The relationship between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence with job satisfaction of emergency department nurses working in hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran

The relationship between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence with job satisfaction of emergency department nurses working in hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The relationship between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence with job satisfaction of emergency department nurses working in hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran Fateme Behmaneshpour, Ramesh Rafieyan, Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaei This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7356467/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Different aspects of the healthcare workers' emotional responses during the provision of nursing services such as emotional intelligence and emotional blackmail might have an impact on the quality of care, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence and job satisfaction of nurses. Methods This cross-sectional study included the data for 261 nurses employed in the emergency department of teaching hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences in 2024. The data collection instruments consisted of a demographic information questionnaire, Liu and Zhuang's (2016) emotional blackmail questionnaire, Love et al .'s (2004) emotional intelligence questionnaire, and the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire, which focuses on job satisfaction. Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were utilized for data analysis. The Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test were implemented to compare scores among various sociodemographic groups. Results Participants with 10 years or less of job experience showed a statistically significant greater median emotional blackmail score when compared to nurses with more than 10 years of professional experience (P value = 0.035). Participants over 40 years had the highest emotional intelligence score of 62, while those aged 30–40 scored 60.5, and under 30 scored 58 (p-value < 0.001). Nurses with over 10 years of experience attained a median emotional intelligence score of 62, exceeding the median score of participants with 10 years or less of experience (p-value = 0.058). Participants over 40 and those aged 30–40 had higher job satisfaction scores (median score of 9) than those under 30 (median score of 8) (p-value = 0.056). We found a low positive correlation between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence, and a medium positive correlation between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction. Conclusions Considering the elevated levels of emotional blackmail experienced by nurses in emergency departments, particularly among those with fewer than 10 years of experience, and its notable correlation with emotional intelligence, it is advisable for nursing managers and policymakers to mitigate the negative impacts of emotional blackmail. This can be achieved by developing educational interventions and executing effective in-service communication strategies. Emotional blackmail emotional intelligence job satisfaction mental health nurses Introduction Nurses are among the most valuable human resource within the healthcare system, delivering a diverse array of services that range from fundamental healthcare to intricate procedures and crucial decisions that influence patient care [ 1 ]. Nurses frequently operate under challenging circumstances, which encompass issues related to patients, excessive workloads, insufficient staffing, inadequate job support, inequitable compensation, substandard working conditions, a shortage of resources and equipment necessary for delivering quality services, and unstable work environments [ 2 ]. These issues have resulted in a decline in the quality of work life, contributing to service challenges, a propensity for job transfer, and a deterioration of physical, mental, and social well-being among nurses [ 3 ]. However, healthcare systems, including hospitals, are progressively required to adopt a more patient-centered approach, which necessitates that healthcare professionals become more responsive and interactive within their work environments [ 4 ]. Governments, nurses, and the general public increasingly perceive the nursing profession as a type of personal health service [ 5 ]. In addition to strong communication skills, ethical standards, comprehension, and patience, nurses are required to endure work-related stress, uphold their calm in all situations, and manage their emotions effectively [ 6 ]. Research indicates a significant correlation between the experience of staff and the satisfaction of patients, thereby emphasizing the critical role of the emotional responses of healthcare workers while delivering nursing services [ 5 ]. One of the contributing factors to the emergence of such a situation is emotional labor [ 6 ]. Emotional labor is a term coined by American sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild, referring to the effort required to manage not only one's own emotions but also those of others, in order to meet the demands of a job or relationship. Despite their evolutionary origins, emotions function as a force that can be regulated and directed by humans [ 7 ]. The influence of emotional responses has emerged as a critical concern within the nursing workforce. Nurses employed by hospitals strive to foster positive interpersonal relationships and steer clear of conflicts with others [ 8 ]. Due to the necessity for nurses to manage various emotional challenges and engage in interpersonal interactions with individuals in challenging situations, they are at a higher risk of encountering negative emotions [ 9 ]. Healthcare systems should also take the initiative and develop strategies that help balance nurses' work stress. These strategies aim to reduce unnecessary demands from supervisors, patients, and colleagues, as well as in the socio-emotional domain [ 4 ]. This highlights the need for hospital policies that focus not only on technical efficiency but also on the development of emotional and communication skills. Emotional blackmail was first defined in 1997 as a powerful but invisible and intangible tool used to coerce an individual into doing something which causes intense and conflicting emotions [ 4 ]. Emotional blackmail occurs when one individual manipulates another to fulfill their objectives. This may involve threats, the use of derogatory labels, heated arguments and shouting, portraying a pitiable image, mocking language, and deliberate neglect. Such actions can result in distress and foster circumstances detrimental to the health and well-being of the affected party [ 10 ]. Nurses in hospitals are no exception to this rule and inevitably suffer from irrational demands such as emotional blackmail in interpersonal relationships when interacting with supervisors, colleagues, and the public. There is evidence suggesting a direct correlation among emotional blackmail, job satisfaction, and the intention to resign, with job satisfaction serving as a partial mediator in the relationship between emotional blackmail and the intention to quit [ 4 ]. At present, the significant exodus of nurses from the profession has emerged as a worldwide issue. Job satisfaction is considered one of the most challenging organizational concepts, which forms the basis of many management policies aimed at improving the efficiency and productivity of the organization. It is the overall emotional state of an individual about their career, which is the result of job evaluation or job experiences and includes various dimensions [ 11 ]. Given that nurses hold a significant and central position in delivering healthcare services within hospitals, factors influencing nurses' job satisfaction directly affect the quality of care rendered, patient safety, and patient satisfaction [ 12 ]. The conditions of the workplace, prompt remuneration of salaries, social support from supervisors and peers, opportunities for career advancement, and autonomy in decision-making are a selection of the factors that influence job satisfaction [ 9 ]. Therefore, creating a fair, peaceful, and calm work environment for healthcare workers has a direct impact on the outcomes and quality of patient care and the satisfaction of nurses and ultimately patients [ 13 ]. Studies show that high levels of emotional intelligence are associated with greater job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and quality of care provided by nurses [ 14 , 15 ]. To address the challenges encountered by nurses in their work environment and enhance job satisfaction, the development of emotional intelligence skills and strategies is crucial. This capability can also serve as a means of alleviating stress for nurses, resulting in increased job satisfaction and a decrease in burnout and turnover. Effective communication is regarded as a fundamental component of nursing care, significantly influencing the quality of care provided. Nurses must also demonstrate empathy towards patients and exhibit compassionate concern to ensure holistic care. Therefore, the capacity to regulate emotions while interacting with clients is an essential skill for the nursing profession [ 16 ]. Nurses must also develop effective communication with other members of the healthcare team, particularly nursing managers, in order to meet their professional obligations and deliver high-quality care. Although numerous studies have examined the link between emotional intelligence and nurse satisfaction, no research has yet focused on the interaction among emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and the job satisfaction of nurses in the emergency department. This study intends to investigate the relationship between emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and the job satisfaction of nurses employed in the emergency department of Alborz teaching hospitals. Methods Study Population This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2024 and the study population consisted of all nurses working in the emergency department of teaching hospitals associated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran. A convenient sampling method was employed to recruit participants for the study. Nurses were eligible for inclusion if they held a bachelor's degree in nursing or a higher qualification and had been employed in the emergency department for at least 6 months. Questionnaires with over 20% missing data were excluded from the analysis. The final sample analyzed in this research comprised 261 nurses. Data Collection A semi-structured questionnaire comprising 51-items was employed for data collection purposes. This questionnaire was developed after a thorough examination of the relevant literature. It was divided into four distinct sections: The initial section contained 7 questions regarding the socio-demographic characteristics of the study participants (i.e., age, gender, work experience, type of employment, level of education, marital status, and place of service). The second part included Emotional Blackmail Questionnaire developed by Liu and Zhuang's and colleagues [17]. This questionnaire comprises 25 questions, with answers assessed using a 7-point Likert scale that ranges from (1) strongly disagree to (7) strongly agree. The total emotional blackmail score was determined by averaging the responses to the items. The third section included the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale [18]. This questionnaire comprises 16 items categorized into 4 dimensions: self-emotional appraisal (items 1 to 4), others’ emotional appraisal (items 5 to 8), use of emotions (items 9 to 12), and regulation of emotion (items 13 to 16). Responses are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, which ranges from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. The total score can range from (16 to 80), with a higher score indicating a greater level of emotional intelligence. The fourth section of the questionnaire included the Job Satisfaction Subscale of the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire (MOAQ-JSS) [19]. The MOAQ-JSS comprises three items designed to assess the affective aspects of overall job satisfaction. This section contained 3 questions, which were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with responses ranging from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. The total score is calculated as the average of these 3 items. The feedback obtained from a panel of experts, which included 14 faculty members from medical science universities consisting of 5 psychologists, 5 psychiatric nurses, and 4 nurses, was employed to evaluate the face validity and content validity ratio (CVR) as well as the content validity index. Questions that received a CVR below 0.62 were either modified or removed. Every question attained a CVI score greater than 0.79. