EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AS A PREDICTOR OF SAFE NURSING PRACTICE IN NIGERIAN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS

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This study examined the level of emotional intelligence (EI) and knowledge of patient safety among nurses in Niger State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed with a sample of 238 nurses selected through multistage random sampling across health facilities in the state. Data were collected using a validated, self-administered questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.92) and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that the grand mean score for emotional intelligence (M = 2.905, SD = 0.417) exceeded the cut-off point of 2.50, indicating that most respondents demonstrated a moderate to high level of emotional intelligence. The highest-rated item reflected that emotional intelligence may help address the nursing shortage, while the lowest related to emotional intelligence and caring behaviour. Similarly, the grand mean score for knowledge of patient safety (M = 2.722, SD = 0.367) also surpassed the threshold, suggesting satisfactory knowledge among respondents. The highest-rated item defined patient safety as the prevention of injuries and adverse events during care delivery. The findings corroborate global evidence linking emotional intelligence to communication, stress management, and effective nursing performance, as well as emphasizing the importance of patient safety competence in improving care outcomes. The study concludes that nurses in Niger State possess commendable levels of both emotional intelligence and patient safety knowledge. It recommends integrating emotional intelligence training and patient safety education into continuous professional development programs to enhance the quality and safety of nursing practice.