Humor Units, Humor carts

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Our hospital has started a Merth (humor) unit, and our unit (Oncology) is going to be starting a Humor cart. I am trying to find out if any other nurses have had any experience or involvement in this, and what kind of activities do you do on the humor unit? What are your experiences, thoughts? Also, I need ideas to bring to my supervisor as to what to put in the humor cart, and how to decorate it. Thanks.

Specializes in Interventional Pain Mgmt NP; Prior ICU and L/D RN.

I have no experience with this type of thing, but I think it is a wonderful idea!! Humor helps a lot of people. I watched a TLC program on it one time. This person did it on a PED's floor though and had all kinds of gimmiks and "stuff" with him. A toy parrot that would talk, bubbles, funny noses, those funny classes...etc..

Have u tried a search on the net...maybe go to a joke store of some kind....I don't know.

Anyway, wanted to say it is a GREAT IDEA!!

Good luck:)

eltrip

691 Posts

Specializes in Clinical Risk Management.

Have you checked with the Gesundheit Institute? Patch Adams, MD, works with this institute. The website is: http://www.patchadams.org/home.htm

PJRNC2

47 Posts

What a Wonderful project to start! Please let us know the benifits in a couple months.

kittylover

10 Posts

Thanks Eltrip for the idea to check the Patch Adams site, I hadn't thought of that. Yes, I will let you know PJRNc2 after we get this project started, how it goes over.

Home Health Columnist / Guide

NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN

10 Articles; 18,299 Posts

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor

http://www.aath.org/

Jest for the Health of It!" by Patty Wooten

RN Clown and humorist has tons of articles about therapeutic use of humor in medicine and info re Hospital Clowns.

http://www.jesthealth.com/

Creating a Comedy Cart

http://www.jesthealth.com/art04jnj.html

Humor links found at BROWNson's Nursing Notes

(one of my bookmarked sites has thousands of links )

http://members.tripod.com/~DianneBrownson/humor.html

Using art in healing:

Arts and Healing Network: Hospitals/Care Facilities: Community ...

http://www.artheals.org/community/hosp/hosp.html

RESUSCITATION STATION

http://www.humorx.com/products.htm#12

Check out our own efiebke (Ted's) website

http://www.toolivenurse.com

Include at least one of his musical CD's

Good luck and let us know how it turn's out! :kiss

ktwlpn, LPN

3,844 Posts

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

Awesome! Lwt us know how you progress...I have no advice because I am not permitted to have too much fun where I work now .My DON and one of the ADONs had funnybonectomies and they think that laughing and joking is "unprofessional"

jnette, ASN, EMT-I

4,388 Posts

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
Originally posted by ktwlpn

Awesome! Lwt us know how you progress...I have no advice because I am not permitted to have too much fun where I work now .My DON and one of the ADONs had funnybonectomies and they think that laughing and joking is "unprofessional"

Wow, ktwlpn ...:o And you still WORK there? How can you STAND it? No way.

Nrskaren, you are a virtual LIBRARY of info !!! Kool. :cool:

Audreyfay

754 Posts

Specializes in Everything but psych!.

I saw a lecture done by Patty Wooten, RN. It was great! If you ever get a chance to see her at a program, jump for it! Also, her book is excellent! So much to share!

kittylover

10 Posts

Thanks for all the links NRSKaren! I've found some good ideas.

I have not heard of Patty Wooten, does she have a web site AudreyFay?

Home Health Columnist / Guide

NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN

10 Articles; 18,299 Posts

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Patty Wooten's website;

http://www.jesthealth.com/

Originally posted by jnette

Wow, ktwlpn ...:o And you still WORK there? How can you STAND it? No way.

Nrskaren, you are a virtual LIBRARY of info !!! Kool. :cool:

Yes, I have one like that too. Miserable soul. Little does she know how we laugh at her. My DON is wonderful and people will scoop dookey out of the hopper and juggle it if she asks them; the Psyche director is another story....funny how, when people like someone, they will do just about anything and smile, but when they dont like you, even the simplest task is done with resentment......Oh, how I wish the management would remember that!!!!

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