Anger is an emotion-nothing more and nothing less. It’s a very powerful emotion that can stem from feelings of frustration, hurt, annoyance, or disappointment. It is a normal human emotion that can range from slight irritation to strong rage.

Here are some tips for handling a patient who seems frustrated, angry, and on the way to becoming violent:

• Avoid threatening behaviors. Threatening behaviors may increase fear or prompt assault.
• Avoid shouting. If the person is not listening to you, raising your voice may not help.
• Avoid criticizing. This might escalate the situation.
• Avoid standing over the patient. Keep a comfortable distance and put yourself as the same level as the patient. If he or she is seated, seat yourself.
• Don’t back yourself or the patient into a corner.

Source: Stressed Out About Difficult Patients, HCPro Inc., 2007. For more information on our series of Stressed Out books, visit www.stressedoutnurses.com