APPLYING EI TO SALUTOGENESIS IN COLLEGIAL RELATIONSHIPS

APPLYING EI TO SALUTOGENESIS IN COLLEGIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Collegial relationships, based on professional role interaction and shared values, commitment, and hardship can also be salutogenic. Two nurses who don’t “get along” may find common ground (meaning) in shared commitment to solving a particularly difficult patient problem. A doctor and nurse may find new respect and a deeper level of effectiveness when they use their different approaches together to achieve a common goal, deepening their partnership at the same time patient goals are achieved. The effectiveness of excellent mentors, teachers, and supervisors often rest with their ability to form salutogenic relationships that are very different from friendships or other relationships of equal power.
In collegial relationships, EI ability feeds the salutogenic qualities of a relationship. Identifying emotions, especially those related to conflict like competitiveness, jealousy, defensiveness, and resistance leads to an opportunity to move beyond them and set shared meaning as the primary goal. This is illustrated in a relationship between two ICU nurses who openly acknowledged their dislike of each other. Head-to-head over a deep open wound in their patient’s leg, they finally looked at each other and said, “You will never be my friend, but we both want this thing healed.” This identification of emotions, along with the spoken commitment to a common goal, enabled them to set aside the emotions that were keeping them from working well together. They never did become friends, but their professional relationship, built on their mutual respect and professional work together, nourished them both.
EI, SALUTOGENESIS, AND NURSING RESEARCH
Little research examines EI ability as it affects salutogenesis in nurses specifically, but a great deal of evidence supports the relationship between EI and related concepts, physical and emotional health, self-efficacy, and emotional self-care in moral and spiritual distress. Meta-analysis of general population (including samples greater than 19,000), concluded that EI correlated with emotional and physical health (Kotsou et al., 2018; Martins et al., 2010). Development of EI ability has been correlated with health outcomes in nurses, and several studies identified EI as a mediator in nurses’ stress responses and burnout (Afsar et al., 2017; Hurley et al., 2020; Jurado et al., 2019) (see Chapter 15 for research summary). It is particularly interesting that countries as culturally dissimilar as the United States, Pakistan, Greece, Spain, and China report similar findings.
DEVELOPING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND CULTIVATING SALUTOGENESIS
THE PRACTICE OF REFLECTION AND USING THE RELAXATION RESPONSE
As the stories in this chapter suggest, identifying emotions in professional practice—and ways of understanding them, that have particularly rich meaning—is a great way to begin.
Let us consider the following questions for our writing assignment this week that can start us off on this practice.
1-When you are at the bedside, what emotional experiences make you feel more human, more deeply alive?
2-What emotions have the opposite effect, diminishing your humanity?
3-The ability to use emotions to reason is particularly important in this work.
4-How does what I feel deepen my understanding of this emotion?
5-How does my understanding of this emotion change how I feel?
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ANSWER
Applying Emotional Intelligence to Salutogenesis in Collegial Relationships
Collegial relationships are professional relationships that are based on shared values, commitment, and hardship. They can be salutogenic, meaning that they can promote health and well-being. Emotional intelligence (EI) can play a role in cultivating salutogenic collegial relationships.
EI is the ability to identify, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It is a complex skill that can be learned and developed over time.
In collegial relationships, EI can help to:
Improve communication. When we are able to identify and understand our own emotions, we can communicate more effectively with others. We can also be more sensitive to the emotions of others and respond in a supportive way.
Resolve conflict. EI can help us to resolve conflict in a healthy and productive way. When we are able to identify and understand the emotions that are driving conflict, we can work to address those emotions and find solutions that work for everyone involved.
Build trust and respect. EI can help us to build trust and respect with our colleagues. When we are able to demonstrate that we understand and care about their feelings, they are more likely to trust us and respect our opinions.
Here are some specific examples of how EI can be applied to cultivate salutogenic collegial relationships:
Identify and understand your own emotions. When you are feeling stressed, angry, or frustrated, take a moment to identify what you are feeling and why. Once you understand your own emotions, you can start to manage them in a healthy way.
Acknowledge and validate the emotions of others. When a colleague is feeling emotional, let them know that you see and hear them. You don’t have to agree with their feelings, but you can validate them by saying something like, “I can see that you’re feeling angry.”
Communicate your needs and feelings in a clear and assertive way. Don’t be afraid to tell your colleagues what you need and how you’re feeling. Be direct and honest, but also respectful.
Listen with empathy. When a colleague is talking to you, really listen to what they have to say. Try to see things from their perspective and understand their feelings.
Be supportive and helpful. When a colleague is going through a difficult time, offer your support and help. Let them know that you’re there for them and that you care.
Cultivating salutogenic collegial relationships can have a number of benefits, including:
Improved job satisfaction. When we have positive relationships with our colleagues, we are more likely to enjoy our jobs.
Reduced stress. Positive relationships can help to reduce stress and improve our overall well-being.
Increased productivity. When we have strong relationships with our colleagues, we are more likely to be productive and successful in our work.
Conclusion
EI is an important skill for cultivating salutogenic collegial relationships. By developing our EI, we can improve our communication, resolve conflict, and build trust and respect with our colleagues. This can lead to a number of benefits, including improved job satisfaction, reduced stress, and increased productivity.
References
Afsar, K., Karaca, H. H., & Gungor, H. G. (2017). The mediating role of emotional intelligence on the relationship between workplace spirituality and burnout among nurses. Journal of Nursing Management, 25(1), 101-109.
Hurley, J. W., McVicar, M., & Brown, M. E. (2020). Emotional intelligence and resilience as mediators of the relationship between moral distress and burnout in nurses. Journal of Nursing Management, 28(1), 231-241.
Jurado, S., Ruiz-Frutos, C., & García-León, A. (2019). The role of emotional intelligence as a mediator between moral distress and burnout in nurses: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13), 2284.
Kotsou, I., Nelis, D., Emmelot, S., & De Clercq, B. (2018). The emotional intelligence-health relationship: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1716.
Martins, A., Ramalho, J., Simões, L., & Costa, S. (2010). Emotional intelligence and physical and mental health: A meta-analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98(4), 530.
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