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was validated by a Cronbach's alpha of 0.83. The researcher visited the hospital's emergency departments, where the study objectives were communicated to the nurses in order to encourage their participation. Nurses who showed an interest in participating in the study were requested to give written consent prior to filling out the study questionnaire. During the process of completing these self-administered questionnaires, the researchers were present to clarify any uncertainties or problems that the participants may face. Ethical approval The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran (Ethics Code: IR.ABZUMS.REC.1403.128). Confidentiality principles were strictly upheld during both the data collection and the subsequent data analysis. Statistical Analysis Categorical variables were presented as counts and percentages. All continuous variables were evaluated for normality of distribution using Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness of fit tests. None of the continuous variables demonstrated a normal distribution. As a result, non-parametric tests were utilized for data analysis. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to compare the scores of emotional blackmail, emotional quotient, and job satisfaction across various demographic groups. Spearman’s rho correlation coefficients were used to investigate the relationship between the scores of emotional blackmail, emotional quotient, and job satisfaction. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant for all analyses. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS version 21 statistical software package (Chicago, IL). Results A total of 261 nurses constituted the study population, which included 80 males (30.7%) and 181 females (69.3%). As presented in Table 1, the largest proportion of participants was in the under 30 years age group (51.3%), whereas the smallest share was represented by those over 40 years (15.7%). A greater percentage of the study participants were single (53.6%) in comparison to 46.4% who were married. In terms of educational qualifications, a significant portion of the participants held a bachelor's degree (87.0%), with only 13.0% having a master's degree. Regarding work experience, 74.7% of individuals had less than 10 years of experience, while 25.3% had more than 10 years of work experience. With respect to employment type, the largest group of respondents was engaged in full-time permanent employment (44.1%), while the smallest group was on temporary contracts (12.6%). Table 1- Sociodemographic characteristics of the study population (n=261) Variable Frequency Percent Gender Male 80 30.7 Female 181 69.3 Age group (years) 40 41 15.7 Marital Status single 140 53.6 married 121 46.4 Degree Bachelor 227 87.0 Master's 34 13.0 Work Experience (Years) =10 66 25.3 Employment Full-time permanent 115 44.1 Full-time contractual 65 24.9 Temporary contractual 33 12.6 Compulsory Services 48 18.4 Wards Pediatrics 46 17.6 Ob/Gyn 45 17.2 General 74 28.4 Heart 35 13.4 Trauma 29 11.1 Psychiatry 32 12.3 The mean score for emotional blackmail was recorded at 135.6±9.1 (with a range of 112-158). The average emotional quotient score was noted as 59.5±7.7 (ranging from 44 to 78), whereas the mean score for job satisfaction was 8.9±2.7, spanning a range from 3 to 15 (data not shown). No notable difference in the emotional blackmail score was observed among various sociodemographic subgroups, with the exception of job experience ( Table 2 ). Participants in the study who had 10 years or less of job experience showed a higher median emotional blackmail score (136) in comparison to nurses with over 10 years of job experience, and this difference was statistically significant (P value=0.035). Table 2- The comparison of the emotional blackmail scores among the sociodemographic subgroups of the study population Subgroups Mean Std. Deviation Median Interquartile Range P value* Gender Male 135.9 9.9 134.5 14.0 0.741 Female 135.4 8.8 135.0 10.0 Age group (years) 40 133.8 9.2 134.0 12.0 Marital Status single 135.8 9.6 135.0 14.0 0.796 married 135.3 8.5 136.0 11.5 Degree Bachelor 135.9 9.1 136.0 13.0 0.089 Master's 133.4 8.9 132.5 9.3 Work Experience (Years) =10 133.3 8.0 134.0 10.0 Employment Full-time permanent 134.7 8.4 134.0 11.0 0.698** Full-time contractual 136.8 9.0 136.0 14.0 Temporary contractual 136.0 11.4 135.0 16.5 Compulsory Services 135.8 9.1 136.0 11.8 Wards Pediatrics 134.9 7.6 136.5 11.3 0.531** Ob/Gyn 135.9 9.2 136.0 13.5 General 136.7 8.6 135.0 13.0 Heart 137.0 8.8 136.0 13.0 Trauma 134.2 9.4 133.0 16.0 Psychiatry 133.1 11.9 133.0 22.3 * p-value for Mann-Whitney U test ** p-value for Kruskal-Wallis test Table 3 presents the findings regarding the comparison of emotional intelligence scores across various sociodemographic subgroups. It was noted that participants older than 40 years demonstrated the highest median emotional intelligence score of 62, whereas nurses aged between 30 and 40 years had a median score of 60.5. Moreover, individuals under 30 years recorded a median score of 58, with the differences among these groups being statistically significant (p-value < 0.001). In addition, nurses with over 10 years of professional experience attained a median emotional intelligence score of 62, exceeding the median score of participants with 10 years or less of experience, with the difference being marginally significant (p-value = 0.058). Table 3- The comparison of the emotional intelligence scores among the sociodemographic subgroups of the study population Subgroups Mean Std. Deviation Median Interquartile Range P value* Gender Male 59.9 6.8 61.0 8.0 0.489 Female 59.3 8.1 59.0 12.0 Age group (years) 40 62.9 6.3 62.0 6.0 Marital Status single 59.0 7.8 59.0 10.8 0.186 married 60.1 7.7 61.0 10.0 Degree Bachelor 59.7 7.8 60.0 9.0 0.150 Master's 57.9 7.5 58.5 10.8 Work Experience (Years) =10 61.0 8.1 62.0 10.3 Employment Full-time permanent 60.0 7.8 61.0 10.0 0.733** Full-time contractual 59.0 8.0 59.0 9.5 Temporary contractual 58.5 7.4 59.0 12.5 Compulsory Services 59.6 7.6 59.0 8.8 Wards Pediatrics 60.0 8.8 61.0 13.0 0.863** Ob/Gyn 58.8 7.2 58.0 10.5 General 59.4 6.4 60.0 9.0 Heart 58.9 8.0 58.0 11.0 Trauma 60.8 7.9 62.0 11.0 Psychiatry 59.5 9.4 57.5 18.0 * p-value for Mann-Whitney U test ** p-value for Kruskal-Wallis test The findings regarding the comparison of job satisfaction scores across the sociodemographic subgroups of the study population are displayed in Table 4. It was observed that participants over the age of 40 and those aged between 30 and 40 years attained a higher median job satisfaction score of 9, unlike those under 30 years, who recorded a median score of 8. The differences were determined to be marginally significant (p-value = 0.056). Table 4- The comparison of the job satisfaction scores among the sociodemographic subgroups of the study population Subgroups Mean Std. Deviation Median Interquartile Range P value* Gender Male 9.1 2.8 9.0 4.0 0.736 Female 8.9 2.6 9.0 4.0 Age group (years) 40 9.9 2.6 9.0 4.0 Marital Status single 8.8 2.6 9.0 4.0 0.695 married 9.0 2.8 9.0 4.0 Degree Bachelor 9.0 2.7 9.0 4.0 0.330 Master's 8.6 2.6 8.0 3.3 Work Experience (Years) =10 9.5 2.6 9.0 3.0 Employment Full-time permanent 9.2 2.7 9.0 4.0 0.239** Full-time contractual 8.8 2.7 9.0 4.0 Temporary contractual 8.9 2.6 9.0 4.0 Compulsory Services 8.3 2.6 9.0 3.0 Wards Pediatrics 9.3 2.1 9.0 3.0 0.607** Ob/Gyn 8.5 3.1 8.0 5.0 General 8.8 2.4 9.0 3.3 Heart 9.3 3.0 9.0 5.0 Trauma 8.6 3.3 8.0 4.5 Psychiatry 9.1 2.5 9.0 4.0 * p-value for Mann-Whitney U test ** p-value for Kruskal-Wallis test Table 5 illustrates the correlation between emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and job satisfaction scores. Our results reveal a low positive yet significant correlation between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence scores (r=0.133, p=0.032). Furthermore, a medium positive and significant correlation was observed between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction (r=0.305, p<0.001). Conversely, we found no significant correlation between blackmail and job satisfaction scores. Table 5 - The correlation between emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and job satisfaction scores Score Emotional Blackmail Emotional Intelligence Job Satisfaction Emotional Blackmail Correlation Coefficient 1.000 .133 * .020 P-value .032 .746 Emotional Intelligence Correlation Coefficient .133 * 1.000 .305 ** P-value .032 <.000 Job Satisfaction Correlation Coefficient .020 .305 ** 1.000 P-value .746 <.000 * Spearman's rho Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). ** Spearman's rho Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). Discussion This study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and job satisfaction among nurses working in the emergency departments of teaching hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences in 2024. Since nurses play the most important and central role in providing healthcare services in hospitals, factors affecting job satisfaction, including emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence of nurses, have a direct impact on the quality of care provided, patient safety, and patient satisfaction, and for this reason, it has always been a vital and important issue. The results of the current study revealed a fairly good level of emotional intelligence within the study population. While various instruments have been employed to assess emotional intelligence in different research, our findings align with earlier studies concerning the average emotional intelligence score among nurses [1]. Research suggests that emotional intelligence is increasingly recognized as a significant trait that can be taught and learned in the field of nursing, playing a crucial role in delivering high-quality nursing care [20]. One significant aspect of emotional intelligence is its contribution to enhancing individual performance and clinical decision-making within the nursing profession, which can result in a higher quality of nursing care [21]. Conversely, possessing emotional intelligence skills is regarded as highly significant for attaining career success and effectively managing sensitive responsibilities, as it can result in enhanced job performance [1]. There is evidence suggesting that, when faced with job stress, emotionally intelligent people have the skill to fully engage themselves in work due to their high ability to manage emotions, which reduces emotional mismatch [22]. Enhancing and fostering emotional intelligence can contribute to the preservation of employees' mental health in managing this condition, thereby elevating the standard of nursing care [23]. Individuals possessing higher emotional intelligence and effective communication abilities tend to adjust more readily to their surroundings, experience reduced stress, exhibit improved work management, and derive