Date of Award

8-11-2021

Document Type

Restricted Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Nursing (MAN)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Joyce P. Miller, DNP, RN

Second Advisor

Kris McHale, DNP, RN

Third Advisor

Emily Machones, MSN, RN, CPN, CCRN

Abstract

Laughter Yoga is a relatively new health intervention that combines humorous elements and creates a variety of physical and mental health benefits. Laughter Yoga decreases stress and anxiety, improves cognition, and improves quality of life. Laughter Yoga has a minimal time commitment, no financial commitments, and requires no physical movements making it available to a wide variety of participants. Energy fields, openness, and resonance are the key concepts of Martha Rogers’ nursing theory that provided the foundation and guided the creation of a community based Laughter Yoga class. Laughter Yoga can be used in a wide variety of settings including wellness centers, hospitals, colleges, workplaces, senior living facilities, and more. A community based Laughter Yoga class was created in a Midwestern city with a tentative start date of late spring 2022. After initiating a personal Laughter Yoga practice, careful consideration was given to the ideal class setting, which was determined to rotate between two easily accessible and local parks. The transcultural nursing concepts of communication, space and time are important to the development of the Laughter Yoga classes. The next steps are the actual class implementation in the spring of 2022, and future class expansions incorporating nature-based and animal therapy components.

Identifier

SC 11.MAN.2021.Case.AM

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