Korean J Child Health Nurs.  2006 Jan;12(1):114-121.

A Study of Humor as a Nursing Intervention for Hospitalized Children

• Sim IO
• Han KJ

Abstract

PURPOSE: Humor is an important part of life. Humor has many benefits as an intervention for hospitalized children. Humor is one strategy that pediatric nurses can use to help children cope with illness and hospitalizations. The purposes of the study were to 1) review the definition of humor, 2) identify methods and skills in using humor as an intervention, 3) identify the effects of humor as an intervention, and 4) suggest further research. METHOD: The design was a descriptive study with literature review. Previous studies were identified by searches of MEDLINE, CHNIAL, PUBMED and ProQuest.
RESULTS
Humor has positive physiological, psychological, social and communicative effects on patients and humor has a positive effect on the immune system.
CONCLUSION
The main point identified from this study suggests that humor as a nursing intervention be developed for nurses to use with children who are hospitalized. Further research is needed to develop programs for humor as an intervention for health promotion and disease prevention in children.

MeSH Terms

Child
Child, Hospitalized*
Health Promotion
Hospitalization
Humans
Immune System
Nursing*
Child Health