Resumen

RUIZ GOMEZ, M. Carmen et al. Complementary therapies in the cares: humour and laugh. Index Enferm [online]. 2005, vol.14, n.48-49, pp.37-41. ISSN 1699-5988.

Related to complementary therapies, humour and laugh contribute to enhance health status and diminish illness situations. Humour as a therapy is an inexpensive tool in the patient care and it has not secondary effects in most cases. Current tendencies, either about natural ways to health or believes on health care of popular cultures, and who recommendations to patients in the use of traditional and complementary methods to improve population health, make humour and laugh an alternative therapy as an optional care tool. We have reviewed the literature with the aim of recognize the application of humour therapy on health and more specifically on nurse cares.On the basis of the review we can state that humour is utilized and applied in several professional environments, apart from the health one. This therapy is widely spread in the communication area. We have found few publications on nurse literature although they are high valuable since they work in the fields of research and education. It would be interesting that nurse professionals use this complementary therapy that enhance the quality of cares and offers an independent field favourable for research.