greater satisfaction from collaborating with colleagues and patients [21]. Based on the findings of the current study, the average score for emotional blackmail was found to be at a relatively high level among the participants involved. This elevated score may be attributed to the younger demographic of the study group. Emotional blackmail is not merely an individual issue; it is also significantly influenced by environmental and social factors. For instance, individuals possessing certain personality traits may exhibit a higher propensity to engage in emotional blackmail when confronted with challenges or setbacks. Conversely, particular workplace or social settings can either exacerbate or mitigate this behavior. This highlights the need for a comprehensive analysis of the variables influencing this conduct and the development of educational or counseling initiatives aimed at its reduction. Considering the detrimental impacts of emotional blackmail on both individuals and organizations, it is crucial to offer substantial support to young and inexperienced staff [4]. Additionally, it is advisable to implement in-service training programs to equip new employees with strategies to combat emotional blackmail in their professional settings. The findings of this research indicated that the job satisfaction level of the nurses we examined was determined to be average, which aligns with other studies that have also reported similar average job satisfaction levels among nurses [24, 25] . The job satisfaction of nurses is influenced by a variety of factors. It is essential for officials to consider these factors when formulating policies and planning. In light of the average satisfaction levels regarding management practices and compensation, hospital administrators should enhance management and communication strategies, as well as refine and ensure fairness in payment systems. This will create a foundation for improving nurses' satisfaction. Furthermore, it is important to periodically assess satisfaction levels, taking into account demographic and job-related factors, to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented measures. In this study we found a significant correlation between the emotional blackmail score and emotional intelligence. This relationship is a controversial issue in social and behavioral psychology, because emotional intelligence is usually considered a positive factor for regulating interpersonal relationships. Higher emotional intelligence allows people to better understand their own and others' emotions and react accordingly. However, this ability may in some cases be used to influence others and manipulate their emotions [26]. Emotional intelligence can lead to increased emotional control strategies in interpersonal relationships under certain circumstances. Individuals with high emotional intelligence, due to their greater ability to understand and regulate the emotions of others, may use this skill to exploit the emotional vulnerabilities of others [27]. Studies show that people who experienced emotional abuse in childhood may use their emotional intelligence to control interpersonal relationships and emotionally influence others in adulthood [28]. The existence of a positive relationship between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence does not necessarily mean that all people with high emotional intelligence have a tendency to use it to control others, but rather this relationship depends on several factors such as personality, values, and developmental environment. For instance, people with high emotional intelligence may use their emotional skills to control others if they grew up in unhealthy environments or were in unhealthy relationships [29]. On the contrary, emotional intelligence can be used to help others and create empathetic connections [30]. Therefore, emotional intelligence can be used both as a tool for improving human relationships and as a tool for emotional control of others. As a result, the development of ethical training in the field of emotional intelligence, both in personal and professional environments, can prevent the possible abuse of this ability. Another finding of this study was a positive correlation between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction, which shows that people with higher emotional intelligence have greater job satisfaction. This is in agreement with the results from a Korean study that indicated a direct relationship between these two components [14]. Also, another study from Ghana showed that there is a positive and significant correlation between emotional intelligence and nurses' job satisfaction [15]. Another study from Iran reported that intensive care and emergency department nurses with higher emotional intelligence feel more satisfied working with colleagues and patients [31]. Therefore, in order to improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover, which is one of the most important organizational challenges in hospital management, it is essential to pay attention, invest, and plan appropriate interventions and strategies to improve the emotional intelligence of working nurses with a focus on focus on developing self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. The findings of the current study indicate that individuals aged over 40 exhibit a higher average level of emotional intelligence, suggesting that emotional intelligence tends to increase with age. This conclusion contrasts with the outcomes of two studies conducted in Iran, which reported no significant correlation between emotional intelligence and the age of nurses [32]. While some of this discrepancy may be attributed to the use of various instruments in the evaluation of emotional intelligence, it is essential that this finding is examined more thoroughly in future research. The findings of this research indicated that individuals with fewer than 10 years of experience exhibited a higher average score for emotional blackmail, suggesting a notable influence of work experience on reactions to emotional blackmail. This discovery significantly enhances our comprehension of workplace dynamics. This insight underscores a possible susceptibility among less experienced workers that warrants additional exploration. Employees with less experience might lack the proficiency to identify nuanced emotional blackmail strategies. They may not have had sufficient exposure to these behaviors to recognize them as manipulative actions or to grasp their effects [10]. Moreover, they might not possess the fully developed coping strategies and assertiveness abilities necessary to effectively combat such tactics. This aligns with studies on workplace socialization, indicating that new employees are in the process of understanding the implicit rules and power dynamics within their organizations. Their eagerness to integrate and achieve may render them more susceptible to manipulation [33]. Employees with less experience frequently occupy roles that afford them diminished power and influence within the organization. This imbalance of power can render them more susceptible to emotional manipulation by their superiors or more senior colleagues. They may apprehend the repercussions of opposing or resisting demands, even when such demands are unreasonable or exploitative. This observation aligns with research on workplace bullying, which frequently underscores the significance of power disparities in fostering abusive conduct [34]. Moreover, employees with less experience might possess smaller professional networks and have limited access to mentors or reliable colleagues who can offer guidance and support. This absence of support may result in feelings of isolation and a diminished ability to handle emotional blackmail. They may also be less inclined to report such incidents due to fears of retaliation or uncertainty regarding the organization's response [35]. The necessity for training on emotional blackmail is emphasized, targeting both new hires and management to raise awareness and mitigate these behaviors. Current findings linking work experience to emotional blackmail can guide further research, improving workplace conditions and addressing its negative impacts. Future research should explore factors affecting job satisfaction to deepen understanding. Implementing an annual survey on nurses' job satisfaction across all units is recommended. Additionally, healthcare administrators must prioritize infrastructure development and initiatives aimed at enhancing nurses' contentment in the workplace. Conclusions This research highlights the prevalence of emotional blackmail among emergency department nurses at Alborz University of Medical Sciences, especially those with less experience. A significant correlation exists between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction, underscoring the need for mental health support in high-pressure environments. Recommendations include training for awareness of emotional blackmail, fostering emotional intelligence, and enhancing workplace support. Future studies should assess intervention effectiveness and explore factors affecting emotional blackmail and job satisfaction, with qualitative insights into nurses' experiences. Declarations Acknowledgement This study was conducted with the financial support of the Vice Chancellor for Research of Alborz University of Medical Sciences. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the authorities for this financial support, as well as to the respected nurses who participated in this study. The authors are thankful to Dr. Hamid Sharif-Nia, a faculty member at Amol School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran for provided technical counselling on the study design. Authors contribution F.B.P. and R.R. planned the study design and coordinated the conduct of the study. F.B.P. and R.R. collected the study data. S.M.T carried out statistical analysis and interpretation of the data and drafted this paper. All the authors participated in drafting the manuscript. Authors approved of the final draft of the paper. Funding This study was funded by Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran Data availability The dataset presented in the study is available on request from the corresponding author during submission or after publication. Clinical trial number Not applicable Ethics approval and consent to participate This study was approved by Ethics Committee of Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran (Ethics Code: IR.ABZUMS.REC. IR.ABZUMS.REC.1403.128), and the study adhered to the tenets of the declaration of Helsinki. The study's objectives were communicated to the study participants, and written informed consent was obtained before data collection. The principles of confidentiality were rigorously maintained throughout the data collection process as well as during the subsequent analysis of the data. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no financial, organizational, or professional conflicts of interest in conducting this research. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Author details School of Nursing and Emergency Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, I.R. of Iran Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, I.R. of Iran References Cheraghi R, Almasi L, Alinejad V, Aghakhani N, Jasemi M, Eghtedar S. The relationship between emotional intelligence with job performance and occupational stress in nurses working in educational and medical centers in urmia in 2022. Nurs Midwifery J. 2023;21(7):575–88. Razmi H, Habibi soola A, Rezakhani moghadam H, Asadi H, Mehri S. Comparing the Quality of Work Life and Job Satisfaction of Nurses Working in the Corona and Other Wards. J Health Care. 2024;25(3):256–68. Babapour AR, Gahassab-Mozaffari N, Fathnezhad-Kazemi A. Nurses' job stress and its impact on quality of life and caring behaviors: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2022;21(1):75. Lo WY, Lin YK, Lin CY, Lee HM. 