Mediating Role of Nurses' Perceived Professional Benefits Between ICU Nurses' Emotional Intelligence and Spiritual Care Competency: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Study

Aim: This study aims to investigate the levels of emotional intelligence, nurses' perceived professional benefits, and spiritual care competency among ICU nurses, explore the correlations among these three variables, and further analyse the mediating role of perceived professional benefits between emotional intelligence and spiritual care competency. Study Design: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted following the STROBE guidelines. Methods: From January to March 2024, 568 ICU nurses from seven tertiary hospitals in China completed an online questionnaire including demographic items, the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Nurses' Perceived Professional Benefits Questionnaire, and the Spiritual Care Competency Scale. Data were analysed using SPSS 27.0 and Amos 27.0. Pearson correlation, structural equation modelling (SEM), and bootstrap analysis (5000 samples) were used to test associations and mediation effects. Results: ICU nurses reported above-average scores in EI, NPPB, and SCC. EI was positively associated with both NPPB and SCC, and NPPB partially mediated the relationship between EI and SCC. Conclusion: EI significantly contributes to ICU nurses' SCC both directly and indirectly through NPPB. These findings highlight the psychological mechanisms that support competency in spiritual care. Impact: Nursing managers are encouraged to implement structured training programmes focusing on emotional regulation and professional value reinforcement, which may effectively enhance SCC and improve holistic care quality in ICU settings. Patient or Public Contribution: Not applicable.