Emotional intelligence – essential for trauma nursing

• This is my story as a nurse and relative experiencing the London Trauma System
• Trauma education has traditionally focused on the technical skills
• Excellent trauma nursing also requires emotional intelligence
• This paper aims to raise awareness of emotional intelligence in trauma nursing
• Suggestions are made for developing emotional intelligence

Patients and their relatives are increasingly considered partners in health and social care decision-making. Numerous political drivers in the UK reflect a commitment to this partnership and to improving the experience of patients and relatives in emergency care environments. As a Lecturer/Practitioner in Emergency Care I recently experienced the London Trauma System as a relative. My dual perspective, as nurse and relative, allowed me to identify a gap in the quality of care akin to emotional intelligence. This paper aims to raise awareness of emotional intelligence (EI), highlight its importance in trauma care and contribute to the development of this concept in trauma nursing and education across the globe.