Impact of emotional intelligence and spiritual intelligence on the caring behavior of nurses: a dimension-level exploratory study among public hospitals in Malaysia

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to study the impact of individual factors such as emotional intelligence (EI) and spiritual intelligence (SI) on the caring behavior of nurses.MethodsA cross-sectional survey using questionnaire was conducted by sampling 550 nurses working in seven major public hospitals in Malaysia. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM).ResultsThe main findings are: (1) critical existential thinking and transcendental awareness dimensions of SI have significant impacts on assurance of human presence dimension of caring behavior; (2) personal meaning production and conscious state expansion dimensions of SI have significant impacts on perception of emotion and managing own emotions dimensions of EI; and (3) managing own emotions dimension of EI has significant impacts on respectful deference to other and assurance of human presence dimensions of caring behavior of nurses.ConclusionThe results can be used to recruit and educate nurses.