Without question, the most famous quote from A Few Good Men came from the dialogue between Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise in the court room. Well, here’s a similar conversation, but this time, in an ER:

ER nurse: You want answers?

Intern: I think I’m entitled to them.

ER nurse: You want answers?

Intern: I want the truth!

ER nurse: You want the truth?! You can’t handle the truth! Son, we work in an overcrowded ER that has patients in the halls. And those halls have to be cleared to make room for more sick people. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Mr. Brand New Intern? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for weekly hour requirements and you curse the Policy. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that the speed with which patients are admitted, while inconvenient for you, probably saves lives.

And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives…You don’t want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don’t talk about in the resident’s lounge, you want me in this ER. You need me in this ER.

We use words like rapid response, code, DNR/DNI, triage… we use these words as the backbone to a night spent defending something. You use ‘em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to an intern who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very security I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I’d rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a syringe and draw that stat blood yourself. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you’re entitled to!

Intern: Did you cancel the code blue?

ER nurse: (quietly) I did the job the patient needed me to do.

Intern: Did you cancel the code blue?

ER nurse: You’re damn right I did!!

Dude… not how I’d want to be remembered…

I was looking up “hemoccult stool” in Google Images for my next blog post, and this guy was on page 2.

Sure… call me strange… but when I was perusing the latest issue of ACP Hospitalist, I came across a photo from a recent IDSA Conference.

IDSA (Infectious Disease Society of America), of course, is a well-respected organization of healthcare professionals devoted to patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases.

Well, I wondered as I looked at the audience in this photo…

What’s up with all of the baldness and receding hairlines in the ID crowd?

(Not that there’s anything wrong with that…)

PS – I blurred out the faces because nothing screams “LAWSUIT!” more than bunch of angry, bald doctors.

Science humor and infectious disease jokes… for some of these you’ll just groan. For others, if you laugh at them, you are never permitted to refer to anyone else as a “geek” or a “nerd” again. And if you like this video, you’ll love GiggleMed’s new book, “Bugs on Scrubs” – a great holiday gift for geeks like you – especially if they work in healthcare.

Not nearly as corny as some of the jokes above… Bugs on Scrubs is the new medical humor book about a knock-down, drag-out, open-up-a-can argument between a nurse and a doctor… It’s a great gift idea and it’s only 10 bucks. Get it now. Just click on this book:

Infection control humor for education?…

Evidence-based medicine cartoon books?…

What next? Agreement on healthcare reform?!

Look… the educational materials in the healthcare professions can be pretty dry, downright boring, and ultimately, awesome dust magnets. So, we’re trying to change things a little bit (and not without some controversy).

We’re releasing a new book today – a funny, witty, medical humor book with evidence-based advice on infection control practices. This isn’t some cute little healthcare limerick you post up at staff meeting… or some cheesy nursing clip art for bulletin boards that no one looks at…

No. This is Bugs on Scrubs, a hilarious argument between a nurse and a doctor about who is spreading infection – and an interesting, all-too-familiar twist at the end. We’re releasing it today at the pre-ISBN, pre-real-publication price of only 10 bucks.

Medical humor and medical education have a love child, Bugs on Scrubs, and it’s only 10 clams.

This thing is awesome for staff orientation, infection control initiatives, and getting those picky Joint Commissioners off your organization’s back. Oh yeah… and the holidays too. This book makes a great gift for nurses, doctors, hospital administrators, techs, therapists, and that dude that always wipes his nose right before he tries to shake your hand. Check it out.

Medical humor, jokes, chart farts, hospital bloopers, funny Facebook videos, and a boatload of funnies are yours on Facebook… just friend GiggleMed.

I’ve started to use Facebook a little more lately because it is easier to post longer jokes and funny stories there than on Twitter – and shorter stories and jokes than here, on this blog. Most of the time, I’ll put stuff on both, but sometimes the best medical humor spews forth when I’m commenting on someone else’s wall or Facebook post.

Don’t miss it. Send me a friend request.

Just click –> Make Me Laugh on Facebook

Funny stuff from GiggleMed’s medical comics series – Doctors of Destiny.

We all know some people who begin to look like their pets, or couples who begin to look like each other as they get older. Well, we’ve posed the question, “What if doctors began to resemble their very own area of expertise.”

Check out those tufts of hair… and that RCA on his nose. Man… I just wanna stent that thing… don’t you.

Here’s a link to the other Doctors of Destiny Comics up to this point… More funny medical comics coming your way.

I received an email from a fellow GiggleMed doc saying “You won’t believe it! I just passed a sign situated right in front of a cemetery that says ‘Nursing Home Ahead’”. I promptly emailed him back saying, “Please tell me you got a picture. Please.”

Well, his wife didn’t like it too much, but he took some time away from his family vacation in Massachusetts to go back and take this picture. It’s real… no PhotoShop… no nothin’.

It’s proof that if you graduate last in your marketing class, you can still get a job.

Check out the “From the Call Bell” magnet at the GiggleMed medical humor gift store.