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Abstract:
1. Laughter has always echoed throughout the halls and rooms of hospitals. The latest jokes and the funniest stories are heard in the OR department; from there come some of the funniest "dumb student" stories; macabre practical jokes; stories and jokes about surgeon/anesthesiologist/nurse relationships; and jokes, cartoons, and get-well cards that reveal patients' greatest anxieties and fears about surgery and the operating room. 2. Humor as an indirect form of communication (verbal or non-verbal) has many sociologic and psychologic purposes. Also, humor enhances learning, and stimulates alertness and creativity. The resulting laughter produces a positive physiologic change in the body. 3. Humor and laughter are healthy therapeutic tools we must value, learn to cultivate, and add to our professional and personal lives. However, there is still a need for more research on how to use humor therapeutically, especially in OR nursing.