Effect of an Anger Management Program on Mental Health of Nurses Working in an Emergency Department

Abstract

Emergency nurses are exposed to workplace violence and mental health disorders. The present study investigated the effect of empowerment regarding anger management on emergency nurses' mental health. This intervention study was conducted in the emergency department of Sirjan Hospital, Iran, in 2020. Sixty emergency nurses who met inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either a control or intervention group. Participants in the intervention group participated in an anger management program which was held in eight sessions within one month. Participants' mental health was assessed before the intervention and one month after completion of treatment using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS v21. The two groups did not differ on the demographic variables. The mean mental health scores among nurses in the control and intervention groups before the study were 7.11 and 6.92 in the control and intervention groups, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.718). The mean mental health scores among nurses in the control and intervention groups one month after the study were 7.01 and 6.01, respectively. Based on the independent t-test, this difference was statistically significant between the two groups (p=0.024). Educating and empowering emergency nurses regarding anger management can help improve their mental status. Considering the importance of this issue, nursing managers and educators should take the necessary efforts to incorporate anger management training for emergency nurses.