01/26/2026
AI and EI: Same Last Name, Different Families
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) may sound similar, but in Long Term Care they are worlds apart.
One is powered by algorithms. The other is powered by the human heart.
Both are necessary, but only one can guide people through adversity, build trust, and create cultures where staff stay and residents thrive.
AI has rapidly expanded across healthcare. A 2024 Deloitte survey found that 78% of healthcare organizations are using or piloting AI tools, primarily to reduce administrative burden, streamline workflows, and improve documentation accuracy.
In long-term care, AI-driven documentation tools have been shown to cut nursing paperwork time by 20–40%, freeing clinicians for more resident engagement. These gains matter, especially in a sector battling significant workforce challenges.
But while AI boosts efficiency, it cannot replace EI.
Emotional intelligence remains one of the strongest predictors of leadership success. A Harvard Business School study notes that EI accounts for nearly 90% of the difference between high-performing leaders and their peers. Another study specific to nursing homes (Journal of Nursing Management, 2023) found that leaders with higher EI saw 34% lower staff turnover, stronger teamwork, and better resident satisfaction scores.
This is where the “different families” analogy becomes powerful.
AI can assist care, but EI is what advances it.
AI Helps—but Cannot Lead
AI excels at: Identifying trends in falls, hospital readmissions, or staffing patterns. Automating notes and MDS prompts. Tracking quality metrics. Enhancing accuracy and compliance. These capabilities support better decision-making.
Yet AI cannot:
Comfort a grieving family
De-escalate a tense interaction
Guide a struggling employee
Interpret the emotion behind a staff member’s silence
Only EI does that.
EI is Non-Negotiable in Healthcare Leadership. Long Term Care is emotionally charged. Leaders routinely manage fear, burnout, conflict, and moral distress.
Studies from the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) show that employees are 4.5 times more likely to stay in a job when they feel their leader listens and shows compassion. EI skills directly improve:
Staff retention
Psychological safety
Resident/patient satisfaction
Team performance and trust
These outcomes cannot be digitized. They must be embodied.
Peg Tobin, RN
www.tobinway.com
