ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and employee retention among nurses working in private hospitals in Sulaymaniah, Kurdistan, Iraq. Emotional intelligence, particularly self-awareness, emotional regulation, and empathy is believed to be connected to how nurses cope with stress and maintain commitment to their professional roles. This quantitative study examined nurses from five private hospitals and employed structured questionnaires to measure emotional intelligence and employee retention level, as well as the relationship between these two variables. The findings indicate that while nurses reported high emotional intelligence, their retention levels were only moderate. The analysis further revealed a weak but statistically significant negative correlation between emotional intelligence and employee retention. This suggests that although emotionally intelligent nurses may cope effectively with stress, they may also exhibit heightened sensitivity to workplace challenges, which could be connected to their intention to remain in the organization. The study highlights the importance of integrating emotional intelligence development with supportive organizational practices to enhance retention outcomes.
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