The relationship between emotional intelligence and information literacy among anesthesia nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) and information literacy (IL) are important competencies in healthcare education; however, their relationship has not been investigated in anesthesia nursing students. This cross-sectional study included 200 anesthesia nursing students from two Iranian medical universities selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using validated instruments (Shering Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire and Yazdani Information Literacy Questionnaire) along with demographic data. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation, multivariate regression, independent t-tests, and ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. The mean EI score was 95.42 ± 12.65 and the mean IL score was 78.15 ± 10.32. A significant positive correlation was observed between EI and IL (r = 0.421, p < 0.001). Among EI components, self-awareness and social skills showed the strongest associations with IL. Multivariate regression analysis confirmed that EI was an independent predictor of IL after adjusting for age, gender, academic year, and institution. Higher emotional intelligence is associated with stronger information literacy among anesthesia nursing students. This relationship highlights the role of emotional competencies in supporting evidence-based information processing in clinical education. Integrating emotionally informed educational strategies, such as reflective learning and simulation-based training, may enhance students’ information literacy and clinical preparedness in anesthesia nursing education.