Emotional intelligence can help nurses improve their clients' satisfaction and health. The aim of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore Iranian hospital nurses' lived experiences of emotional intelligence. Data collection was done through holding ten in-depth semi-structured interviews with ten hospital nurses. Participants were recruited from hospitals affiliated with Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran. Data analysis was done using Van Manen's (1997 Van Manen, M. (1997). Researching lived experience: Human science for an action sensitive pedagogy (2nd ed. with new expanded preface). London, ON: Althouse Press. [Google Scholar]) six-step approach and resulted in the development of the main theme of normative interactive management and the following three subthemes of resorting to spiritualities, self-protection, and intelligent resilience
