Have you noticed how very few smiling faces there are?

Every day we walk the halls of our various institutions. Whether we are in clinics, hospitals, offices or homes, we pass faces all day long.  How many of those faces hold a smile… how many do you flash your pearly whites to?

Yes, life is happening.  It often robs our smile and we don’t even realize.

Our cell phone died overnight, so our alarm didn’t go off.  We rush to pee, get dressed and grab a much-needed cup of coffee. Maybe even shove something into our mouths for some needed nutrition. We likely sit in traffic and then search for a parking spot upon arrival.  We wait for the elevator and finally give up and run up the stairs.  Our newly charged cell phone goes off because one of our kids needs something back home.  After tending to that, we scurry to hear our shift report and the day continues to hurry underway.

Of course, our smile isn’t there.  If it made it out of bed with us, then it definitely jumped off somewhere between here and there.

So, if we feel this way, it’s quite likely that the other half of the staff feels the same way, even on a good day.

And, what of the caregivers of our patients?

And, what of our patients themselves?

One day as I was providing a tour of a children’s hospital to a group of students, we passed a mom with three children.  One was medically fragile, the other two, likely siblings, like little ducklings waddled close behind.  We passed her multiple times in different areas of the hospital.  She clearly was trying to find her way to a destination.

So what of this mom?  Was her day like ours so far?  Let’s presume only half of her morning was as ours.  Now, let’s remember that she has her trio in tow.  That means three other mouths to feed.  Three more people (busy little people I’m sure) to get dressed.  Three more people to get strapped into car seats.  Oh wait!  One is medically fragile, so he likely needed diaper changing, feeds to be flushed, medications and more.  Rush! Rush! Rush!

Needless to say, she was not smiling.

We meet one last time near an elevator.  I looked directly at her, said, “Good morning” and threw her a giant Ronald McDonald smile.  You know what happened next?  She smiled. And her children smiled.

Mission accomplished.  Reset button hit!

“Ok.  That’s very sweet,” may be running through your mind.  Followed by, “But it’s just a smile and that was one person.”

We are nurses though, so let’s get science-y about it.

Effect of Smiling on YOU

Not that we are a self-centered people, however, we do seem to respond quickest to what affects us directly.  So, let’s start with the effect of smiling on you. You’ve likely heard that smiling helps create less wrinkles.  I could stop there.

However, smiling also helps happy juice be released through your brain, like exercise and chocolate does! (That’s another article.) Tri-athlete Natascha Badmann is known for smiling her way through her competitions.  She has won the Ironman six times.  Could it be that smiling is an easy fix to help nurses survive a long hard day? Since smiling releases serotonin, dopamine and endorphins, we could become the energizer bunny.  No crazy aerobics or added calories needed.

Effect of Smiling on Patients

Several studies have been done to test the effect of smiling on the patient.  In one study, people simply held a pencil in their mouth to force the brain to think they were smiling. Good ol’ cranial muscles went to work.  Psychologist Sarah Pressman, of the University of California at Irvine, conducted a study where patients were asked to hold a pencil in their teeth while receiving an injection.  Patients were told this particular study was to test one’s ability to multitask. As the injection was given, their heart rate was monitored. At the end of the data collection, heart rate results and patient reports were that of 40% less pain by simply tricking the brain about smiling. How much more could a patient’s pain be reduced if smiles were sincere?  What if we could help make that smile happen?

Effect on Both

If you aren’t convinced that a simple smile is worth your while, this may be the final tickle you need.  Another study posted by the US National Library of Medicine

National Institutes of Health has shown that people are more compliant when they smile.  Wouldn’t it be great to walk into a room, smile and have your patient cooperate with taking medications or receiving a treatment?  Well, it is possible.

In this study, results showed a simple lack of smile can make people feel that a person is angry and cause them to withdraw or avoid interaction.  A smile made people feel that a person was kind and welcoming. They wanted to engage with that person.

As we think over the impact of a smile, the truth is even Amazon boxes provide a smile.  So, should we deliver any less?

Maybe it would be fitting to have the doctor add the order, “Smile to yourself and at your patient PRN for better outcomes.”

Christine V. Haynes, MSN, RN