{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,5]],"date-time":"2026-03-05T14:50:59Z","timestamp":1772722259339,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,5]],"date-time":"2026-03-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772668800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Healthcare"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Evidence-Based Nursing is imperative for high-quality care, but its implementation continues to face the know-do gap. While organizational barriers are often cited, the role of individual competencies, specifically Emotional Competence, in facilitating adoption remains underexplored on a large scale. This study aimed to analyze the association between perceived Emotional Competence, Evidence-Based Nursing adoption, and perceived attitudes and barriers in a nationwide sample of nurses registered with the Portuguese Order of Nurses. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted using a non-probabilistic sample of 3014 nurses registered with the Portuguese Order of Nurses. The Clinical Effectiveness and Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire, the Attitudes and Barriers Questionnaire, and the Emotional Competence Questionnaire were administered. Data were analyzed using bivariate correlations and a multivariable linear regression model. Results: Nurses reported high levels of perceived Emotional Competence (M = 204.7; SD = 20.3). In the multivariable regression model, Emotional Competence remained robustly and independently associated with Evidence-Based Nursing adoption (B = 0.315; p &lt; 0.001), even after adjusting for sociodemographic and professional covariates. The perception of organizational barriers (e.g., time, incentives) did not correlate with adoption (rs = 0.011; p = 0.54). Conclusions: Perceived Emotional Competence is a significant and independent correlate of Evidence-Based Nursing adoption. The results suggest that developing socio-emotional skills, including emotional regulation, may be a relevant training target to support evidence implementation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare14050660","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,5]],"date-time":"2026-03-05T13:11:22Z","timestamp":1772716282000},"page":"660","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Relationship Between Perceived Emotional Competence and Evidence-Based Nursing: A Nationwide Non-Probabilistic Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8135-7201","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dora Ribeiro","family":"Machado","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"RISE-Health, Nursing School, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida 830\/844\/856, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7072-0359","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos","family":"Vilela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"RISE-Health, Nursing School, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida 830\/844\/856, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4021-5949","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Assun\u00e7\u00e3o Laranjeira de","family":"Almeida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"RISE-Health, Nursing School, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Ant\u00f3nio Bernardino de Almeida 830\/844\/856, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"School of Health, University of Aveiro, Campus Universit\u00e1rio de Santiago, Edif\u00edcio 30, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"},{"name":"Health Sciences Research Unit:Nursing (UICISA:E), Nursing School, University of Coimbra, 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0938-1543","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andreia","family":"Brand\u00e3o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cancer Genetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (CI-IPOP)\/RISE@CI-IPOP (Health Research Network), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto)\/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5540-3139","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuel Morais","family":"Br\u00e1s","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LiveWell Research Center, Polytechnic Institute of Bragan\u00e7a, Campus de Santa Apol\u00f3nia, 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Ernstmeyer, K., and Christman, E. 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