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Tips for dealing with anger at your facility

Nurse Leader Weekly, January 18, 2008

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Everyone encounters angry people. And everyone gets angry from time to time; patients get angry; nurses get angry; everyone "loses his or her cool."

It may be uncomfortable to handle anger, but it is a necessary task. And dealing with anger or other emotions can often strengthen and enrich a relationship.

What makes our patients angry?

Patients often get angry when they:

• Become frustrated, don't know what to expect, or experience a culture shock in the healthcare arena
• Are afraid of the diagnosis, treatments needed, and/or outcomes of care
• Don't get their way or feel like they've lost control
• Feel overlooked, such as when they are not included in their care-planning discussions
• Are discouraged with themselves when they don't understand something, think they could have done something better, and/or are not getting better as fast as they had hoped

Don't let an angry patient control you. Don't let an angry situation control you. Take charge of the situation. Otherwise, you'll be like a tightly wound top that spins out of control rather than a graceful dancer releasing your energy in a more controlled way.

Editor's Note: This excerpt was adapted from the article, "When your patients are seeing red" featured in the Reading Room on HCPro's new online resource center, www.StrategiesForNurseManagers.com!

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