I left work angry nearly every day this week. Angry and thankful. In doing so, I recognize my full passion is returning – something I have missed for a while now.
I was and continue to be angered over the amount of injustice to millions of people within the United States and more specifically to the hundreds of people in my own community. I see the direct disparities in care and poor outcomes throughout the continuum of care from prevention through survivorship daily. I found myself thinking, “It shouldn’t be this way,” and, “There has to be a better way,” many times this week.
After I vented my anger – mostly internally – I was thankful as I realized my many colleagues who share the same passion, and they are working to correct the injustices we see daily.
They are the advocates making the invisible visible, bringing the concealed into full view, amplifying the voices once falling on deaf ears, closing the gaps in care, and narrowing the disparities for the vulnerable.
We all have something – maybe an anger – burning within us, driving us, spurring us to make a difference. Maybe yours needs rejuvenation. Mine did. I was unaware that my passion had decreased so much until I felt it rise within me again.
I am angry. And thankfully so.
Beth Boynton, RN, MS
March 8, 2012 11:42 amHey, thanks for your post and honesty about your angry feelings. I get really angry in my per diem job at times, mostly b/c we are always or almost always operating w/ less staff than we need to provide care safely and with compassion for our patients, their families, our colleagues and ourselves. In some places, nursing and nursing support staff are being squeezed and squeezed and squeezed.
I can’t say that I am grateful for my anger and frustration. Although in reading your post, I do feel grateful that I am aware of it and not blaming myself for being too slow or an inadequate nurse. I am working to accept the conditions and not struggle so much while working on my blog, workshops, and other projects that I believe contribute to positive change.
Meanwhile, I have so much respect for the nurses and LNA’s I work with. So many who are working so hard and with such care.
In any case, I totally agree that it shouldn’t be this way and there has to be a better way!! And you know, maybe being angry IS a good thing!
Thanks a lot,
Beth
P.S. A doc friend and I recently blogged about making “Patient Care C0me First” as part of National Patient Safety Week. Here’s a link:
http://www.confidentvoices.com/2012/03/01/nurse-physician-virtual-summit-calls-for-stat-move-to-benefit-patient-safety/
I’m not sure if this is part of your frustration or not.
Nursetopia
March 9, 2012 7:45 pmThanks, Beth! I’ve been thinking about this post this week, and I keep hearing my undergrad psych teacher saying, “Anger is a secondary emotion.” (Weird how we can remember certain lectures and key points so vividly, huh?) I’m trying to introspect and learn what the “primary” emotion causing the anger. Injustice maybe? Glad to know I’m not the only one. 🙂