Abstract
Caring behavior is a fundamental value and the core of professional nursing practice that directly contributes to the quality of patient care and recovery. One of the internal factors associated with caring behavior is spiritual intelligence, which enables nurses to find meaning and purpose in the care they provide. However, evidence suggests that both nurses' caring behavior and spiritual intelligence still need improvement. This study aimed to examine the relationship between spiritual intelligence and nurses' caring behavior in inpatient wards. This study employed a quantitative analytical correlational design with a cross-sectional approach. A total of 53 nurses were recruited using a total sampling technique. Data were collected using the Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory (SISRI-24) and the Caring Behavior Inventory (CBI). Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test with a significance level of p < 0.05. The findings revealed that less than half of the respondents (47.2%) had low spiritual intelligence, while more than half (54.7%) demonstrated poor caring behavior. Statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between spiritual intelligence and nurses' caring behavior (p = 0.001). Nurses with higher levels of spiritual intelligence tended to demonstrate better caring behavior than those with lower levels of spiritual intelligence. Hospital management is encouraged to consider nurses' spiritual intelligence as an important aspect in efforts to enhance caring behavior and improve the overall quality of nursing services.
