Emotional Intelligence in Healthcare Professionals: Enhancing Patient Care and Professional Well-Being

Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and use emotions effectively in oneself and others. In healthcare settings, EI has emerged as a critical competence that influences clinical decision-making, teamwork, patient satisfaction, and provider well-being. Healthcare professionals encounter high-stress environments, emotionally charged interactions, and complex ethical dilemmas that require not only technical proficiency but also emotional regulation, empathy, and interpersonal skills. This paper examines the role of emotional intelligence among healthcare professionals, its theoretical foundations, measurement approaches, impact on clinical practice, relationship with professional outcomes such as burnout and job satisfaction, interventions to enhance EI, and future directions for research and practice. Understanding and integrating emotional intelligence into healthcare education and practice may improve healthcare quality, reduce medical errors, and foster healthier work environments.