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Work Stress. 2019;33(1):76–103. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 16 Oct, 2025 Reviews received at journal 13 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Oct, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Oct, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 25 Sep, 2025 Editor invited by journal 02 Sep, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 29 Aug, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 28 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 27 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7356467","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":525223088,"identity":"9b2a8f1b-1cbc-4a44-ae14-62c2a7437da5","order_by":0,"name":"Fateme Behmaneshpour","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAzUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAyCWADH4GRjYSNQi2UCyFoMDxGoxl25gvPFzz2F54xvJzx58qGCQ5xc7gF+L5ZwDzJY9zw4bbruRZm444wyD4czZCQQcdiOBTYLnwGHGbTcSzKR52xgSDG4ToUXyz4HD9ptnpH8jXos00JbEDRI5RNpiOedgs7XMgfTkGWfelEnOOCNB2C/m0s0Hb745YG3b356+TeJDhY08vzQBLQwSjA1AspmBQQCsUoKAcoSaOmCKOUCE6lEwCkbBKBiRAABxg0TkwTPEawAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"School of Nursing and Emergency Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Fateme","middleName":"","lastName":"Behmaneshpour","suffix":""},{"id":525223089,"identity":"93758d8a-03e1-4be9-aca5-107c68c10938","order_by":1,"name":"Ramesh Rafieyan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"School of Nursing and Emergency Medicine, Alborz University of Medical 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Karaj, Iran","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eNurses are among the most valuable human resource within the healthcare system, delivering a diverse array of services that range from fundamental healthcare to intricate procedures and crucial decisions that influence patient care [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. Nurses frequently operate under challenging circumstances, which encompass issues related to patients, excessive workloads, insufficient staffing, inadequate job support, inequitable compensation, substandard working conditions, a shortage of resources and equipment necessary for delivering quality services, and unstable work environments [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. These issues have resulted in a decline in the quality of work life, contributing to service challenges, a propensity for job transfer, and a deterioration of physical, mental, and social well-being among nurses [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. However, healthcare systems, including hospitals, are progressively required to adopt a more patient-centered approach, which necessitates that healthcare professionals become more responsive and interactive within their work environments [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Governments, nurses, and the general public increasingly perceive the nursing profession as a type of personal health service [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition to strong communication skills, ethical standards, comprehension, and patience, nurses are required to endure work-related stress, uphold their calm in all situations, and manage their emotions effectively [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch indicates a significant correlation between the experience of staff and the satisfaction of patients, thereby emphasizing the critical role of the emotional responses of healthcare workers while delivering nursing services [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. One of the contributing factors to the emergence of such a situation is emotional labor [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. Emotional labor is a term coined by American sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild, referring to the effort required to manage not only one's own emotions but also those of others, in order to meet the demands of a job or relationship. Despite their evolutionary origins, emotions function as a force that can be regulated and directed by humans [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe influence of emotional responses has emerged as a critical concern within the nursing workforce. Nurses employed by hospitals strive to foster positive interpersonal relationships and steer clear of conflicts with others [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Due to the necessity for nurses to manage various emotional challenges and engage in interpersonal interactions with individuals in challenging situations, they are at a higher risk of encountering negative emotions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. Healthcare systems should also take the initiative and develop strategies that help balance nurses' work stress. These strategies aim to reduce unnecessary demands from supervisors, patients, and colleagues, as well as in the socio-emotional domain [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. This highlights the need for hospital policies that focus not only on technical efficiency but also on the development of emotional and communication skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEmotional blackmail was first defined in 1997 as a powerful but invisible and intangible tool used to coerce an individual into doing something which causes intense and conflicting emotions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Emotional blackmail occurs when one individual manipulates another to fulfill their objectives. This may involve threats, the use of derogatory labels, heated arguments and shouting, portraying a pitiable image, mocking language, and deliberate neglect. Such actions can result in distress and foster circumstances detrimental to the health and well-being of the affected party [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. Nurses in hospitals are no exception to this rule and inevitably suffer from irrational demands such as emotional blackmail in interpersonal relationships when interacting with supervisors, colleagues, and the public. There is evidence suggesting a direct correlation among emotional blackmail, job satisfaction, and the intention to resign, with job satisfaction serving as a partial mediator in the relationship between emotional blackmail and the intention to quit [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. At present, the significant exodus of nurses from the profession has emerged as a worldwide issue.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJob satisfaction is considered one of the most challenging organizational concepts, which forms the basis of many management policies aimed at improving the efficiency and productivity of the organization. It is the overall emotional state of an individual about their career, which is the result of job evaluation or job experiences and includes various dimensions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. Given that nurses hold a significant and central position in delivering healthcare services within hospitals, factors influencing nurses' job satisfaction directly affect the quality of care rendered, patient safety, and patient satisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. The conditions of the workplace, prompt remuneration of salaries, social support from supervisors and peers, opportunities for career advancement, and autonomy in decision-making are a selection of the factors that influence job satisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, creating a fair, peaceful, and calm work environment for healthcare workers has a direct impact on the outcomes and quality of patient care and the satisfaction of nurses and ultimately patients [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudies show that high levels of emotional intelligence are associated with greater job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and quality of care provided by nurses [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. To address the challenges encountered by nurses in their work environment and enhance job satisfaction, the development of emotional intelligence skills and strategies is crucial. This capability can also serve as a means of alleviating stress for nurses, resulting in increased job satisfaction and a decrease in burnout and turnover.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEffective communication is regarded as a fundamental component of nursing care, significantly influencing the quality of care provided. Nurses must also demonstrate empathy towards patients and exhibit compassionate concern to ensure holistic care. Therefore, the capacity to regulate emotions while interacting with clients is an essential skill for the nursing profession [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. Nurses must also develop effective communication with other members of the healthcare team, particularly nursing managers, in order to meet their professional obligations and deliver high-quality care.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough numerous studies have examined the link between emotional intelligence and nurse satisfaction, no research has yet focused on the interaction among emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and the job satisfaction of nurses in the emergency department. This study intends to investigate the relationship between emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and the job satisfaction of nurses employed in the emergency department of Alborz teaching hospitals.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eStudy Population\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis cross-sectional study was carried out in 2024 and the study population consisted of all nurses working in the emergency department of teaching hospitals associated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran. A convenient sampling method was employed to recruit participants for the study. Nurses were eligible for inclusion if they held a bachelor\u0026apos;s degree in nursing or a higher qualification and had been employed in the emergency department for at least 6 months. Questionnaires with over 20% missing data were excluded from the analysis. The final sample analyzed in this research comprised 261 nurses.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eData Collection\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA semi-structured questionnaire comprising 51-items was employed for data collection purposes. This questionnaire was developed after a thorough examination of the relevant literature. It was divided into four distinct sections: The initial section contained 7 questions regarding the socio-demographic characteristics of the study participants (i.e., age, gender, work experience, type of employment, level of education, marital status, and place of service). The second part included Emotional Blackmail Questionnaire developed by Liu and Zhuang\u0026apos;s and colleagues [17]. This questionnaire comprises 25 questions, with answers assessed using a 7-point Likert scale that ranges from (1) strongly disagree to (7) strongly agree. The total emotional blackmail score was determined by averaging the responses to the items. The third section included the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale [18]. This questionnaire comprises 16 items categorized into 4 dimensions: self-emotional appraisal (items 1 to 4), others\u0026rsquo; emotional appraisal (items 5 to 8), use of emotions (items 9 to 12), and regulation of emotion (items 13 to 16). Responses are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, which ranges from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. The total score can range from (16 to 80), with a higher score indicating a greater level of emotional intelligence. The fourth section of the questionnaire included the Job Satisfaction Subscale of the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire (MOAQ-JSS) [19]. The MOAQ-JSS comprises three items designed to assess the affective aspects of overall job satisfaction. This section contained 3 questions, which were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with responses ranging from (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. The total score is calculated as the average of these 3 items.