Usually, medical professionals get mentally strained and physically tired. Very often, a nurse has to go through such situations which other professionals usually don’t face. So, they adopt this type of humor, that is, nursing humor, which is mostly perceived and praised by such other medical professionals.
A lot of the jokes that nurses find amusing are about interchanges between the nurses and patients or doctors. In many of these jokes the nurse is not presented in a very likable way, where in reality most nurses are very patient, understanding and professional people. Nurses must be stoic in their work but with these jokes they can let their personalities out. To express these jokes allows them to release some pressure and better deal with non-cooperating patients and stressful situations better.
Medical humor often takes the form of defining medical terms in unique ways. For example, a liquid substance known as barium is often required for many radiology tests. On a definition page dedicated to nurse jokes, however, the definition of barium might be defined as the job of an undertaker. Usually, nurses are aware that this version of humor is slightly beyond the normal experience of laypersons, and take care to avoid being too overt with this type medical humor so that no one becomes offended.
Many websites about nursing have forum threads that are focused on nursing humor, or the funny occurrences of the life of a nurse. This is a place to share jokes and stories that are simply too funny to keep to oneself. Often these jokes will be shared also through emails or even through nursing station handouts. There are even a few websites that are dedicated solely to this nursing humor, as well as others that are dedicated to medical humor in general.
Another form of nursing humor is seen in the discussions of recent changes of policy or policy issues. Sometimes this policy is relevant to the nurses at a particular location, while other discussions are of policy issues that are occurring with government sponsored healthcare and insurance companies. The jokes that are most often shared with outsiders, such as friends and family, are those related to the latter case, because they are easier to discuss with those not familiar with the intricacies of any particular healthcare setting.
If you know or are married to a nurse, you have probably heard examples of nursing humor. If you have never encountered this somewhat dry and satirical expression of a nurse’s coping skills, consider visiting one of the many websites that offer examples. For just a moment, imagine that you are a nurse, and try to experience these jokes as they do.
– Bruno Auger