NEW YORK NURSE: September 2007
by Mark Genovese and Rosanne Herman, NYSNA Nursing Representative
“My family says I’ve always been a clown,” laughed Deborah Ott. “Now I’m finally dressing the part!”
In her spare time, the operating room nurse at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is “Nelliebelle the Clown” – visiting with patients, volunteering for local charity events, and bringing smiles to everyone.
Ott began her nursing career 32 years ago at a local nursing home. “I was just looking for a job when I fell into a position as a nurse’s aide. I found out that I really loved nursing and that this is what I wanted to do.” She’s now chair of the local NYSNA bargaining unit at the Springville, N.Y., facility.
A fun-loving person who enjoys making others laugh, Ott saw that staying in a hospital was stressful and depressing for some patients. “I’d thought for years that there had to be something I could do to make patients happier. So in 2002, I became a clown.”
A two-semester night course taught Ott not only about the topics one would expect from “clown school” – such as costumes, makeup, and tying balloons – but about the financial side of starting a small business and communicating with clients. She learned that it’s best to create a character – hers is a 10-year old tomboy who loves baseball and worms. Nelliebelle paints faces, makes balloon animals, and does some clown magic. But mostly, she makes people laugh.
Ott found her volunteer work to be rewarding and has even reduced the stress level in her own life. “The best thing about being a clown is the smiles on kids’ faces. The youngest children believe you truly are the clown. They have a look of genuine awe.” She recalled how her own niece once asked if Aunt Debbie could call the clown to come to a family event. “And seniors will just light right up,” she added. “They’ll play along and even talk with my puppets.”
Because Ott is a full-time nurse, she volunteers as Nelliebelle mostly when she can fit it into her schedule. She’s worked at local healthcare facilities, charities, parades, and summertime fairs. Local hospitals and community organizations know they can call on her. Ott is a member of several clown organizations in Western New York. She also volunteers with the Red Nose Relief Clowns, who travel to disaster areas and provide some comic relief to survivors. Although Ott wasn’t able to participate because of her work shedule, Red Nose Relief Clowns from Western New York traveled to New Orleans in the fall of 2005 to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Nursing and clowning are similar in that both require communication skills to help people feel better, said Ott. “Happiness comes from an increase in endorphins, which comes from laughter. Clowning is a way to help people heal themselves. If people laugh, they will feel better. For a while, they’ll forget about the pain and about being in a hospital. They think of something fun, something that’s not so serious.”