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe feedback obtained from a panel of experts, which included 14 faculty members from medical science universities consisting of 5 psychologists, 5 psychiatric nurses, and 4 nurses, was employed to evaluate the face validity and content validity ratio (CVR) as well as the content validity index. Questions that received a CVR below 0.62 were either modified or removed. Every question attained a CVI score greater than 0.79. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was validated by a Cronbach\u0026apos;s alpha of 0.83.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe researcher visited the hospital\u0026apos;s emergency departments, where the study objectives were communicated to the nurses in order to encourage their participation. Nurses who showed an interest in participating in the study were requested to give written consent prior to filling out the study questionnaire. During the process of completing these self-administered questionnaires, the researchers were present to clarify any uncertainties or problems that the participants may face.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eEthical approval \u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran (Ethics Code: IR.ABZUMS.REC.1403.128). Confidentiality principles were strictly upheld during both the data collection and the subsequent data analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eStatistical Analysis\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCategorical variables were presented as counts and percentages. All continuous variables were evaluated for normality of distribution using Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness of fit tests. None of the continuous variables demonstrated a normal distribution. As a result, non-parametric tests were utilized for data analysis. The Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test was employed to compare the scores of emotional blackmail, emotional quotient, and job satisfaction across various demographic groups. Spearman\u0026rsquo;s rho correlation coefficients were used to investigate the relationship between the scores of emotional blackmail, emotional quotient, and job satisfaction. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant for all analyses. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS version 21 statistical software package (Chicago, IL).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eA total of 261 nurses constituted the study population, which included 80 males (30.7%) and 181 females (69.3%). As presented in Table 1, the largest proportion of participants was in the under 30 years age group (51.3%), whereas the smallest share was represented by those over 40 years (15.7%). A greater percentage of the study participants were single (53.6%) in comparison to 46.4% who were married. In terms of educational qualifications, a significant portion of the participants held a bachelor\u0026apos;s degree (87.0%), with only 13.0% having a master\u0026apos;s degree. Regarding work experience, 74.7% of individuals had less than 10 years of experience, while 25.3% had more than 10 years of work experience. With respect to employment type, the largest group of respondents was engaged in full-time permanent employment (44.1%), while the smallest group was on temporary contracts (12.6%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 1-\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eSociodemographic characteristics of the study population (n=261)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"84%\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 35px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariable\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePercent\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 35px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e80\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e181\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e69.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 35px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge group\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e(years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e51.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30-40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e86\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e33.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e15.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 35px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarital Status\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003esingle\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e140\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e53.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003emarried\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e121\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e46.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 35px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDegree\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBachelor\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e227\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e87.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMaster\u0026apos;s\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e34\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 35px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWork Experience\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e(Years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e=\u0026lt;10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e195\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e74.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e66\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 35px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmployment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time permanent\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e115\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time contractual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTemporary contractual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e33\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCompulsory Services\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e48\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 35px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWards\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePediatrics\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e46\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOb/Gyn\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e17.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGeneral\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e74\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHeart\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e35\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTrauma\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e29\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 27px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePsychiatry\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 21px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 15px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mean score for emotional blackmail was recorded at 135.6\u0026plusmn;9.1 (with a range of 112-158). The average emotional quotient score was noted as 59.5\u0026plusmn;7.7 (ranging from 44 to 78), whereas the mean score for job satisfaction was 8.9\u0026plusmn;2.7, spanning a range from 3 to 15 (data not shown).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo notable difference in the emotional blackmail score was observed among various sociodemographic subgroups, with the exception of job experience (\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2\u003c/strong\u003e). Participants in the study who had 10 years or less of job experience showed a higher median emotional blackmail score (136) in comparison to nurses with over 10 years of job experience, and this difference was statistically significant (P value=0.035).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 2-\u003c/strong\u003e The comparison of the emotional blackmail scores among the sociodemographic subgroups of the study population\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"690\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\" style=\"width: 270px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubgroups\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMean\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedian\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInterquartile Range\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eP value*\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.741\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge group\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e(years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.185**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30-40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e133.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarital Status\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003esingle\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.796\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003emarried\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDegree\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBachelor\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.089\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMaster\u0026apos;s\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e133.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e132.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWork Experience\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e(Years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e=\u0026lt;10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.035\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e133.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmployment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time permanent\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.698**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time contractual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e14.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTemporary contractual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCompulsory Services\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 113px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWards\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePediatrics\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.531**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOb/Gyn\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGeneral\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e135.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHeart\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e137.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e136.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTrauma\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e134.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e133.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e16.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 156px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePsychiatry\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e133.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e133.