SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NURSING: STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, AND THE PATH TO INTEGRAL CARE

Nursing education, crucial for societal health and well-being, extends beyond technical and scientific mastery, demanding a robust development of socio-emotional competencies. These are essential for future professionals to face the complex and multifaceted demands of the academic environment, professional challenges, and personal vicissitudes inherent in such a demanding career. This book chapter, based on a cross-sectional quantitative study, aimed to outline the socio-emotional competency profile of undergraduate nursing students at a private higher education institution in the Northwest region of São Paulo State. The methodology involved administering a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Socio-Emotional Competencies Scale for University Students (ECSEU) to 98 academics. The results revealed a general profile of socio-emotional competencies at a moderate level (mean of 3.83), with responsible decision-making (M=4.62) and emotional self-awareness (M=4.10) standing out as strengths. However, emotional self-management presented the lowest mean (M=2.70), indicating an area of significant fragility. Additionally, a high proportion of students reported feeling frequently stressed (82.7%) and overwhelmed (81.6%) by the demands of their undergraduate program. It is concluded that, although students present good skills in relational and decision-making aspects, there is a notable deficit in managing their own emotions. This scenario underscores the urgency of integrating innovative pedagogical and institutional strategies into the nursing curriculum, aiming to strengthen socio-emotional development and promote mental health, thereby preparing future nurses for humanized care and resilient, effective professional practice.