30 Funny and Inspiring Quotes to Make Nurses Smile | Jaanuu (2024)

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“Laughter is the best medicine? Nope. Propofol is!”

Yep, that’s right. We started a post on funny nurse quotes by making you (hopefully) laugh with one. Sure, that may be pretty meta, but at least we’ve put a smile on your face and reminded you that nurse quotes can indeed be funny. And, we’re happy to make you laugh because—from giving you great scrubs to moral support—making medical professionals feel good is our game.

While jokes help us get through the day, inspirational quotes also fill a space in our hearts. So, if you’re planning to print up coffee mugs with funny quotes for all of your nursing friends and coworkers or change your phone’s background to feature a saying that will make you laugh even on the most challenging day, we’ve compiled a number of “insider” jokes and inspiring quotes that will make you feel just a bit closer to cloud nine.

And while you deserve to be celebrated every day, this selection makes for the perfect heartwarming and funny National Nurses Week set of quotes that you can use to cheer up your team, or at least have a good laugh (or cry) in the breakroom. Drop these sayings into conversation year-round to keep morale high, or have some of your favorites printed up for that bulletin board you share with your colleagues. And remember, any day is the perfect day to redecorate the nurses’ lounge with some sayings and memes that only you and your colleagues will truly understand.

10 of our favorite sarcastic nurse quotes

The Advanced Medical Certification site came through with these comedic gems that are sure to bring out your sarcastic side. We love the insider quality of these jokes. As the saying goes, “if you know, you know.”

1. “No, RN does not stand for ‘Refreshments and Narcotics.'”
2. “I came. I cared. I charted.”
3. “Don’t mess with me. I get paid to poke people with sharp objects.”
4. “You think Mondays are bad? Try working weekends, holidays and 12-hour night shifts.”
5. “Be nice to me. I dispense the happy pills.”
6. “Yes, I am a nurse. No, I don’t want to look at it.”
7. “I’m a nurse—what’s your superpower?”
8. “I love being a nurse, but I mostly love wearing scrubs. They’re basically professional pajamas.”
9. “TGIF? Sorry, not familiar with that term. I’m a nurse.”
10. “How many nurses does it take to screw a light bulb? None. It’s delegated to the nursing students.”

10 of our favorite inspiring nurse quotes

Yes, chances are you have a sense of humor and love funny quotes about nursing. Who wouldn’t in your line of work? High-pressure environments demand some comedic relief. That’s not to detract from the fact that you also perform very rewarding work, and much has been written and said about how important and inspiring it is.

Here are some of our favorite uplifting quotes that can help you remember how appreciated you are, even on a rough day.

1. “Every nurse was drawn to nursing because of a desire to care, to serve or to help.” —Christina Feist
2. “Nurses are always there; you care for us from the earliest years. You look after us in our happiest and saddest times.” —duch*ess Kate Middleton
3. “As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the mind, soul, heart and body of our patients, their families and ourselves.” —Maya Angelou
4. “To do what nobody else will do, in a way that nobody else can do, in spite of all we go through… that is what it is to be a nurse.” —Rawsi Williams
5. “It would not be possible to praise nurses too highly.” —Stephen Ambrose
6. “And what nursing has to do in either case is to put the patient in the best condition for nature to act upon him.” —Florence Nightingale
7. “Our job as nurses is to cushion the sorrow and celebrate the job, every day, while we are ‘just doing our jobs.’” —Christine Belle
8. “Nurses are the heart of healthcare.” —Donna Wilk Cardillo
9. “I attribute my success to this; I never gave nor took any excuse.” —Florence Nightingale
10. “Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.” —Florence Nightingale

10 of our favorite nurse rhymes

In the mood for a little wordplay? Good news. There are plenty of rhymes and nurse poems, both funny and inspiring. These types of catchy sayings are perfect for posters, coffee mugs and greeting cards. Remember when, at the top of the article, we suggested redecorating the breakroom with some quotes to hearten your team? Look no further than these. These are the kind of sayings that will put some pep in your step all day. Here are some of our top picks.

1. “A nurse will always give us hope, an angel with a stethoscope.” —Carrie Latet
2. “What angels are to the sad, nurses are to the sick.” ―Amit Kalantri
3. “Value what you do and add value by what you do.” —unknown
4. “If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For passion will lead you right into your purpose.” —Bishop T.D. Jakes
5. “Sometimes I inspire my patients; more often, they inspire me.” —unknown
6. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” —William Shakespeare
7. “Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts.” —Charles Dickens
8. “May your scrubs be comfy, your coffee be strong and your Monday be short.” —unknown
9. “Treat the patient as a whole, not just the hole in the patient.” —unknown
10. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Having a rough day? A rough week? We feel you. But remember, we’re always here to help you keep your morale high, and we know that starts with looking (and feeling) great while you’re at work (but some hysterical quotes and inspiring words never hurt either). After all, a little laughter is just what the doctor ordered.