Mediating effect analysis of professional identity between emotional intelligence and work readiness of newly graduated nursing students

Aim To collect relevant data through a cross-sectional survey study and analyze the mediating effect of professional identity in the relationship between emotional intelligence and work readiness. Background Poor work readiness makes new nursing grads leave the profession. Emotional intelligence and professional identity impact it, so it’s important to clarify the relationship between them to enhance the work readiness of nursing students. Methods Cluster sampling was performed on newly graduated nursing students from Chongqing, China. Data were collected using the Emotional Intelligence Scale, Nurses’ Work Readiness Scale, and Nurses’ Professional Identity Scale. The SAS software (version 9.4) was used for data processing and analysis. Independent sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA were performed to determine influencing factors. Amos (version 29.0) was used to model mediation effects. The maximum likelihood estimation method was used to estimate the model parameters, with adjustments made based on the correction index. Results In total, 453 valid questionnaires were obtained. The total scores for professional identity, emotional intelligence, and work readiness of the participants were 66.79 ± 11.35, 90.09 ± 14.09, and 271.10 ± 44.26, respectively. professional identity correlated with the other two, mediating their relation, accounting for 69.99% of total effects. Conclusions Professional identity is an important mediator between emotional intelligence and work readiness. School teachers and healthcare professionals should prioritize developing nursing students’ emotional intelligence and professional identity during education. Enhancing professional identity, fostering a sense of professional honor, and improving work readiness can reduce turnover rates and stabilize the nursing workforce. Implications for Nursing and/or Health Policy: Both professional identity and emotional intelligence are positively correlated with work readiness, which deserve more attention. Nursing educators and mangers should cultivate professional identity early.