This cartoon is an example of
a humorous exchange between a patient and a healthcare worker. Whether the patient was
pretending to be serious or really was serious, the idea of breakfast with a
cocktail and dessert is just funny for many people. While funny stories are not
uncommon in the healthcare field, healthcare workers would probably have many
more humorous stories to tell if they initiated more humor themselves.
Research on healthcare humor reports
that humorous exchanges with patients are important and should be encouraged.
With four patient focus groups participating in interviews, Lancaster
University UK researchers explored patients’ perspectives on humor. Conclusions
indicated that there is a gap between what patients want in healthcare humor
and what they receive. Why is this? Initiating humor involves a risk factor
that many healthcare workers may be reluctant to take.
Here are three healthcare
jokes for starters:
Patient: "Nurse, I just
swallowed my pillow!"
Nurse: "How do you
feel?"
Patient: "A little down
in the mouth"
Nurse in Kentucky to Patient:
“How did you like your breakfast this morning?’
Patient: “I really enjoyed
it, except for the Kentucky jelly. I‘m not used to the taste.”
Nurse: That’s interesting. Let
me see it.
Patient: The man showed her a
foil packet labeled “KY Jelly.”
A man
walks into a doctor's office. He has a cucumber up his nose, a carrot in his
left ear, and a banana in his right ear.
"What's the matter with me?"
he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, "You're not eating properly."
Do you know any jokes or stories about
healthcare workers and patients that you can share? (Surely, you can do better! lol)
Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A
Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes
is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at
booksellers such as
Amazon and Barnes and Noble .
Creating humorous situations in a normally stressful situation could be beneficial for all parties involved in certain circumstances. These types of interactions could be the best thing for people suffering or recovering from an illness or surgery, and may also help relieve some of the everyday stress that medical staffs face. Laughter is indeed the best medicine, with research showing there are health benefits to laughing that include improved blood flow, increased immune response and lower blood sugar levels. Laughter also burns calories and aids in relaxation and sleep.
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