Humour, as a phenomenon, has interested philosophers through the ages and been researched in many disciplines. It is a part of a person’s identity, both social and personal. Social identity arises from the groups one belongs to, such as those defined by sex, age, religion or ethnicity, and personal identity from a person’s own tastes, bodily attributes and so forth. Several authors have recognised these components of identity as influencing one’s humour creation, recognition, understanding, appreciation and use.
Understanding these aspects of humour is important for student nurses, since they will be expected to have and develop the knowledge, skills and attitude to communicate effectively with all members of the general public, who may become service users
Canadian nurse John Dela Cruz joined TikTok during the Covid pandemic, when he saw a video on the platform asking people to post about undervalued professions.
He filmed a short video and went viral overnight.
He now has 3.5 million followers. As nurses strike in New York City and in the UK, he continues to channel humour as he highlights the challenges of the profession.