The purpose of this descriptive study is to determine the relationship between nurses’ compassion level and emotional intelligence during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from a sample of 218 nurses who volunteered to participate. Data were collected using the descriptive information form, the compassion scale (CS), and the revised Schutte emotional intelligence scale (RSEIS). The nurses’ total CS score was 97.51 ± 1, and their total RSEIS score was 152.1 ± 14.8. In our study, a moderate, positive, and significant relationship was found between nurses’ compassion level and emotional intelligence levels. It was determined that nurses within the scope of the study had a high level of compassion and a medium–high level of emotional intelligence during the COVID-19 pandemic process. Initiatives should be planned to develop emotional intelligence, which helps to minimize the negative effects of the pandemic on nurses and prevent negative emotions.