Patty Wooten presents ...

Patty Wooten:
Vera, tell us about the beginning of your interest in humor.

Vera Robinson:
I was a professor of nursing at the University of Northern Colorado in 1965. Nursing educators were looking at introducing mental health concepts into the curriculum, looking at patients' feelings as well as physical problems. A group of twenty-four professors of nursing had received a grant from National Institutes for Mental Health. We were to develop the concept of mental health as it could be applied to nursing. This was the origination of psychosocial nursing. We looked at the impact of positive and negative behaviors and their influences upon coping. As a psychiatric nurse, I had always recognized that humor was something that all people, both the patients and the staff, used to cope with illness, stress, embarrassments and anxiety. Other disciplines published theory and research, but I discovered that nobody had really applied it to nursing or the nursing process. I designed my research to explore why humor was used and the nature of its occurrence in the practice of nursing.

From there I went on to get my doctorate in education. I began at University of Denver but they wouldn't approve my dissertation research on humor, so I continued at Northern Colorado University. There I could create my own program within an interdisciplinary focus that included advisors from anthropology, sociology, psychology and English departments, as well as two deans of nursing. After three years of field observation and collection of anecdotal evidence, I was able to describe the functions of humor in health care. I described what humorous interactions occur and why. My goal was to provide theory and background about humor and how it functions in the health care setting with suggestions for integrating it into our nursing interventions, communications, and teachings. My dissertation research became the focus of my book, Humor and the Health Professions, first published in 1978.

PW: You were a pioneer in the research of humor and nursing. Was that difficult?

VR: Oh yes, while much research had been published about humor in other disciplines, my nursing colleagues were very critical of my work. I remember when we were writing up our research as part of the grant requirements, I described a humorous incident when a nursing student was attempting to define "empathy" for her instructor and said, "Empathy is when you put yourself in bed with the patient." The humor of that innocent faux pas was obvious to me, but my fellow nursing researchers insisted that I eliminate it because it wasn't "professional" to admit to a sexual innuendo.

PW: Say something about the difficulties of researching humor.

VR: Humor is a phenomenological, emotional process. It's not physical. We can measure changes occurring with laughter, but you can't measure the effect of humor because it's part of the whole caring process, affecting the body, mind and the spirit. You can't isolate it and study it alone. Even Norman Cousins talked about humor's relationship to all the other positive emotions. It's difficult to measure this kind of emotion because it's not physical. All you can do is provide a link. The physiological studies measure what happens in the body when we laugh, then we transpose this laboratory data to surmise what may be happening to the patient in the clinical setting.

PW: You are now retired from your position as chairman of nursing at California State College at Fullerton. Are you still involved in the application of humor and nursing?

VR: I am now working at Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital in Denver within the Department of Women and Children's Health. They have a healing arts network, which offers patients a choice of alternative therapies such as humor, massage, therapeutic touch, music therapy and art therapy. This program is funded by the Department of Energy.

PW: Did I hear you right? The Department of Energy?

VR: Not the same one you're thinking of, but it's an appropriate title for a special department that pays staff nurses with special training to offer these alternative (energy) services. We have a humor cart with resources available for patients and families including: funny books (Bombeck, Cosby, Lynn Johnson); books about the importance of humor and health such as my book and Allen Klein's; other diversions such as small toys, magnetic checkers or small pacifiers with a candy tip for adults to suck on. We have a selection of funny videos (I Love Lucy, Uncle Buck) and teaching videos, because many times we will begin the encounter with a humorous diversion and the conversation then opens into a discussion or request for more information. Last week a physician wrote an order for humor therapy.

PW: What needs to be done next?

VR: Nursing schools should include theory and guidelines for using humor with patients, so new graduates will be able to use it appropriately. Before staff will be able to use humor with patients, they must first recognize the value of humor and accept their own laughter and comedy. Then they can transfer this humorous attitude to their work with patients.

PW: Many nurses believe that they don't have enough time for another patient care activity.

VR: Humorous exchange can be integrated into the patient care we're already doing, as a part of the communication.

PW: What are your impressions of the Journal of Nursing Jocularity?

VR: I think it's tremendous that we finally have a journal devoted to the humorous aspects of nursing. It has really evolved into a resource for nurses and other professionals, too. JNJ not only gives them the humor, but also the theory as well as practical resources and guidelines to help nurses incorporate this skill into their practice. The Journal of Nursing Jocularity provides an important service to nursing.

PW: We've come a long way since 1965 when you had to demonstrate the validity of research in humor and nursing. Now we have evolved to the point where the Journal of Nursing Jocularity is listed in CINAHL and physicians are writing orders for humor therapy. Vera, your courageous spirit has been an inspiration for nurses around the world and your hard work has provided a foundation for the rest of us to build upon.

This article was originally published in "Jest for the Health of It", a regular feature in the Journal of Nursing Jocularity.

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