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Abstract

Effective communication in nursing involves verbal, nonverbal, and written exchanges, fostering trust, reducing anxiety, and improving outcomes. Emotional intelligence (EI) enhances nurses' ability to interpret cues, manage stress, and build therapeutic relationships. Objective: To see the effect of communication skills and EI among nursing students on patient outcomes. Methods: This correlational quantitative study was conducted at Saida Waheed FMH College of Nursing. A total of 102 participants were included by using a convenient sampling technique. The study included 3rd and 4th-year Generic Nursing students and 4th-year General Nursing students, while 1st and 2nd-year Generic and General Nursing students and 3rd-year General Nursing students were excluded. Data were collected using the EI and Communication Skills Questionnaire to assess the relationship between EI and communication skills. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. The correlation of EI with communication skills was determined by the Pearson correlation coefficient. comparison, considering a p-value of ≤0.05 as statistically significant. Results: Among 102 participants, most (96.1%) were aged 20-25, with 62.7% female and 66.9% unmarried. Most respondents agreed or strongly agreed that patients initiate conversations (67.6%, 24.5%) and that they understand and discuss disease severity effectively (58.8%, 20.6%). Additionally, 59.8% noted patient reluctance in answering queries. Higher EI is linked to improved communication skills. A strong positive correlation (r²=0.961, p<0.01) was found between EI and communication skills. Conclusions: Effective communication and EI enhance patient outcomes by fostering trust and understanding. A strong positive correlation was found between EI and communication skills, emphasizing the need for nursing students to develop these competencies.