Stress Fractures: Using Humor to Alleviate Nursing Stress

As part of the admissions procedure in the hospital where I once worked, I asked patients if they were allergic to anything. If they were, I would print it on an allergy band placed on the patient’s wrist.

Once, when I asked an elderly woman if she had any allergies, she told me that bananas made her lips swell.

Imagine my surprise when, several hours later, the woman’s irate son stormed up to the nurses’ station and demanded to know, “Who is responsible for labeling my mother ‘bananas’?” (more…)