WATCH: What can a magician teach a nurse?

“Help, I need somebody,
Help, not just anybody,

Help, you know I need someone, help.”

(The Beatles, Help!, 1965)

As nurses, we know that others need our help—but what about us? Our coworkers? Do we place the same value on our own needs as we do on our patients’ needs? If you’re like most nurses, chances are your answer is no.

GEL, short for Good Experience Live, is a community that explores good experiences in all forms, including health. GEL presented its first multiday conference in 2009 to help nurses like us understand our feelings and how we can take care of ourselves and each other, enriching our lives and our work in the process.

Here are five entertaining, funny, poignant, must-see videos of presentations from GEL 2009.

Videos:

What’s So Funny?

Oh no! The wound looks infected, this patient’s temperature is up, that patient won’t get out of bed, the head nurse is grumpy, the food trays are late—and it’s only one hour into the shift. And what on earth is that clown doing here? What could possibly be funny about a day like today?

Well, if you’re Michael Christensen, cofounder of Clown Care, there’s a good chance that there is something funny in the day, but you might have to learn how to look for it. Check out how Dr. Stubbs and his team bring a smile to what otherwise might be a grim day—and how to keep that feeling of “something is right.”

What’s So Funny?
Je Ne Comprends Pas
Open Mouth, Insert Foot
Help!
The Magic of Empathy

Conquer your patient’s ‘blank stare’ with this next video…