The use of humour by caregivers: Is there a link with the confrontation with death?

The place of humour has been studied extensively in the caregiver patient relationship; however, we did not find studies on the place of humour in the relationship between caregivers. Our study focused on the frequency and type of humour, measured from a French version of the Humour Style Questionnaire, based on the department and professions. We also tried to answer the following question: does one's choice to work in and be trained in palliative care influence humour? We interviewed three categories of professionals (nurses, carers and hospital service agents) and compared three places of practice: palliative care units, surgical services and residential facilities for dependent elderly people. Our sample included a total of 342 caregivers. We did not find any significant relationship between the type of humour and the workplace, professions or service selection. However, our survey shows a link between the presence of humour and the workplace (less common in nursing homes) and occupation (more common among nurses than among hospital service agents). The type of humour also differs according to the profession and training in palliative care (more social-affiliative humour in people trained in palliative care). (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.