Learning Objective #1: analyze the current state of the science of emotional intelligence in nursing and identify gaps in the literature.

Learning Objective #2: evaluate the evidence regarding emotional intelligence in nursing and suggest areas necessitating further inquiry.

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Emotional intelligence (EI) is becoming an increasingly popular topic across disciplines.  Different definitions of EI and the role it plays in academics, relationships and the workplace have been proposed in various fields, including nursing.  On the surface, EI certainly appears to fit with the nursing paradigm, as there seems to be a number of remarkable similarities between EI and what is expected of nurses’ work.  Empathy, caring and interpersonal skills, generally accepted aspects of most EI models, can be found in abundance in nursing literature.  Discussion and study of EI and its correlates in nursing are beginning to take place but are fragmented.  The purpose of this research is to systematically review and synthesize the evidence that has been published about EI in nursing thus far and determine the current state of the science in this area.  To do so, a literature search will be conducted using EBM Reviews^®, CINAHL^®, and MEDLINE^®, as well as a hand-search of relevant reference lists.  To be selected for inclusion, two criteria have to be met.  First, the focus of the article has to be on EI as it pertains specifically to attributes of nurses or direct nursing practice.  Second, since the purpose of this synthesis is move beyond superficial review, literature chosen for inclusion has to be data-based or comprise some sort of in-depth analysis; commentaries on EI will be excluded.  Analysis and evaluation of the data will be based on Garrard’s (2007) matrix method, which will be used to synthesize the evidence.  Preliminary findings suggest that the current state of the science of EI in nursing is less established than one would expect given the obvious similarities and immediate relevance of EI to nursing practice.