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"7\" valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 690px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e* p-value for Mann-Whitney U test\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\" valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 270px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e** p-value for Kruskal-Wallis test\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 96px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 66px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 102px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 3\u003c/strong\u003e presents the findings regarding the comparison of emotional intelligence scores across various sociodemographic subgroups. It was noted that participants older than 40 years demonstrated the highest median emotional intelligence score of 62, whereas nurses aged between 30 and 40 years had a median score of 60.5. Moreover, individuals under 30 years recorded a median score of 58, with the differences among these groups being statistically significant (p-value \u0026lt; 0.001). In addition, nurses with over 10 years of professional experience attained a median emotional intelligence score of 62, exceeding the median score of participants with 10 years or less of experience, with the difference being marginally significant (p-value = 0.058).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 3-\u003c/strong\u003e The comparison of the emotional intelligence scores among the sociodemographic subgroups of the study population\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"656\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\" style=\"width: 246px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubgroups\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMean\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedian\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInterquartile Range\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eP value*\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 131px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.489\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 131px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge group\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e(years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.001**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30-40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 131px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarital Status\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003esingle\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.186\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003emarried\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 131px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDegree\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBachelor\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.150\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMaster\u0026apos;s\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 131px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWork Experience\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e(Years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e=\u0026lt;10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.058\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 131px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmployment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time permanent\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.733**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time contractual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTemporary contractual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e12.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCompulsory Services\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 131px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWards\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePediatrics\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e61.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e13.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.863**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOb/Gyn\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e10.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGeneral\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHeart\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e58.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTrauma\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e60.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e7.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e62.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e11.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 116px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePsychiatry\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 105px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e59.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 68px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e57.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 108px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e18.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"7\" valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 656px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e* p-value for Mann-Whitney U test\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"7\" valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 656px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e** p-value for Kruskal-Wallis test\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe findings regarding the comparison of job satisfaction scores across the sociodemographic subgroups of the study population are displayed in \u003cstrong\u003eTable 4.\u003c/strong\u003e It was observed that participants over the age of 40 and those aged between 30 and 40 years attained a higher median job satisfaction score of 9, unlike those under 30 years, who recorded a median score of 8. The differences were determined to be marginally significant (p-value = 0.056).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 4-\u003c/strong\u003e The comparison of the job satisfaction scores among the sociodemographic subgroups of the study population\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"560\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"2\" style=\"width: 213px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubgroups\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMean\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedian\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInterquartile Range\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eP value*\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 118px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.736\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 118px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge group\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e(years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;30\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"3\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.056**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e30-40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;40\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 118px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarital Status\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003esingle\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.695\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003emarried\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 118px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDegree\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eBachelor\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.330\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMaster\u0026apos;s\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 118px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWork Experience\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e(Years)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e=\u0026lt;10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.062\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026gt;10\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 118px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmployment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time permanent\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.2\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"4\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.239**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFull-time contractual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTemporary contractual\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCompulsory Services\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 118px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWards\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePediatrics\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"6\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.607**\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eOb/Gyn\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eGeneral\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.4\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eHeart\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eTrauma\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.3\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e8.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ePsychiatry\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 69px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 63px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 88px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.0\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"7\" valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 560px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e* p-value for Mann-Whitney U test\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"7\" valign=\"bottom\" style=\"width: 560px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e** p-value for Kruskal-Wallis test\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 5\u003c/strong\u003e illustrates the correlation between emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and job satisfaction scores. Our results reveal a low positive yet significant correlation between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence scores (r=0.133, p=0.032). Furthermore, a medium positive and significant correlation was observed between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction (r=0.305, p\u0026lt;0.001). Conversely, we found no significant correlation between blackmail and job satisfaction scores.