Effects of emotional intelligence on death anxiety in oncology nurses

Abstract

Objective To explore the status quo of emotional intelligence and death anxiety in oncology nurses and the effects of emotional intelligence on their death anxiety, and to provide reference to reducing death anxiety in oncology nurses. Methods Nurses working in oncology departments of 5 ClassⅢ hospitals in Zhejiang Province were selected by convenient sampling from September to December 2017. Templer's Death Anxiety Scale (T-DAS) and Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) were used to evaluate the nurses' death anxiety and emotional intelligence. Univariate analysis, correlation analysis and multivariate analysis were used to explore the relationship between the two. Totally 450 questionnaires were distributed, and 409 valid questionnaires were collected, with an valid collection rate of 90.9%. Results The total score of EIS in the 409 oncology nurses was (97.68±12.54) , and the score of T-DAS totaled (45.16±6.07) . Univariate analysis showed that there was statistically significant difference in total scores of T-DAS between oncology nurses with different sex, age, educational background, title, death education or hospice care training received or not, and end-of-life disposal of patients or family members attended or not (P<0.05) . According to Pearson correlation analysis, emotional intelligence was negatively correlated with death anxiety in oncology nurses (r=-0.337, P<0.01) . Regression analysis showed that the dimensions of emotional perception and emotion management of others in emotional intelligence had negative impact on death anxiety in oncology nurses. Conclusions Nursing managers in oncology departments take targeted interventions and reduce death anxiety in oncology nurses based on the shortcomings in emotional intelligence. Key words: Oncology service, hospital; Nurses; Emotional intelligence; Death anxiety