Transforming Nurses' Stress and Anger: Steps toward Healing

This timely second edition is needed now more than ever. Overworked nurses in understaffed health institutions are experiencing considerable stress -- and anger -- which can take its toll in fatigue, physical health problems, depression, and substance abuse. This wise and eloquent book, written by the leading nurse expert on anger research, uses the stories of dozens of ordinary nurses and nurse leaders to describe the consequences of mismanaged anger. Specific strategies for channeling anger into personal and professional empowerment are described, along with ways to interact in a positive and assertive manner with patients, other nurses, doctors, and administrators to improve working conditions. Nurses at every level and in any setting will find this an inspiring and refreshing book.

AJN Book of the Year Award Winner! (Second Edition)

"This book is a gem! It provides a wealth of well researched information to help the reader understand sources of stress .It tackles very important issues that lead to burnout and provides an exceptionally comprehensive analysis .This book is illuminating for clinicians."

Afaf Meleis, PhD, DrPS(hon), FAAN

Dean of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

This inspiring, award-winning title guides nurses to transform work-related stress and anger into strength and resilience. The profession has witnessed increasing workplace violence, conflicts with colleagues, and poor working conditions. In this book, Thomas demonstrates how anger can actually be a catalyst for personal and professional empowerment.

In this new edition, Thomas discusses the causes and consequences of nurses' stress and anger, and presents new strategies to prevent and manage both, even under the worst conditions. She demonstrates how to forge stronger relationships with colleagues and patients, and solve work-related problems head-on. As a nursing educator, therapist, practitioner, and practicing RN, Thomas provides personal accounts of her own experiences as a nurse, struggling to meet the many challenges of the job.

Key Features:

• Thoroughly updated with new research data and case studies

• Offers step-by-step guidelines on working towards remediation and healing

• Organized with bulleted lists and boxes highlighting key points

• Guidance on pursuing career movement, both vertical and horizontal

• Useful for nurses, hospital administrators, managers, and graduate students
  

Sandra P. Thomas, PhD, RN, FAAN, is Professor and Director of the PhD Program in Nursing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her initial nursing preparation was at St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing, and she worked as a hospital staff nurse for 10 years before pursing new challenges as a nurse educator and researcher. She holds bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in education as well as a master's in nursing, with clinical specialization in community mental health. Dr. Thomas is editor of Issues in Mental Health Nursing, and serves as a reviewer for many other professional journals. She serves on the Board of Directors of the International Council on Women's Health Issues. She is a charter member of the Southern Nursing Research Society and also holds memberships in the American Psychological Association, the American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau International, and the Society of Behavioral Medicine. In 1996 she was named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, and in 1999 she became a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. Her research has focused on stress, anger and depression. She has presented her research at numerous national and international conferences and published over 90 journal articles and book chapters. Her previous books are Women and Anger (Springer Publishing, 1993); Use Your Anger: A Woman's Guide to Empowerment, with coauthor Cheryl Jefferson (1996); Transforming Nurse' Anger and Pain (Springer, 1998); and Listening to Patients: A Phenomenological Approach to Nursing Research and Practice, with coauthor Howard R. Pollio (Springer, 2002). Listening to Patients received both a Choice Magazine Award as an "Outstanding Academic Title" and an American Journal of Nursing "Book of the Year" Award.