Introduction: Nurses' professional competence is crucial in clinical practice. Systematic evaluation of nurses’ competence and its related factors are essential for enhancing the quality of nursing care. Nurses’ personality traits and skills in emotional intelligence may influence their professional competence, but few studies examined the simultaneous role of such factors in shaping nurses' competence level. We aimed to assess the nurses’ competence level and its possible relationship with their personality and emotional intelligence. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey design, three instruments including: Nurse Competence Scale, short form of Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test, and the abbreviated 10-item version of Big Five Factor Inventory, were administered simultaneously to a randomized stratified sample of 220 nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Results: Majority of nurses rated themselves as “good” and “very good”, with the highest scores in “managing situations” and “work role” dimensions of nurse competence. A relatively similar pattern of scores was seen in competence dimensions, personality and emotional intelligence, among male and female nurses. Emotional intelligence and personality scores showed a significant relationship with nurses’ competence, explaining almost 20% of variations in nurse competence scores. Conclusion: Iranian nurses evaluated their overall professional competence at similar level of the nurses in other countries. Knowledge about the nurses’ competence level and its related factors, including personality and emotional intelligence, may help nurse managers in enhancing nurses' professional competence through appropriate task assignments and conducting in-service educational programs.

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