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May 6 & 13, 2023


Mastering Emotional Intelligence – Level 2

WEILL CORNELL MEDICINE-QATAR

Overview

Mastering Emotional Intelligence (MEI) - Level 2 is an advanced course that is built on the knowledge and primary skills learned in Mastering Emotional Intelligence (MEI) - Level 1. In this course, healthcare professionals have an excellent opportunity to practice advanced emotional intelligence (EI) skills and strategies in a mentored setting. They practice applying advanced strategies to regulate their emotions, connect with people, master difficult conversations, make sound decisions and build high-performing teams.

The need for EI training in Qatar remains a valid necessity as Qatar’s extremely high-density multicultural setting has made cultural competence education a pressing need in healthcare. EI training is one of the core skills that cultural competence educators currently include in their cross-cultural training. Intolerance of cultural differences may result in liability. In some cases, a patient fails to follow instructions because he/she feels that they are not understood or not treated with enough respect, while the doctor, on the other hand, can be unaware that he/she misunderstands the patient's emotions or that he/she has been disrespectful. Since emotions strongly influence thinking, behaviors, and actions, emotional regulation should be coupled with teaching; otherwise, it may result in disparities. Low EI skills could lead to failure to meet patients' needs, create negative dynamics between the medical team, and cause the physician to be emotionally burnt out. EI is not an innate quality bestowed at birth but is a learned skill that requires continuous training to be developed and enhanced.

Published research reveals that EI skills are correlated with healthcare practitioners’ performance. There is an association between healthcare providers’ EI, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes. A poor provider/patient relationship causes patients' to mistrust the healthcare system and negatively affects adherence to healthcare professionals' advice. Several articles indicate that EI training in healthcare has improved empathy and quality of care, suggesting that the training helps those who are not natural communicators to learn and develop their reflective abilities. Other studies have found that integrating EI training into graduate medical education has improved physicians’ interpersonal and intrapersonal communication skills, providing a more caring environment for patients, building better team dynamics and allowing healthcare providers to maintain self-care.

Identified Practice Gaps/Educational Needs

Literature reveals that there is a correlation between healthcare professionals’ emotional intelligence skills (EI), patient satisfaction, and health outcomes. Continued professional education and practice is a core tool to maintain and improve EI skills. Healthcare professionals (HCP) need to regularly practice their EI skills and enhance their ability to manage their emotions to achieve positive healthcare outcomes. They need to identify their own and others’ emotional status to be able to manage and provide empathetic and quality healthcare. HCP who lack the ability to manage emotionally charged situations are likely to fail to provide quality healthcare to diverse patient populations.

The Mastering Emotional Intelligence - Level 2 course is designed to enhance healthcare professionals’ ability to manage the complexity of the emotionally charged healthcare settings. They will be able to validate and meet the patients’ emotional needs. A healthy emotional healthcare environment is a concrete step towards patient satisfaction and consequently quality healthcare.

Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • Identify the relationship between emotional intelligence skills and human developmental stages.
  • Employ the four core skills of emotional intelligence and their strategies.
  • Value the role of emotional intelligence in professional and personal decision making.
  • Revise future goals and commitment to continuous emotional intelligence development.

Target Audience

Physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, allied health professionals, educators, researchers and administrators.


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