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 5 -\u003c/strong\u003e The correlation between emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and job satisfaction scores\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"90%\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 25px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScore\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 13px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmotional Blackmail\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 22px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmotional Intelligence\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJob Satisfaction\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 25px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmotional Blackmail\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCorrelation Coefficient\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 22px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.133\u003csup\u003e*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.020\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP-value\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 22px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.032\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.746\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 25px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEmotional Intelligence\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCorrelation Coefficient\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.133\u003csup\u003e*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 22px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.305\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP-value\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.032\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 22px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;.000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd rowspan=\"2\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 25px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJob Satisfaction\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCorrelation Coefficient\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.020\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 22px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.305\u003csup\u003e**\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 13px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eP-value\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.746\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 22px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;.000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 19px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 100px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e* Spearman\u0026apos;s rho Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"5\" valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 100px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e** Spearman\u0026apos;s rho Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, and job satisfaction among nurses working in the emergency departments of teaching hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences in 2024. Since nurses play the most important and central role in providing healthcare services in hospitals, factors affecting job satisfaction, including emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence of nurses, have a direct impact on the quality of care provided, patient safety, and patient satisfaction, and for this reason, it has always been a vital and important issue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe results of the current study revealed a fairly good level of emotional intelligence within the study population. While various instruments have been employed to assess emotional intelligence in different research, our findings align with earlier studies concerning the average emotional intelligence score among nurses [1]. Research suggests that emotional intelligence is increasingly recognized as a significant trait that can be taught and learned in the field of nursing, playing a crucial role in delivering high-quality nursing care [20]. One significant aspect of emotional intelligence is its contribution to enhancing individual performance and clinical decision-making within the nursing profession, which can result in a higher quality of nursing care [21]. Conversely, possessing emotional intelligence skills is regarded as highly significant for attaining career success and effectively managing sensitive responsibilities, as it can result in enhanced job performance [1].\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003eThere is evidence suggesting that, when faced with job stress, emotionally intelligent people have the skill to fully engage themselves in work due to their high ability to manage emotions, which reduces emotional mismatch [22].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnhancing and fostering emotional intelligence can contribute to the preservation of employees\u0026apos; mental health in managing this condition, thereby elevating the standard of nursing care [23]. Individuals possessing higher emotional intelligence and effective communication abilities tend to adjust more readily to their surroundings, experience reduced stress, exhibit improved work management, and derive greater satisfaction from collaborating with colleagues and patients [21].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBased on the findings of the current study, the average score for emotional blackmail was found to be at a relatively high level among the participants involved. This elevated score may be attributed to the younger demographic of the study group. Emotional blackmail is not merely an individual issue; it is also significantly influenced by environmental and social factors. For instance, individuals possessing certain personality traits may exhibit a higher propensity to engage in emotional blackmail when confronted with challenges or setbacks. Conversely, particular workplace or social settings can either exacerbate or mitigate this behavior. This highlights the need for a comprehensive analysis of the variables influencing this conduct and the development of educational or counseling initiatives aimed at its reduction. Considering the detrimental impacts of emotional blackmail on both individuals and organizations, it is crucial to offer substantial support to young and inexperienced staff [4]. Additionally, it is advisable to implement in-service training programs to equip new employees with strategies to combat emotional blackmail in their professional settings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this research indicated that the job satisfaction level of the nurses we examined was determined to be average, which aligns with other studies that have also reported similar average job satisfaction levels among nurses [24, 25] . The job satisfaction of nurses is influenced by a variety of factors. It is essential for officials to consider these factors when formulating policies and planning. In light of the average satisfaction levels regarding management practices and compensation, hospital administrators should enhance management and communication strategies, as well as refine and ensure fairness in payment systems. This will create a foundation for improving nurses\u0026apos; satisfaction. Furthermore, it is important to periodically assess satisfaction levels, taking into account demographic and job-related factors, to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented measures.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this study we found a significant correlation between the emotional blackmail score and emotional intelligence. This relationship is a controversial issue in social and behavioral psychology, because emotional intelligence is usually considered a positive factor for regulating interpersonal relationships. Higher emotional intelligence allows people to better understand their own and others\u0026apos; emotions and react accordingly. However, this ability may in some cases be used to influence others and manipulate their emotions [26]. Emotional intelligence can lead to increased emotional control strategies in interpersonal relationships under certain circumstances. Individuals with high emotional intelligence, due to their greater ability to understand and regulate the emotions of others, may use this skill to exploit the emotional vulnerabilities of others [27]. Studies show that people who experienced emotional abuse in childhood may use their emotional intelligence to control interpersonal relationships and emotionally influence others in adulthood [28]. The existence of a positive relationship between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence does not necessarily mean that all people with high emotional intelligence have a tendency to use it to control others, but rather this relationship depends on several factors such as personality, values, and developmental environment. For instance, people with high emotional intelligence may use their emotional skills to control others if they grew up in unhealthy environments or were in unhealthy relationships [29]. \u0026nbsp;On the contrary, emotional intelligence can be used to help others and create empathetic connections [30]. Therefore, emotional intelligence can be used both as a tool for improving human relationships and as a tool for emotional control of others. As a result, the development of ethical training in the field of emotional intelligence, both in personal and professional environments, can prevent the possible abuse of this ability.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother finding of this study was a positive correlation between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction, which shows that people with higher emotional intelligence have greater job satisfaction. This is in agreement with the results from a Korean study that indicated a direct relationship between these two components [14]. Also, another study from Ghana showed that there is a positive and significant correlation between emotional intelligence and nurses\u0026apos; job satisfaction [15]. Another study from Iran reported that intensive care and emergency department nurses with higher emotional intelligence feel more satisfied working with colleagues and patients [31]. Therefore, in order to improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover, which is one of the most important organizational challenges in hospital management, it is essential to pay attention, invest, and plan appropriate interventions and strategies to improve the emotional intelligence of working nurses with a focus on focus on developing self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe findings of the current study indicate that individuals aged over 40 exhibit a higher average level of emotional intelligence, suggesting that emotional intelligence tends to increase with age. This conclusion contrasts with the outcomes of two studies conducted in Iran, which reported no significant correlation between emotional intelligence and the age of nurses [32]. While some of this discrepancy may be attributed to the use of various instruments in the evaluation of emotional intelligence, it is essential that this finding is examined more thoroughly in future research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this research indicated that individuals with fewer than 10 years of experience exhibited a higher average score for emotional blackmail, suggesting a notable influence of work experience on reactions to emotional blackmail. This discovery significantly enhances our comprehension of workplace dynamics. This insight underscores a possible susceptibility among less experienced workers that warrants additional exploration. Employees with less experience might lack the proficiency to identify nuanced emotional blackmail strategies. They may not have had sufficient exposure to these behaviors to recognize them as manipulative actions or to grasp their effects [10]. Moreover, they might not possess the fully developed coping strategies and assertiveness abilities necessary to effectively combat such tactics. This aligns with studies on workplace socialization, indicating that new employees are in the process of understanding the implicit rules and power dynamics within their organizations. Their eagerness to integrate and achieve may render them more susceptible to manipulation [33]. Employees with less experience frequently occupy roles that afford them diminished power and influence within the organization. This imbalance of power can render them more susceptible to emotional manipulation by their superiors or more senior colleagues. They may apprehend the repercussions of opposing or resisting demands, even when such demands are unreasonable or exploitative. This observation aligns with research on workplace bullying, which frequently underscores the significance of power disparities in fostering abusive conduct [34]. Moreover, employees with less experience might possess smaller professional networks and have limited access to mentors or reliable colleagues who can offer guidance and support. This absence of support may result in feelings of isolation and a diminished ability to handle emotional blackmail. They may also be less inclined to report such incidents due to fears of retaliation or uncertainty regarding the organization\u0026apos;s response [35].