School of Nursing - UT Health Science Center San Antonio

Fall 2008

NURE 3105-001 Laughter is the Best Medicine

This course resides in the Department of Acute Nursing Care

Additional Materials will be provided on the first day of class Thursday August 28th, 2008.

FACULTY
Cheryl Ross Staats, MSN, RN, GCNS, BC
E-mail: staats@uthscsa.edu
Phone: (210) 567-5826
Office:  2. 670
Office Hours: TBA
Department of Acute Nursing Care		  

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course focuses on the integration of humor and laughter into interdisciplinary partnerships with patients and families.  Physiological and psychological effects of humor and their impacts on healing and health are explored.  Stress and coping processes associated with humor are customized with professional practices and therapies. Impacts of cultural similarities and differences in humor are discussed within the context of the professional role in providing healthcare to patients and families.

CREDIT AND TIME ALLOCATION
1 credit didactic

PREREQUISITES
Nursing: Admission to Flexible Process or completion of first semester Generic Process.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
  1. Understand the benefits of humor and laughter on the physiology and psychology of patients/selves based on reading and discussion of published research.
  2. Recognize the benefits of the therapeutic use of humor in patient/family interactions.
  3. Develop/improve personal sense of humor through use of techniques to enhance coping skills and stress reduction.

CLINICAL OBJECTIVES

N/A

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION / GRADES

Attendance:  No more than three absences to receive a passing grade.

Grading of course:  Pass/Fail, based upon attendance and completion of assignments.

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY
Students are expected to be above reproach in all scholastic activities. Students who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and dismissal from the university. "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." Regents Rules and Regulations, Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22.

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodations
Any student seeking ADA Accommodations under the American with Disabilities Act should contact the Associate Dean for Students within the first week of the semester so that appropriate accommodations may be arranged. A Request for Accommodations (Form 100) must be completed. These forms are available in the Office for Students Room: 1.118-16

REQUIRED TEXT / REFERENCE
TBA

RECOMMENDED (OPTIONAL) TEXT / REFERENCE
N/A

CONTENT OUTLINE
  1. Humor Quotient; historical perspectives on humor
  2. Humor is Different Things to Different People:  Humor and clowning across societies
  3. Physiological effects of humor – physical, mental, emotional/spiritual
  4. Effects of Humor on healing and the immune system
  5. Effects of stress (from our jobs) on our health; Humor as a Coping mechanism
  6. How to develop a sense of humor
  7. Humor programs/clowning; lab: creating a funny face
  8. Utilizing Humor in Patient Care
  9. Gallows humor; inappropriate humor
  10. Humor and Disability
  11. Humor in Crises/tragedy and with death/dying/hospice
  12. Age related humor
  13. What is So Funny?  Analyses of video clips

CALENDAR - First Week Only
Please check the Fall 2008 Schedules for recent updates on Class Dates & Room.
Date Topic / Assignment Due

Thursday, August 28,2008

4:00PM - 5:00PM

Handouts will be provided the first day of class with suggested readings and optional texts. Check with Ms. Staats for Room # location.