Why am I angry?

We are living in a time of uncertainty. Familiar social norms of behavior are fading away, being replaced by historical behaviors that are reappearing and seemingly becoming acceptable to many. Government decisions are moving us backward in science, healthcare and public health, education, economic stability, personal rights, and expressions of human kindness. I again turn to my muse Maya Angelou who is attributed with this quote, “If you're not angry, you're either a stone, or you're too sick to be angry. You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger, yes. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it. You do everything about it. You talk it. Never stop talking it.” We must own our anger and take action. Talking about it is a great start. A JUDGE'S ANGER AND HUMANITY I recently viewed a video of a court case in which the single mother of a 15-year-old boy faced eviction by the housing complex where she lived. She stood before the judge and explained that she was two months in arrears with her rent (for the first time in the 4 years there) because her son had lupus, was in and out of the hospital, and almost died during his current stay. She was fired from her job for missing too much work so lost the health insurance that had paid 50% of costs. The hospital demanded past due balance to continue his care. She refused the hospital's offer to finance her debt at 25% interest and instead used all her savings. She had picked up shift work and planned to catch up but was struggling to meet all her financial obligations. The judge then “vented.” He was angry at a country and a healthcare system that forced this mother to choose between her child's life or paying rent. He scolded the employer who could not find common ground to keep this mother gainfully employed. He rebuked the complex for trying to execute an eviction notice in this situation. He had a long list of things that made him angry. In the end, he dismissed the eviction notice and arranged an interview with the court's human resources for open positions requiring her skill set. I wondered how often a judge shows such compassion in our courts. THE POWER OF ANGER Anger when directed positively gives one power. Change is often the result of actions triggered by anger. Droppleman and Thomas studied nurses' anger.1 The causes identified were heavy workloads, long hours, and lack of support from peers, managers, and administration. There was also a component of sexism toward females, who made up the majority in nursing. Nurses felt voiceless and not heard, which led to high turnover and burnout. The researchers cautioned against turning anger inward and resorting to unhealthy coping behaviors. They recommended turning anger into empowerment, citing how great nursing leaders had channeled their anger, viewed anger as protective and helpful, were politically active at local and national levels, and took action. A few recommendations were to give yourself credit for your knowledge and competence, take responsibility for your actions, set goals, address issues and not emotions, affirm and support your peers, and take time to care for self. Another author suggested nurses learn to distinguish between what you can and cannot control, use relaxation and meditation techniques to calm down, and improve your communication skills.2 COVID-19 and post-pandemic redefined the anger nurses still experience. Now is the time to talk and take action. Jamesetta A. Newland, PhD, FNP-BC, FAANP, DPNAP, FAAN Editor-in-Chief [email protected]