Nursing Humor

Laughter is a transformation of fear. It first started as an easy communication of misinterpreted danger. When the tribe was grabbing the sharpened sticks for the saber tooth tiger in bush, it was the sharp eyed scout who laughed when he saw a fox instead. Everyone soon laughed with him. Phew, tension released. The biological feedback system worked beautifully. Now our culture uses it to relax after hard stress filled days at the office. Look how Cliff reacts to Theo's haircut! Hah! Don't I feel better.

I guess I do similar things in the hospital. I never thought about the weird shit I say.

"Wow, I gotta thank you. I thought I was going to finish cardiac floor education without doing any medication drips. And just in my last few hours I get to do three with you! Whoo!" I smile and chuckle. He smiles a little feebly. Because he is tired, and no matter my enthusiasm, it isn't very funny.

It was rough there for awhile, though. Blood pressure was 60/15. His body instantly covered in sweat and all his color drained from his face. There were four nurses in there taking vital signs every 5 minutes adjusting the heart medications and fluid bolus to get oxygen perfusing around his body. Four of us at his bedside, staring at the monitor.

You should be worried if your nurses aren't telling any jokes.