Burnout Among Nurses in Relation to Emotional Intelligence and Social Support

Burnout remains a major occupational health concern among nurses, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era, where prolonged job demands continue to compromise psychological well-being and healthcare quality. Although emotional intelligence and social support have been identified as important protective resources, limited evidence has simultaneously examined their roles while accounting for heterogeneity among nurses. This study investigated the relationships between emotional intelligence, social support, and burnout among nurses at Arifin Achmad Regional Hospital, Riau Province. A quantitative cross-sectional correlational design was employed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). Data were collected from 223 nurses selected through purposive sampling using the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. The findings revealed that both emotional intelligence and perceived social support were significant negative predictors of burnout, indicating that nurses with greater emotional competencies and stronger social support experienced lower levels of burnout. To further explore heterogeneity within the sample, Latent Profile Analysis identified two distinct subgroups: Moderate Resource Nurses (66.8%) and High Resource Nurses (33.2%), differentiated by their levels of emotional intelligence, social support, and burnout. These findings are consistent with the Job Demands–Resources theory, emphasizing that personal and social resources buffer the adverse effects of occupational demands on psychological health. The study highlights the value of strengthening emotional intelligence and workplace social support through profile-based intervention strategies to reduce burnout and promote nurses' well-being.