emotional intelligence means the understanding and managing of ones self and others emotions. This essay deals about the methods to develop and use emotional intelligence for a nurse for the patient and organizational welfare. As a nurse manager, I will help her to develop self and social awareness as given in Faculty assistance programme, 2013. I will motivate her to be aware of her own emotions and its effect on her thoughts, behavior, values and goals of the hospital; she is working (Holland, 2012). I will help her to understand the needs and concerns of other people and how her emotional cues affects others thought and behavior towards her. I will explain her to avoid unnecessary facial expression, body movements and to have polite and assertive way of expressions. I will make her to identify her own cultural expressions of emotions and values unique to her culture and her colleagues culture too. I will help her to understand that culture shapes ones intelligence and gives unique identity and to be cautious about expressing her own culture and value others culture (Douglas, 2004). Basically nursing is not a culturally free but a culturally determined profession. I will make her to understand the method of communication, space and organization of other cultures. I will help her to be culturally competent nurse by cooperating with others regardless of racial, ethnic or cultural heritage. I will motivate her to develop effective interpersonal relationship and respect others culture so as to be an effective nurse. I will arrange regular meetings with all the staff members so that she can talk and mingle with others. In the beginning I will help her to understand the meaning of the words spoken by the tone and facial expression. This will motivate her to understand others language, pronunciation and culture to increase her adaptability to the new circumstances. These regular meetings and staff welfare programs will help her to express her feelings and thoughts about her work. I will help her to find solutions for her problems. I will delegate work based on her competency so as to offer flexibility in work places. I will motivate her to perform self assessment and social assessment to identify the effect of her behavior and emotions on others and to understand the effect of behavior on interpersonal relationship. I will help her to manage or regulate herself. I will help her to assess her own strength and weaknesses and to overcome her difficulties. I will redirect her disruptive emotions and to make her to adapt to new circumstances (Holland, 2012). Based on the above mentioned policies the nurse manager should develop and use emotional intelligent management practices. The code of conduct should be instructed to the nurse to help them to be culturally competent and appropriate. They should be explained about the purposes and guidelines of code of conduct and about the importance of maintaining interpersonal relationship and espirit de corps. The nurse should give clear instructions, expectations, rules and policies and explain the employees as what to do and how to do and when to do. The conflict most commonly arises in a working area due to difference in thoughts, opinions and skill of care giving. The nurse should be empowered with conflict resolution skills as confronting, bargaining, smoothing, avoiding the conflict, forcing for solution and if needed unilateral action. A nurse manager should be empowered to work in the hospital environment (Douglas, 2004). The family friendly initiatives such as educational assistance for the children, paid parental leave, helping them to bring their young child at lunch or coffee breaks should be offered (Straz, 2015). This flexibility in work will improve the outcomes of the nurses. The opportunities should be given to the nurses in meetings to express their feedback and suggestions in the organizational decisions (Douglas, 2004). They should be involved in planning the organizational activities and delegating appropriate work. The nurses should be encouraged to self reflect among team members. She should be encouraged to analyze her strengths, weakness, capabilities and finding solutions and develop self confidence. The nurse manager should provide criteria and help the nurses to score their physical, social, emotional and mental health. The nurse manager should provide safe environment for the nurses with dignity and respect. The nurses should be protected from harassments as unlawful and sexual harassment, bullying (repeated unwanted behaviour), vilification and victimisation (treating unfairly). In case of unwanted behaviours, a nurse manager should motivate the nurse to take any of the following options. Assist the nurse in self managing the issues by making direct complaint to the authorities. It should be practiced if there is no serious issue. Informal resolution may be needed at times, which involves the complainants manager discusses the issue with the respondent and takes the appropriate course of action. When these two options fails, formal resolution should be taken, in which a formal complaint should be given in writing to a nurse manager or human resources department. The next level is seeking for an external resolution, which involves registering complaint in any of the human rights commission as the V ictorian equal opportunity and Human Rights Commission, or Federal Human Rights Commission, etc. The nurse manager should maintain neutrality in making decisions and avoid personal and professional bias. In contrast, if there is any false complaint made on the person, severe disciplinary action might be taken on the person and may terminate the employee from the job. The information related with the complaint should be kept confidentially. The issues should be documented in clear words. The nurse managers should educate her subordinates about the methods to handle various harassments. An effective nurse manager should assess the strengths of the nurses and assign right task for a right person by right direction in right circumstances. She should encourage the staff nurses by giving away the awards based on their performances to achieve the organizational outcomes. Thus emotional intelligence makes a nurse leader to be more perfect and adaptable with positive motivation to be a Smart Nurse. References Bradberry, T., 2009, Emotional Intelligence 2.0., Retrieved from www.talentsmart.com Douglas, C., 2004, Potter and Perrys Fundamentals of Nursing, Elsevier, Missouri. Faculty assistance programme, 2013, Emotional intelligence in workplace, Retrieved from woodassociates.net/FAP/Newsletters/Search/PDF/FAP% 20August%202013%207_23_13.pdf Holland, 2012, Developing Emotional Intelligence for Good to Great Nurses, Retrieved from https://www.nursetogether.com/developing-emotional-intelligence-good-great-nurses Straz, M., 2015, Your employees will love you for offering these 3 family benefits, Retrieved from https:www.entrepreneur.comarticle.