Humor in the Workplace

In all fairness you must have a sense of humor in all aspects of life, however you must consider how your humor may come across to others and if it is appropriate for the situation.  Working in the health care profession there may be a great deal of stress and pressure at times whether this be working in the emergency room or palliative care.  There is a great deal of responsibility that a nurse has when caring for a client and at times this can feel like a burden which weighs one down.

Laughter and smiling have all been considered therapeutic ways to keep one both happy and healthy.  However, some individuals may laugh when they feel uncomfortable or are in a situation that is unfamiliar to them.  As professionals one must be conscious of their mannerisms and how they present themselves.

I have experienced some inappropriate senses of humor as well as humor which has been used to heal and enlighten.  For instance I overheard a staff member asking a resident who was a tube feed whether they would like a snack than proceeded to laugh as the individual walked by.  At times before one speaks I think it is essential that they put themselves in that persons shoes to consider how hurtful and demeaning such statements can be.

At times of grief or despair laughter can be the best medicine.  It can keep one sane and prevent them from feeling as if they are stepping over the edge.  During the passing of a resident I got the privilege of sitting down with the family and conversing about their loved one.  We brought up memories about times when the resident could be mischievous and caused mischief.  The family joked and laughed about happy memories of their passing family member, which I believe helped them through the grieving process.  I also believe this helped the resident to pass more peacefully since they heard their family members rejoicing over her life rather than grieving over her death.

I think that it is essential to take everything with a grain of salt in such a stressful environment but there however it a time and place to do so.  Depending on the situation and the person they may appreciate humor well as others may not.  As a nurse one must consider and critically think about whether such would be appropriate before speaking.