Injecting good humor in the work place...getting thru the grind.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Nov 6, 2004

Bringing homemade cookies to work.

shoelace · Nov 9, 2004

I bought a magic fairy wand.. It makes "brrrrrring!" noise when you "flick" it at someone.

Sure helps to lighten the mood when that thing comes out. :-)

Agnus · Nov 9, 2004

Patient asking for pain med. Depending on the patient and situation, I reply,

"Pain!? You want pain?! I'll give you pain."

Natually that is NOT appropriate in all situations with all patients. When I have used it the patient relaxed and laughed. They say they appreciate it.

Pt. goes for a CAT Scan . Or we get into a discussion of medical costs or lots of labs etc. I tell this joke

Guy brings his rabbit to the vet. Vet says, "sorry mister your rabbit is dead."

"Oh, no that can't be so. This is my daughters rabbit she will be just crushed. It just can't be."

Vet goes and gets a labador retirever dog sniffs rabbit. Vet says, "the dog confirms the rabbit is dead."

"no no, " says the guy. So he goes in the back and brings out a cat. The cat walks from the rabbits head to toe sniffing. "Vet says, Nope the cat says the rabbit is dead."

"well what do I owe you doc"

"That will be $350."

"WHAT! $ 350 to tell me my rabbit is dead?"

"Well telling you your rabbit is dead was only $50. The CAT Scan and Lab work was more."

When the back door on someone's hospital gown is open I explain that is how the ICU got its name.

My favorite phrase to co workers. "I get to come back tomorrow and do this all again." In a pollyanna voice of course.

Haunted · Nov 10, 2004

Guy goes to his doc for a check up...

Doc: your in great shape for a 60 year old man Mr Jones! How old was your father when he died?

Mr Jones: Who says he's dead?

Doc: Oh well! Your father is still alive then?

Mr Jones: Alive and well! He is President of a Fortune 500 company, jogs 5 miles a day, surfs and plays amateur tennis tournys every week for charity.

Doc: My! Well, how old was his father when he dies?

Mr Jones: Who say's he's dead?

Doc: Oh! Your grandfather is still alive as well?

Mr Jones: Still alive? I'll say! He golfs 18 holes twice a week, hot air ballons solo cross country every year, pilots his own jet, climbed Mt Kilamanjero for the 20th time 3 months ago, placed 5th in the Boston Marathon and just got married last week to a gorgeous 24 year old Las Vegas showgirl!

Doc: Wow! He must be almost a hundred years old. Why would a man that age want to get married?

Mr Jones: Who say's he wanted to?

hypnotic_nurse · Nov 10, 2004

I smile, even though sometimes I may not feel like it. And I try to give lots of honest compliments -- sometimes I think it may be the only nice thing people hear all day.

And there's always SOMETHING nice you can say -- "that's a great color for you" "love your shoes" "did you cut your hair? looks good" "nice job on that patient" "you really are good at that" and so on and so on.

I try to spread positive energy because there's so much negative energy just waiting to leap in and drag everyone down.

Sometimes my coworkers tease me about being so positive but they REALLY miss me when I'm not there. :)

ERNurse752, RN · Nov 10, 2004

Special brownies.

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 10, 2004

Food works lol. We also tend to joke a lot when it's crazy busy---I guess, to relieve stress and pressure. I work with a great group of people and for the most part, we get along fine.

Mister Chris, MSN, NP · Nov 10, 2004

See in the thread "appreciation" - Swap a mile and Hug cards, along with a lot of genuine happiness, spread by sensitive caring nurses.

Sounds a bit idealistic but can work.

SMILE CARD:

"Swap a smile to give away"

Smile at all you meet today, no charge, no fee, give it away.

It's free, it's fun, it's coll, it's neat, contagiopus feelings none can beat!

The eye's and face do it in style, without a word you've swapped your smile!

HUG CARD:

All hugs must be with permission, given uncommitted, your on a mission.

Unprejudiced, renewable and sweet, a returnable hug is always a treat!

JOKES:

Collected from the net =- various sites.

(Got the mood and ideas from Dr 'Patch' Adams)

Give the web site when I get the correct address.

Cheers.

Mister Chris

allnurses Guide · Nov 12, 2004

When we are cleaning up something particularly smelly, or have just finished tieing down some screaming and out of control frequent flyer: I smile and say, "my dad paid $10,000 for my college so I'd have the privilege of doing this!" :rotfl: