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Rookie Wit & Wisdom
Laughter in the ER


One of my best friends has been an emergency room nurse for several years and loves her career. One night she was trying to start an IV on a man who was hallucinating and experiencing DTs. While she was patting his hand to find a good vein, he looked at her and said, “It’s okay nurse — I see them too!” Needless to say, she hardly could keep from laughing!

Another funny ER story I heard was shared by Jack Canfield (co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul books). He told a story about a young woman who was visiting the United States from England. She had multicolored hair, styled in a freakish way. She was rushed to the ER because of severe abdominal pain. The x-ray revealed a ruptured appendix.

After the consents were signed, the staff rushed her to the operating room. As she was being prepared for surgery, the staff discovered she had dyed her pubic hair green. She also had written in marker slightly above her pubic area, “Please don’t step on the grass.” The surgeon had the final statement: He placed a sticky note on her dressing stating, “Sorry, I had to mow the lawn!”

We have to laugh at the situations we find ourselves in— especially in health care—to find enjoyment in what we do. Not to mention, it helps balance our stress levels.

So look for the humor in the mundane, and enjoy what you do!


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3 Responses to “Laughter in the ER”

  1. April Says:

    I’m a 1st year nursing student and I just wanted to say that I have had a long day at my clinical. That story made me laugh sooooo hard. Thank You! I needed a good laugh after today.

  2. kristinl602 Says:

    It’s good to hear that it’s possible to have fun on the job yet also get things done. We would go insane without some humor every now and then!

  3. abarkus Says:

    The say laughing is the best remedy. It’s always good to enjoy what you do. I start clinicals next semester and I can’t wait to work with patients!

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