A recent article published in The Washington Post examines how healthcare workers use humor, often dark, and considers whether or not this has a place in the field.
While patients may not understand or even condone dark humor, the article's author argues that it is an invaluable coping mechanism. The article focuses on nurses, who often spend the most face-to-face time and develop relationships with patients, particularly patients who are very ill or dying. Humor, debatably crass to the outsider's ear, is used as a way to handle tragedy on the job, while still performing quality work.