In May, 2013 The Center for Leadership Development (CFLD) completed a pilot
research study on The
Effectiveness of Equine Guided Leadership Education (EGLE) to Develop Emotional
Intelligence in Expert Nurses. This was a two year intercollegiate
collaboration between CFLD researchers, Patricia Dyk, PhD. and Lissa Pohl, MA.,
and University of Kentucky Healthcare's nurse researchers, Carol Noriega, RN,
MSN, CEN, Janine Lindgreen, APRN and Robyn Cheung, PhD., RN.
This pilot study is one of the first of its kind to
explore how working with horses can develop emotional intelligence (EQ) in
humans. The project included a control group of 10 expert nurses from the
Neuroscience Surgery Service Line and an intervention group consisting of 11
expert nurses from the Trauma and Acute Care Surgical Service Line at UK
Chandler Hospital. Nurses in the intervention group participated in a one day
workshop consisting of a facilitated process with five different horses.
All the exercises were performed on the ground and no
previous experience was necessary to participate. Each exercise was designed to
develop the following EQ competencies: self-awareness; self-management;
social awareness; and relationship management.
Both groups took the online TalentSmart® EQ Appraisal: The ME Edition before
the EGLE workshop took place with the intervention group and again six months
after the first assessment was taken. Nurses from the intervention group also
filled out qualitative surveys immediately after their experience with the
horses and again three months after the workshop. A comparative analysis of the
before and after EQ scores of both groups was conducted as well as a thematic
analysis of the qualitative surveys completed by the nurses in the intervention
group.

The ‘before and after’ survey results showed there was
an increase in the EQ scores of the intervention group in all four competency
areas when compared to the control group.
“Qualitative
responses from the nurses participating in the EGLE workshop clearly attribute
changes in their bedside manner to lessons learned from interacting with the
horses.”
These initial results are encouraging and lay the
groundwork for subsequent studies of larger and more diverse populations of
expert nurses using a more rigorous longitudinal
design.
This study was funded by the Dorothy Brockopp Nursing
Research Award, the College of Agriculture Research Activities Award and
with the generous support of Winning With Horsepower's online fundraising
campaign. See below for more information on contributing to this pioneering
research.
Read the full EGLE
Research Report (pdf)
For more on this concept click here: EGLE: Putting
Physical Intelligence Back In Learning Leadership Competencies
Other Equine Assisted
Learning Programs and Associations:
Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) www.eagala.orgEquine Guided Education Association (EGEA) www.equineguidededucation.org
Equine Experiential Education Association (E3A) www.e3assoc.org
Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA) at National American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) www.narha.org
EPONA Equestrian Services www.taoofequus.com
The Horse Institute www.thehorseinstitute.com
Horse Sense of the Carolinas www.horsesenseotc.com
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