DiversityNursing Blog

Using humor in Nursing can be a valuable tool for creating a positive patient experience, improving communication, and reducing stress and anxiety among patients and fellow healthcare providers.

Humor can help break down barriers and build trust between patients and Nurses, making it easier to establish rapport and provide compassionate care. It can also help alleviate fear and anxiety, both of which are common among patients receiving care.

According to a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, researchers found that humor "enhances feelings of closeness or togetherness when shared in the context of trust between the patient and Nurse and may be used as a coping mechanism in a stressful situation."

However, it is important to use humor appropriately and respectfully always being sensitive to the patient's needs and cultural background. Humor should never be used at the expense of a patient or in a way that could be perceived as unprofessional or insensitive.

Some ways that Nurses can incorporate humor into their interactions with patients include using lighthearted jokes or anecdotes to help patients feel more relaxed, finding common ground through shared interests or experiences, and using humor to diffuse tense situations or disagreements.

An article from the AMA Journal of Ethics states, "humor and laughter are shown to decrease levels of stress hormones, lower blood pressure, strengthen the immune system, decrease pain, and decrease inflammation. Laughter is an excellent addition to treating almost any condition."

Overall, humor can be a valuable tool in Nursing when used appropriately and in a manner that supports positive patient outcomes.

Nurses often use humor as a coping mechanism to deal with the stress and emotional impacts of their job. Humor can help reduce tension and provide a temporary escape from the demands of the work environment. 

Healthcare workers may use humor to help them deal with difficult patients, challenging coworkers, or stressful situations. Humor can help to create a sense of camaraderie and promote teamwork among staff.

According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Sharon Mawby, MSN, RN, NEA-BC can attest to the power of humor. As the Vice President of Patient Care Services and CNO at Emory Decatur, she knows well how fast-paced and stressful the Nursing work environment can be. "As a result, Nurses, who are often at the very center of care with patients and families, can become overwhelmed and burned out," she says.

"We know that laughter relieves stress, so when Nurses take the time to share stories and laughter with their colleagues they build a sense of community within their teams. After all, Nursing is a team effort. As a CNO, when I round on units and hear laughter between the staff, I know that they are having a good day."

It is important to note, humor should never be used to mock or belittle patients or coworkers, and shouldn't be used as a way to cope with the emotional toll of traumatic events. In these situations, it is essential for Nurses to seek support from colleagues, loved ones or mental health professionals.

Using humor can be helpful for Nurses, as long as it's practiced in a way that doesn't compromise patient care or professional standards.

Occasionally I receive Ron’s eNewsletter and I always find them thoughtful, humorous and to-the-point. In this one, he offers examples of the importance of using humor while under stress, most of them in medical situations. I hope you find them clever and humorous too! 

I wish my brain consistently delivered me a funny and snappy comment like the people in this newsletter or my neighbor, Kay, who is always so witty and sharp at 86 years old! She is delightful to be around. How about you? Are you quick-witted and find the humor in most situations? Perhaps you have an example you’d like to share?

Written by Ron Culberson

For instance, a few years ago, while going through airport security, I was trying to remove my watch. I had recently changed the band and was having trouble unhooking it. As I attempted to take it off, the watch slipped out of my hand. I grabbed for it and accidentally smacked it twenty feet across the floor. Nervously, I turned to the TSA agent and said, “Time flies, doesn’t it?”

He laughed. I retrieved my watch. And I made my flight without incident.

Dropping your watch is not a huge problem. I understand that. But when we can find humor during life’s more challenging experiences, the situations feel a bit less challenging. So, I thought I’d share some of my favorite examples from family, friends, and colleagues who used humor to cope with their particular predicaments.

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Recently, I spoke for the US District Court clerks in western North Carolina. The Clerk of the Court, Frank Johns, shared that he was diagnosed with an unusual type of intestinal cancer in 1999. His daily treatments consisted of two chemotherapy injections administered in each side of his, well, back side. Luckily, Frank is married to a nurse so she could administer the injections.

On some days, Frank noticed that the injections didn’t hurt at all while on other days, they hurt a lot. So one day, when he didn’t feel any discomfort from the shots, he asked his wife to mark the spots on each cheek with a Sharpie. A couple of days later, he went to a tattoo parlor and had two permanent bullseyes placed where the spots were. Oh, and by the way, Frank is an avid gun enthusiast so the bullseyes were appropriate on a many levels.

In Frank’s case, humor definitely hit the spot! And it made a challenging situation better. Today, Frank’s cancer is in remission.

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Early in my career, I spoke at a local support group for people living with serious illnesses. I asked the participants how they used humor to cope with their health challenges. One man said that when he went to see his doctor for a checkup, he placed a Beanie Baby crab under his hospital gown. When the doctor lifted the gown to examine him, he said, “Sorry, I’ve got crabs.”

The doctor burst out laughing.

When you’re dealing with a serious illness, edgy humor can be one of the greatest reliefs for the tension. It’s like fighting fire with fire. In this case the patent’s reference to an STD lead to ROTFL.

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A colleague was telling me that when her father died, she went to the funeral home to purchase an urn for his ashes. However, she felt that the urns on display were too serious and that they didn’t fit her father’s fun personality. She felt that they were just too “urn-est.” Haha.

So, she solved the problem by burying her father’s ashes in a beer growler! He had always loved beer and she felt this represented his life much better than a more somber container. I guess you could say one bad urn deserved another (sorry).

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My friend Theo Androus's dad was quite a gregarious guy. Once, Theo told him that his haircut looked awful. His dad said, “Son, the only difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut is two weeks.”

As Theo’s dad got older, he began to have physical problems due to diabetes. On one evaluation visit, his doctor told him that he would probably need to have his leg amputated at some point in the near future. 

Theo’s dad asked, “When you cut off my leg, can I have it back?”

The doctor responded, “Why?"

His dad said, “Because I want to bury it under a tombstone that says, ‘The rest is yet to come.’”

Theo’s dad was the epitome of using sharp wit to battle serious life challenges. He was definitely a cut above the rest.

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My friend Michael Aronin was born with cerebral palsy. All his life, he has dealt with people who are uncomfortable with his speech and his unsteady gait. But, as a comedian, he has always responded to this discomfort with humor.

Once, when Michael was nine, he was in a department store with his mother. He tripped and fell. A sales person came over to help his mother pick him up. As they were lifting him to his feet, he said, “I shouldn’t have had that second beer.”

Michael has a brilliant way of straightening out the uneven road in his life.

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A couple of weeks before my father died, and when it seemed pretty clear that he would not get better, a few friends and family came to visit him in the hospital. My dad was a private person who didn’t like to talk about himself or the seriousness of his situation.

One day, our pastor and my dad’s friend Neal were in the room. The pastor asked, “Is there anything you want to tell anyone?”

In his typical witty way, my father said, “Well, Neal owes me five dollars.”

We all laughed and my dad successfully avoided one more serious conversation.

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Sometimes it may feel like nothing is funny. Other times, humor is the only way we can get through the day. A touch of humor can be just the balance we need so that we don't get knocked off our feet by life’s challenges.

So, laugh a little. It’s good for what ails you.