Personality Traits, Thinking Styles, and Emotional Intelligence in Nursing, towards Healthcare Providers’ Characterization and Safer Patient Care

Abstract

Background: This study explored nursing personality traits (Big Five Inventory BFI), emotional intelligence (EI), and thinking styles (Rational, RS, and Experiential, ES) together with demographic data to see how they could relate and the implication of this on nurses and patient safety. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: Nursing sample (n = 435). Participants completed a self-report online survey, which included demographic information, followed by questionnaires to measure personality traits, thinking styles, and emotional intelligence. Results: Spearman’s rank correlation was computed to assess the relationship between EI and Extraversion; there was a moderate positive correlation between the two variables, r = 0.487, p < 0.001. Spearman’s rank correlation was computed to assess the relationship between EI and Agreeableness, and there was a strong positive correlation between the two variables, r = 0.731, p < 0.001. Spearman’s rank correlation was computed to assess the relationship between EI and Conscientiousness, and there was a strong positive correlation between the two variables, r = 0.723, p < 0.001. Spearman’s rank correlation was computed to assess the relationship between EI and Neuroticism, and there was a moderate negative correlation between the two variables, r = −0.666, p < 0.001. Spearman’s rank correlation was computed to assess the relationship between EI and Openness, and there was a moderate positive correlation between the two variables, r = 0.467, p < 0.001. Conclusion: Different studies consolidated each other, and all converge and channel into the concept of characterization of healthcare providers for better support to them and safer patient care. EI correlated with all BFI components, and both positively impacted all desirable behaviors. Therefore, it would be valuable if organizations invested in increasing EI in their providers as it might highlight areas for improvement and equip providers with appropriate and advantageous coping strategies.