Developed collaboratively by a doctor and nurse team, this is the first text to deal specifically with nursing difficult patients. Whether patient problems stem from mental distress and ill health, historic substance abuse, demanding family members or abusive behaviour, difficult patients place extra demands on nurses both professionally and personally. Caring for difficult patients requires both technical and interpersonal skills along with an ability to exercise power and set limits. This text presents invaluable practical recommendations and advice, well founded in experience and supported by relevant literature, for nurses coping with challenging, real world situations. Covering pertinent issues such as psychiatric diagnoses, setting limits and establishing authority, death and dying, stress and work, the text includes, learning points, further reading, case studies and dialogue examples to highlight good (and bad) practice. Ideal for pre- and post-registration nurses, this reference provides concrete direction on the management of difficult patients.