Understanding Patient Satisfaction: The Predominant Influence of Professionalism over Emotional Intelligence in Nursing Students’ Clinical Performance

Background: Professionalism and emotional intelligence (EI) are essential attributes in nursing that significantly shape patient care experiences. While these traits are well-studied among practicing nurses, limited research has explored their impact when demonstrated by nursing students during clinical training. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between nursing students' emotional intelligence and professionalism and patients' perceptions of professionalism and treatment satisfaction in a clinical education setting. Methods: A descriptive correlational cross-sectional design was employed. The study involved 100 final-year nursing students from Ninevah University, Iraq and 100 patients who had received care from these students. Standardized self-report tools were used to assess students' emotional intelligence and professionalism. Patients evaluated their perceptions of students' professionalism and their satisfaction with care. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25. Results: Emotional intelligence and professionalism were both positively and significantly correlated with patient-perceived professionalism (r = 0.42 and 0.53, respectively; p < 0.001) and patient satisfaction (r = 0.36 and 0.47, respectively; p < 0.01). Regression analysis further demonstrated that emotional intelligence (β = 0.28, p = 0.002) and professionalism (β = 0.44, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of patient satisfaction, with professionalism exerting a stronger influence. Although patients rated students in surgical wards and female students slightly higher in satisfaction and perceived professionalism, these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Nursing students' emotional intelligence and professionalism play an important part in determining patients' perceptions of care and satisfaction, even during their training. These findings highlight the importance of integrating emotional and professional competency development into nursing education to promote patient-centered care.