Book Reviews

Abstract

McKnight SE. Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing; 2019. Paperback; 296 pages.Nurses are front and center in health care facilities; they maintain the contact with patients, families, and visitors. This position puts nurses at risk for physical and verbal abuse. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses released a position statement in 2019 on preventing violence against health care providers.1 According to this position statement, As with many other situations, COVID-19 has put a spotlight on the gaps in health care systems’ processes to prepare for and prevent violence against health care workers. De-escalating Violence in Healthcare can help nurses understand de-escalation techniques in detail and prepare them for success when facing a potentially harmful situation.This book, which contains 20 chapters, informs readers about therapeutic de-escalation and effective communication. The first chapter provides an overview, and the next few chapters describe variables and risk factors for aggression and how to assess an escalating situation for early intervention. Then the author discusses de-escalation techniques, focusing on therapeutic communication, stress management, conflict resolution, and crisis intervention. Two chapters are dedicated to managing mental health emergencies and performing a detailed mental status assessment. The author highlights how to apply de-escalation techniques for patients with mental disorders; those exhibiting nonsuicidal self-harm behavior, dementia, and delirium; and difficult or angry patients. An entire chapter is dedicated to staying safe during de-escalation. The final chapters describe processes for debriefing, reporting, and documenting; creating and fostering a calm, caring, and healing environment; and bringing it all together to create a comprehensive prevention plan for health care violence.Nurses need to understand the material presented in this book for their own protection. You may feel that your hospital’s method to prevent violence in health care is sufficient or that you are not responsible for developing a violence prevention plan. Even so, this book will strengthen your awareness and knowledge of de-escalation methods on the basis of the latest evidence. In addition, after reading this book, you could contribute ideas to improve the current violence prevention plan at your facility.Love R, Hanrahan N, Ackerman ML, Lawlor FA, Taylor AR, Toner E. Springer Publishing Company; 2020. Paperback; 184 pages.Are you feeling like you are unsure what is next in your career journey? The Rebel Nurse Handbook is a collection of stories by nurses who have stepped outside their comfort zone to progress in their careers. Nurses in many different roles are represented in the book; they come from diverse backgrounds and have different levels of experience, but they all felt the desire and passion to make a change. Nurse clinicians, leaders, and entrepreneurs tell the story of their journey. Each story is brief yet thorough. The final chapter includes resources to help you drive your nursing career and the field of nursing forward. This book will inspire you to impact nursing—both the art and the science.Wright D. Creative Health Care Management; 2022. Paperback; 220 pages.The Ultimate Guide to Competency Assessment in Health Care provides everything you need to create a competency assessment process that is effective, efficient, and meaningful. In this book, the author presents a systematic approach to competency assessment; she moves beyond the technical skills checklist and includes assessment of critical thinking and interpersonal skills. Numerous examples of competency verification methods provide ideas to create competency assessments. The concept of including team accountability in competency assessment is woven throughout the book, making it a must-have for every nurse who manages or creates competency assessments.Rea R, Douglas K. Independently published; 2020. Paperback; 114 pages.Witnessing suffering has been both a privilege and painful for nurses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses have witnessed overwhelming suffering, which has left many of them with unprocessed grief. Nurses Cry Too is not a traditional self-help book. Rea and Douglas have included poetry and imagery in this short book, imparting beauty, a sense of grace, and raw authenticity. Nurses Cry Too is an easy read meant to guide suffering nurses through loss and grief to selfcare.