Some people will be walking through a winter wonderland, but others will be walking the halls of their hospital. Like firefighters, police officers and other professions, there will be nurses working on Christmas and New Year’s.
Some nurses volunteer to work, because it means extra money. They will be joined, however, by colleagues who would prefer to be home with family on holiday.
For both groups, there are ways to bring comfort and joy to patients and co-workers. Here are some ideas:
Give gifts
Everyone likes to get a gift, no matter how small.
Consider ordering a pack of small stockings and filling each with candy, inspirational notes, a stress ball or some other inexpensive treat. Take one to each patient while making your rounds and watch their eyes light up.
If you already know who is working on Christmas, organize a Secret Santa gift exchange. Leave the gift at the nurses’ station with only the recipient’s name on it. The rest of the shift, everyone has to figure out who their Santa is.
Use technology
Set up a Zoom meeting with family or friends so you can eat dinner together or watch presents being opened, even if it’s virtual. FaceTime is also a great tool to connect with loved ones throughout the day. Have someone set up their laptop in the kitchen so you can chat with your grandmother or kids while they prepare what will be leftovers when you get home.
Decorate stations
Spruce up your station with a small tree, garland and other holiday decorations, then challenge nurses on other floors to do the same. Choose an impartial doctor — or even a patient’s family — to judge the stations and determine a winner.
There can be a prize involved, too. Maybe every nurse puts in $5, and the winning nurses get to split the pot. Or maybe the winning station gets to display a reindeer all year. Or maybe it’s just for bragging rights. Regardless, holiday decorations can help boost your mood.
Reschedule activities
Watching your kids open their gifts is often the best part of a parent’s Christmas. If you have to work Christmas morning, consider changing when your family opens gifts. You can even recruit Santa to help you out.
This letter from Santa, created by Stephanie Davisson and posted on her Facebook page, explains to children of hospital nurses that their gifts will be delivered on day other than Christmas Eve. You can probably even create your own letter for a more personalized note from Ol’ St. Nick.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Dress up
No, we don’t mean a nice outfit; that wouldn’t be practical. The one thing not in short supply this holiday season is Christmas-themed apparel.
Don a Santa hat, Elf T-shirt or holiday-themed socks while you’re at work. You can even find scrubs with Santa, snowmen, holiday lights and more on them.
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