I have a question about humor etiquette

[gentlemother]

Hi all! This is my 1st real post besides my intro.

So, I have a question.

I am in nursing school now and have a bit more to go.

I have a wicked twisted sense of humor.

I am really really worried about laughing at the wrong time when dealing with a patient.

It is like, my biggest fear! I know if I do it I will feel SO bad (even though my sense of humor is warped, I *do* have feelings, LOL).

So, is this a common concern? Does this happen much?

Yikes!

Thanks!

[pediatriclpn]

I was just recently a patient in the hospital for a week. And boy do I wish some of the nurses I had had my warped sense of humor. Even my PT who was very sexy didn't have it. He got me up to walk me 4 days after my spinal fusion (I was walked before that), but they had just removed my dressing and drain, and everyone was mentioning how well it all looked, well of course in a gorgeous hospital gown with my *** sticking out, I asked the PT what looked so good the incision or my butt. He didn't take my joke so well, but I enjoyed it :chuckle

So enjoy your warped sense of humor, I have found out over the years the only way to make it in the health care field with burning out, or ending up on the psych unit is to have a warped sense of humor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tencat]

I never felt more at home than when I worked as an EMT and found out that people actually would laugh at my sick and wrong jokes! Before I tried a medical field, I just got funny looks from everyone. Jr. High teachers have a fairly sick sense of humor, but not quite up to the caliber of EMT/ER people.

[franlondon]

Your question has been asked before, and a whole discipline has grown around it.

Here's a great resource: The Amercian Association for Therapeutic Humor (AATH). They even have a reading list published on their site:

http://www.aath.org/readlist_1.html#Heading5

The key is awareness. Pay attention to the patient's response, and adjust your behavior appropriately. Humor can be VERY therapeutic, when used correctly.

- Fran London, MS, RN

former editor of the Journal of Nursing Jocularity

Hi all! This is my 1st real post besides my intro.

So, I have a question.

I am in nursing school now and have a bit more to go.

I have a wicked twisted sense of humor.

I am really really worried about laughing at the wrong time when dealing with a patient.

It is like, my biggest fear! I know if I do it I will feel SO bad (even though my sense of humor is warped, I *do* have feelings, LOL).

So, is this a common concern? Does this happen much?

Yikes!

Thanks!