Utilizing Emotional Intelligence to Cultivate Occupational Therapy Students\u27 Leadership Skills

Emotional intelligence (EI) education is a crucial component to facilitating professional and leadership skills. Strengthening emotional competence through training and education can support clinician success. The healthcare sector is complex and presents many challenges and emotionally demanding circumstances. Sharpening emotional intelligence skills can provide tools for students, practitioners, and leaders to effectively respond and rise above difficult situations. There is a strong need for healthcare programs to supplement their curriculums with EI learning. This doctoral project explored the benefits and impact of integrating emotional intelligence education into a leadership course for entry-level occupational therapy (OT) students. Using current literature, a workshop was created and delivered to address the limited exposure of EI learning in healthcare education. A leadership assessment and evaluation form were used to collect feedback. The workshop served as a means to help bridge the gap by implementing EI knowledge into OT education, addressing leadership competencies utilizing EI, and providing tools to effectively manage the challenges that arise in practice