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Humor in the OR: A Stitch in Time?

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Summary

Humor has many benefits for healthcare practitioners and their patients. In the perioperative setting, humor can be used to form relationships, reduce anxiety, manage anger, and facilitate learning. Perioperative nurses can use various techniques and resources to increase their use of humor, even if they are not naturally funny. Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE, is the director of The Humor Lab, La Jolla, CA.

Q&As

What roles does humor play in the perioperative setting?
Humor plays the roles of establishing relationships, relieving anxiety, releasing anger in a socially acceptable way, avoiding or denying painful feelings, and facilitating learning in the perioperative setting.

What techniques and resources can perioperative nurses use to increase their use of humor?
Perioperative nurses can use a variety of techniques and resources to increase their use of humor.

What benefits does humor provide for health care practitioners and their patients?
Humor provides numerous benefits for health care practitioners and their patients, such as relieving stress, improving communication, and increasing morale.

How can humor help establish relationships in the perioperative setting?
Humor can help establish relationships in the perioperative setting by creating a more relaxed atmosphere and allowing for more open communication.

What role does humor play in relieving anxiety and releasing anger?
Humor plays a role in relieving anxiety and releasing anger by providing a socially acceptable way to express emotions.

AI Comments

👍 This article offers a great insight into the multiple benefits of humor in the perioperative setting. It provides practical tips for nurses to increase their use of humor, even if they don't consider themselves to be very humorous.

👎 This article does not provide enough evidence or examples to back up its claims of the multiple benefits of humor in the OR. It also lacks practical advice for nurses on how to use humor in the OR.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about the use of humor in the operating room. It discusses the multiple benefits of humor, such as establishing relationships, relieving anxiety, and facilitating learning.

Friend: That's interesting. What are some of the implications of using humor in the OR?

Me: Well, for one, it could help to reduce stress and anxiety for both the patient and the medical team. Additionally, it can help to create a more relaxed and positive environment, which can lead to better patient outcomes. On the other hand, it's important to remember that humor should be used with caution, as it can lead to negative consequences, such as offending someone or creating an uncomfortable environment.

Action items

Research the benefits of humor in the perioperative setting and develop a plan to incorporate humor into your practice.
Attend a workshop or seminar on the use of humor in the OR.
Develop a list of humorous resources to use in the OR, such as jokes, cartoons, and videos.

Technical terms

AORN Journal: AORN stands for the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. The AORN Journal is a peer-reviewed publication that provides evidence-based information and resources to perioperative nurses.
Perioperative Setting: The perioperative setting is the area in which surgical procedures are performed. It includes the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of care.
Perioperative Nurses: Perioperative nurses are registered nurses who specialize in providing care to patients before, during, and after surgery.
Humor Lab: The Humor Lab is a research and consulting organization founded by Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE. It focuses on the use of humor in healthcare.