The assessment of emotional intelligence in social care and healthcare student selection: a qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

Background: Effective student selection methods are needed to identify applicants who are expected to complete their studies and succeed professionally. The assessment of emotional intelligence has recently been identified as an important element of student selection for nursing studies. Purpose: This small-scale study, conducted in Finland, sought to capture the content of emotional intelligence that is considered relevant to social care and healthcare student selection from the perspectives of social care and healthcare educators and professionals. Methods: Five semi-structured focus group interviews (n = 30) were conducted with the educators and professionals. The data were analysed qualitatively using both deductive and inductive content analyses. Findings: The analysis of the data identified participants' perspectives on: perception of emotions, understanding emotions, accepting emotions, emotional management, emotional expression, utilising emotions and emotional awareness in social contexts. The participating educators and professionals indicated that applicants should demonstrate basic abilities across all these aspects of emotional intelligence in order to cope with the demands of social care and healthcare studies. Conclusions: Findings support the notion of the comprehensive assessment of emotional intelligence in student selection contexts. By ascertaining whether students have adequate basic emotional intelligence abilities, the risk of emotional exhaustion during clinical practice could be reduced; higher education institutions may better be able to select applicants who are likely to complete their studies and who are willing and able to work as social care and healthcare professionals.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Emotional Intelligence Test (EMI‐T) for social care and healthcare student selection

“…As a result, six EI categories (perception of emotions, understanding of emotions, emotional expression, managing emotions, utilizing emotions and social awareness and relations) were identified (Pienimaa et al, 2022 ). Furthermore, five focus group interviews ( n = 30) with social care and healthcare educators and professionals were conducted in 2019 (Pienimaa et al, 2021 ). The content analysis of the focus group interviews yielded a new EI category: acceptance of emotions.…”

“…First, a systematic review ( n = 22) was conducted in 2018 using six electronic databases. Second, five focus group interviews ( n = 30) with social care and healthcare educators and professionals were conducted in 2019 (Pienimaa et al, 2021 ; Figure 2 ). The social care and healthcare educators were recruited via education managers at four universities of applied sciences and clinical professionals were recruited through nurse managers from the country's biggest hospital district and primary healthcare unit.…”

“…The purpose was to evaluate the relevance and measurability of the identified main EI categories from a student selection perspective. The participants from the focus group interviews ( n = 30; social care and healthcare educators and professionals; Pienimaa et al, 2021 ) were invited for the expert panel. Participants were asked to evaluate the relevance of the EI categories with a 4‐point Likert‐type scale, and measurability with a dichotomous scale (yes/no).…”

“…The EI instruments generally included three to four main EI categories. In a study by Pienimaa et al ( 2021 ), social care and healthcare educators and professionals identified a new EI category to be assessed during student selection—acceptance of emotions. This category is not included in any of the existing EI instruments.…”

Impact of emotional intelligence on employee’s job performance and job satisfaction in the aged care industry

“…The ability to exercise EI is highly valued in nursing and essential for nurse management (Akerjordet & Severinsson, 2008;Codier et al, 2008;Feather, 2009). Research has been conducted regarding the aspects of undergraduate nursing students' EI and academic performance (Chia, 2005;Duygulu et al, 2011;Pienimaa et al, 2021;Smith et al, 2009), leadership (Fernandez et al, 2012), and curriculum (Codier & Odell, 2014;Carragher & Gormley, 2017;Foster et al, 2015). It is essential to use the EI examination as part of the admissions process (Rankin, 2013).…”