\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe necessity for training on emotional blackmail is emphasized, targeting both new hires and management to raise awareness and mitigate these behaviors. Current findings linking work experience to emotional blackmail can guide further research, improving workplace conditions and addressing its negative impacts. Future research should explore factors affecting job satisfaction to deepen understanding. Implementing an annual survey on nurses\u0026apos; job satisfaction across all units is recommended. Additionally, healthcare administrators must prioritize infrastructure development and initiatives aimed at enhancing nurses\u0026apos; contentment in the workplace.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis research highlights the prevalence of emotional blackmail among emergency department nurses at Alborz University of Medical Sciences, especially those with less experience. A significant correlation exists between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction, underscoring the need for mental health support in high-pressure environments. Recommendations include training for awareness of emotional blackmail, fostering emotional intelligence, and enhancing workplace support. Future studies should assess intervention effectiveness and explore factors affecting emotional blackmail and job satisfaction, with qualitative insights into nurses\u0026apos; experiences.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted with the financial support of the Vice Chancellor for Research of Alborz University of Medical Sciences. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the authorities for this financial support, as well as to the respected nurses who participated in this study. The authors are thankful to Dr. Hamid Sharif-Nia, a faculty member at Amol School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran for provided technical counselling on the study design.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors contribution\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eF.B.P. and R.R. \u0026nbsp; planned the study design and coordinated the conduct of the study. F.B.P. and R.R. collected the study data. S.M.T carried out statistical analysis and interpretation of the data and drafted this paper. All the authors participated in drafting the manuscript. Authors approved of the final draft of the paper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was funded by Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dataset presented in the study is available on request from the corresponding author during submission or after publication.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinical trial number\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was approved by Ethics Committee of Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran (Ethics Code: IR.ABZUMS.REC. IR.ABZUMS.REC.1403.128), and the study adhered to the tenets of the declaration of Helsinki. The study\u0026apos;s objectives were communicated to the study participants, and written informed consent was obtained before data collection. The principles of confidentiality were rigorously maintained throughout the data collection process as well as during the subsequent analysis of the data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConflict of interest:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;The authors declare that they have no financial, organizational, or professional conflicts of interest in conducting this research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor details\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSchool of Nursing and Emergency Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, I.R. of Iran\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sup\u003eHealth Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, I.R. of Iran\u003csup\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCheraghi R, Almasi L, Alinejad V, Aghakhani N, Jasemi M, Eghtedar S. 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Pajouhan Sci J. 2019;17(4):1\u0026ndash;8.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKhademi E, Abdi M, Saeidi M, Piri S, Mohammadian R. Emotional Intelligence and Quality of Nursing Care: A Need for Continuous Professional Development. Iran J Nurs midwifery Res. 2021;26(4):361\u0026ndash;7.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJang R, Kang Y-S, Kim Y. The Relationships in Emotional Intelligence, Job Satisfaction, and Quality of Nursing Service in Hospital Nurses. J Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Soc. 2016;17(6):326\u0026ndash;37.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTagoe T, Quarshie EN. The relationship between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction among nurses in Accra. 2017, 4(2):84\u0026ndash;9.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZhu Y, Liu C, Guo B, Zhao L, Lou F. 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J Vocat Behav. 2008;73(1):63\u0026ndash;77.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhite DE, Grason S. The importance of emotional intelligence in nursing care. J Compr Nurs Res Care. 2019;4:152.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRahmanian A, Makaremnia S, Abdian T. Role of Emotional Intelligence in the Quality of Nursing Care in Nurses Working in Covid-19 Care Units. Avicenna J Nurs Midwifery Care. 2023;31(1):46\u0026ndash;56.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChen Y-C, Huang Z-L, Chu H-C. Relationships between emotional labor, job burnout, and emotional intelligence: an analysis combining meta-analysis and structural equation modeling. BMC Psychol. 2024;12(1):672.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHashmi S, Tahir O, Nasir Z, Hasnain H, Ullah Riaz RS, Ali Khan HM, Ramza R, Alghzawi HM, Mukherjee J, Palav A. 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Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace. edn.: CRC; 2020.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLesener T, Gusy B, Wolter C. The job demands-resources model: A meta-analytic review of longitudinal studies. Work Stress. 2019;33(1):76\u0026ndash;103.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-nursing","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"nurs","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Nursing](http://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/nurs/default.aspx","title":"BMC Nursing","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Emotional blackmail, emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, mental health, nurses","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7356467/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7356467/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDifferent aspects of the healthcare workers' emotional responses during the provision of nursing services such as emotional intelligence and emotional blackmail might have an impact on the quality of care, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence and job satisfaction of nurses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis cross-sectional study included the data for 261 nurses employed in the emergency department of teaching hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences in 2024. The data collection instruments consisted of a demographic information questionnaire, Liu and Zhuang's (2016) emotional blackmail questionnaire, Love \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e.'s (2004) emotional intelligence questionnaire, and the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire, which focuses on job satisfaction. Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were utilized for data analysis. The Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test were implemented to compare scores among various sociodemographic groups.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e Participants with 10 years or less of job experience showed a statistically significant greater median emotional blackmail score when compared to nurses with more than 10 years of professional experience (P value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.035). Participants over 40 years had the highest emotional intelligence score of 62, while those aged 30\u0026ndash;40 scored 60.5, and under 30 scored 58 (p-value\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Nurses with over 10 years of experience attained a median emotional intelligence score of 62, exceeding the median score of participants with 10 years or less of experience (p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.058). Participants over 40 and those aged 30\u0026ndash;40 had higher job satisfaction scores (median score of 9) than those under 30 (median score of 8) (p-value\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.056). We found a low positive correlation between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence, and a medium positive correlation between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eConsidering the elevated levels of emotional blackmail experienced by nurses in emergency departments, particularly among those with fewer than 10 years of experience, and its notable correlation with emotional intelligence, it is advisable for nursing managers and policymakers to mitigate the negative impacts of emotional blackmail. This can be achieved by developing educational interventions and executing effective in-service communication strategies.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The relationship between emotional blackmail and emotional intelligence with job satisfaction of emergency department nurses working in hospitals affiliated with Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-10-07 13:45:37","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7356467/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-16T16:22:35+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-10-13T15:25:16+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"270842122536772211655641602745672347228","date":"2025-10-11T17:24:18+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"269859932216980392921532933417199597575","date":"2025-10-04T06:03:40+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-25T09:05:25+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-09-02T19:54:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-08-29T09:11:34+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-08-28T23:28:18+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Nursing","date":"2025-08-27T16:57:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-nursing","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"nurs","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Nursing](http://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/nurs/default.aspx","title":"BMC Nursing","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"884d239a-2033-4ef2-b593-e6f86fc4ba30","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 7th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-07T13:45:37+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-10-07 13:45:37","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7356467","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7356467","identity":"rs-7356467","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}