A Content Analysis of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses' Experience of Using Humor

Ji-Min Seo; Hyunjoo Na

doi:10.12934/jkpmhn.2015.24.2.93

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Seo and Na: A Content Analysis of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses' Experience of Using Humor

Original Article

Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing 2015; 24(2): 93-106.

Published online: 30 June 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12934/jkpmhn.2015.24.2.93

A Content Analysis of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses' Experience of Using Humor

Ji-Min Seo¹, Hyunjoo Na²

¹College of Nursing, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.

²Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea.

Corresponding author: Seo, Ji-Min. College of Nursing, Pusan National University, 49 Busandeahak-ro, Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan 626-770, Korea. Tel: +82-51-510-8351, Fax: +82-51-510-8308, seojimin@pusan.ac.kr

Received 23 April 2015 Revised 16 June 2015 Accepted 22 June 2015

(open-access):

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Purpose

The study was conducted to explore experience of using humor among psychiatric-mental health nurses.

Methods

Semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data from 30 nurses working in community mental health centers or psychiatric wards. Data were categorized and coded using content analysis.

Results

The findings confirm that 11 categories, 43 sub-categories, and 104 statements were drawn from 4 domains. The four domains included effectiveness of humor, effective use of humor, ineffective use of humor, and barriers and promotive strategies to the use of humor. Nurses experienced positive and negative effects of humor. Popular fad words, jokes, imitation, and compliments were identified as effective types of humor. Discounting humor and belittling humor were identified as ineffective types of humor. Effective humor was humor that was used after establishing a trust relationship and when the patient's mental status was stable. Barriers to using humor were heavy workload, nurses' careful character, and nurses' concern about patients' responses.

Conclusion

Nurses should assess the nurse-patient relationship and patients' mental status when they plan to use humor. In addition, hiring more nurses and providing education about humor are suggested to improve sense of humor and recognize the effectiveness of humor.

Keywords: Humor, Psychiatric nursing, Mental health

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Effectiveness of Humor in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

^*Multiple responses.

Table 2

Experience of Effective Use of Humor

^*Multiple responses.

Table 3

Experience of Ineffective Use of Humor

^*Multiple responses.

Table 4

Barriers and Promotive Strategies to Use of Humor

^*Multiple responses.

Notes

This work was supported by the Financial Supporting Project of Long-term Overseas Dispatch of PNU's Tenure-track Faculty, 2013.

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