Assessment of emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and perceived stress among nursing students in clinical practice: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundEmotional intelligence is a critical competency in nursing, influencing stress management, self-efficacy, and overall professional competence. Senior students engaged in clinical practice face unique challenges that can impact their stress levels, decision-making abilities, and interactions with patients. This study aimed to assess the emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, and perceived stress among nursing students engaged in clinical practice.MethodsA cross-sectional study using convenience sampling was conducted from August 2024 to February 2025 among 324 undergraduate nursing students enrolled in clinical practice courses at Jazan University. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), self-efficacy was assessed with the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE-10), and stress was gauged using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4). Correlation analyses and multiple linear regression were used to identify significant relationships and predictors of emotional intelligence.ResultsOf the 324 participating nursing students, 56% were female. The mean total scores were 120.59 +/- 20.78 for emotional intelligence, 28.56 +/- 8.02 for self-efficacy, and 7.15 +/- 2.11 for perceived stress. Among emotional intelligence domains, the highest mean scores were observed in utilizing emotion (3.81 +/- 0.79), while the lowest were in perception of emotion (3.54 +/- 0.60). Emotional intelligence domains showed strong positive inter-correlations. 'Managing self-emotion' was positively correlated with self-efficacy (p = 0.022), while both 'perception of emotion' and 'managing self-emotion' were negatively correlated with perceived stress (p = 0.020 and p = 0.021, respectively). Regression analysis revealed gender (p = 0.016) and perceived stress (p = 0.027) as significant predictors of emotional intelligence, with females exhibiting higher emotional intelligence scores.ConclusionThis study highlights the critical role of emotional intelligence in nursing education and its relationship with self-efficacy and stress levels. Given these findings, integrating structured emotional intelligence training into nursing curricula is essential. This can be achieved through mindfulness-based emotional regulation programs to enhance stress resilience, scenario-based simulations to improve emotional perception and management, and peer-mentorship initiatives to strengthen self-efficacy. Implementing these targeted strategies can enhance nursing students' emotional intelligence, reduce stress-related impairments, and improve both student well-being and professional competence.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.