Development Opportunities of Emotional Intelligence with reflective strategies using video-based training.

Abstract

Background: Within nursing, Emotional intelligence (EI) means the ability of nurses or nursing students to understand not only their own feelings and reactions, but also, and more importantly, the feelings and reactions of the patients in their care. EI plays an important part in forming successful human relationships as a part of emotional labour. Emotional labour is important in establishing therapeutic nurse–patient relationships but carries the risk of ‘burnout’ if prolonged or intense. Objective/Purpose: The assessment of students' views and perceptions of video based training as an opportunity to develop emotional intelligence. Material and methods: Data about the video-based training in relation to EI were collected, after the completion of the reflection assignments, using semi-structured interviews and reflective sheets (ALACT model /acronym of the basic phases and steps/ - Action, Looking back on the action, Awareness of essential aspects, Creating alternative methods of action, Trial). The study included 46 students in total (post-graduate student Intensive care nurses) in two sequential academic years (2012/13 n = 15 and 2013/14 n = 31). The results showed that students in both cohorts considered video as an effective tool for carrying out self-evaluations and development of EI. The usefulness of video and peer-feedback for other reflection processes differed in students' view. Most students (80 %) appreciated the opportunity of viewing some unusual situations from clinical practice and appropriate ways of communicating. Some students (17 %) stated that they needed more time for similar teaching activities. Conclusion: 80 % of all the students considered video based training generally useful for all the reflection processes and improvement of EI; however they also indicated some limitations (i.e. time consuming teaching method). The study demonstrated that student-centric pedagogies and reflective activities on student learning showed more advanced development of self-evaluated EI.