Emotional rescue: the role of emotional intelligence and emotional labour on well‐being and job‐stress among community nurses

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the extent to which emotional labour and emotional intelligence are associated with well‐being and job‐stress among a group of Australian community nurses. The moderating role of emotional intelligence was evaluated as a key factor in the rescue of healthcare workers from job‐stress, thus increasing job retention. Background: Although emotional labour has been broadly investigated in the literature, the contribution of emotional labour and emotional intelligence to the well‐being and experience of job‐stress in a community nursing setting requires further exploration. Design: This study used a cross‐sectional quantitative research design with data collected from Australian community nurses. Methods: Australian community nurses (n = 312) reported on their perceived emotional labour, emotional intelligence and their levels of well‐being and job‐stress using a paper and pencil survey in 2010. Results/Findings: Results from structural equation modelling support the hypothesis that both emotional labour and emotional intelligence have significant effects on nurses' well‐being and perceived job‐stress. Emotional intelligence plays a moderating role in the experience of job‐stress. Conclusion: These findings provide additional evidence for the important effects that emotional labour and emotional intelligence can have on well‐being and job‐stress among community nurses. The potential benefits of emotional intelligence in the nurses' emotional work have been explored.