Humor meant students were free from intimidation and free to learn. It transformed their relationships with their clinical instructors into ones in which they were empow- ered, rather than dominated. (p. 423)
It is evident from these studies that learning and clini-
cal performance can improve by decreasing high anxiety levels. In terms of the Neuman Systems Model, humor can be used as a primary or secondary intervention. Some clinical instructors routinely use humor as part of their teaching style. Humor, in this case, is used as a primary intervention and works to strengthen students’ normal line of defense. on the other hand, a clinical instructor may not wish to use humor as a method of teaching. How- ever, if a student is identified as experiencing high levels of anxiety at any time during a clinical rotation, instruc- tors can chose to initiate humor as a strategy to help the student. Humor then becomes a secondary intervention, strengthens the line of resistance, and promotes the re- constitution process.