Abstract: Objective: To explore the emotional intelligence and work-family conflict in head nurses and determine their relationship. Methods: A survey was conducted in 418 head nurses from 8 Level-III hospitals in Beijing by using the general condition questionnaire, the Work-Family Conflict Scale (WFCS) and the Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS), and correlation analysis was performed to explore their relationship. Results: The average score on each dimension of work-family conflict was between 2.20 to 4.33. The average score of emotional intelligence was 3.78±0.81, and it ranged from 2.87 to 4.18, which was at the moderate level. The emotional intelligence was negatively correlated with work-family conflict of head nurses (r=-0.292~-0.119, P<0.05). Conclusion: The emotional intelligence and work-family conflict of head nurses were at the lower middle level on the whole, and they were negatively correlated with each other. It is suggested to assess the emotional intelligence in the selection of head nurse, and pay more attention to the training of emotional intelligence of head nurse.