The Impact of Work Stress on Emotional Intelligence and Life Satisfaction in Nurses: A Study during the Second Wave of Covid-19

Abstract

Nurses face a multitude of stressful circumstances, such as long hours, the weight of patient care, overnight shifts, fast-paced work, emotional demands, interaction with suffering individuals, and dealing with aggressive patient behavior. The ongoing pandemic further intensifies the demands of this already challenging profession. Therefore, this current research aimed to evaluate the connection between work-related stress, emotional intelligence, and the overall life satisfaction of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to examine any differences between male and female nurses. The study enrolled 200 male and female nurses employed in public hospitals. Data was gathered using a demographic questionnaire, the workplace stress scale, emotional intelligence scale, and the satisfaction with life scale. Statistical analyses including frequency distributions, means, standard deviations, linear regression, Pearson correlation, and t-test were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to draw conclusions. The results indicated a significant negative relationship between the variables, notably the association between work stress and emotional intelligence and life satisfaction. Furthermore, it was revealed that work stress is a significant predictor of life satisfaction for nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of the study indicated that both male and female nurses equally experienced job-related stress in their workplace, with no significant difference in the average values of work stress and life satisfaction between male and female nurses during the pandemic. Since this was a situational study, further exploration is necessary to comprehend stress, emotional intelligence, and life satisfaction among doctors and other healthcare staff.