"small talk" /jokes in ED

[yitzha]

Hey Guys,

I thought it would be helpful for us all, to start a thread on the "small talk" /jokes that could be used in the ED in order to relax the patient

for example: when asking the patient do you take any drugs?
on could add: "you know you can't be the president if you don't take any drugs.."

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[Arcan57]

Unlike the ominous/reassuring signs, humor is something that is very provider dependent. The same line that is reassuring coming from the one provider generates letters of complaint coming from someone else. When asking about allergies, I'll usually add on "We can avoid that" especially if its something that has no conceivable application to the chief complaint. It gets a laugh a lot more frequently than I would expect. If it doesn't, at least the patient knows I was listening to them.

 

[kungfufishing]

I tend to stick to racial or locker room humor, helps keep me from getting tied down to any one place or job.

 

[odieoh]

Hey Guys,

I thought it would be helpful for us all, to start a thread on the "small talk" /jokes that could be used in the ED in order to relax the patient

for example: when asking the patient do you take any drugs?
on could add: "you know you can't be the president if you don't take any drugs.."

Eh, bringing up political stuff my relax some patients, it also may severely agitate others.

 

[dmitrinyr]

Not only are most jokes dependent on who is telling the joke, they are also very dependent on who you're telling it to. A joke might be hilarious to a 25 year old male and might be completely offending to a 65 year old female. Just use your best judgement. Often I try not to make any jokes unless the patient makes jokes first and then I can feel out what will be OK with THAT particular patient. Many jokes, might make you look unprofessional and childish and so, I'd use caution with any jokes... this includes parents of child patients and family members of older patients.

 

[Rendar5]

I was sarcastically joking with a patient about making her stay in the hopsital until morning to discharge. Went well. an hour later, it fell completely flat, especially with the dad now there giving a disapproving look (this was a girl in her mid-20's, not a peds case)

 

[Daiphon]

Most patients, when you ask "how are you doing today?" will respond with a "fine" or "good" or something along those lines...

Which then begs the response, "then why are you here?" Delivered with a smile, it'll work most of the time... but you have to know your audience and have a good "pre-test probability" that they are not humor deficient.

d=)

 

[Kubed]

...but you have to know your audience and have a good "pre-test probability" that they are not humor deficient.

d=)

A Douglas Adams quote in the signature is always a good prognostic sign when doing your pre-test

 

[Daiphon]

A Douglas Adams quote in the signature is always a good prognostic sign when doing your pre-test

how true. d=)