Bringing some spirit on the unit...

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Cardiology, Medicine.

It's my first year working as a nurse. Working on Christmas Eve Night and Christmas Night on a tele unit. Thinking about doing something nice for my patients and staff... if small enough, maybe for all the patients on the unit. I'm holding off on things like food because of dietary restrictions and such. Flowers are also out, as are balloons because of hospital regulations. Besides donning a red santa hat (which I'm planning on), please offer some ideas of things you've seen in the past or have done to increase the spirit a little for the holidays. Thanks and Happy Holidays. :Present1:

Specializes in geriatric, hospice, med/surg.

You are SUCH a nice person for not only working the holiday slots but thinking of livening up the place a bit for coworkers as well as the patients. You sound like a very nice person and awesome associate to work with. I think a tiny christmas stocking the kind found at any and all dollar stores just large enough to stick a few goodies in...you could put a tiny candy cane and a few pieces of christmas candy in if the patient cannot eat it then the visitors to their bedside could! And the nurses on the unit could decide for themselves if the candy is on their diet! Nonalcoholic eggnog, or the alternate lively looking bright red hawaiian punch type christmas punch complete with frozen ring of flavored ice, maybe freeze a few plastic sprigs of holly in it to make it extra special-looking. Haul everything in, then set it up...plasticeware including the punch bowl...again can be found at any dollar store. Or a Walmart....tiny christmas plates for the holiday cookies, either baked yourself or purchase the already made christmas decorated cookies...little snacks you can grab such as a nut mix or the ever present nibbles of sausage rolls or something like that...there are pinwheel sandwiches available frozen in sams clubs everywhere or in the freezer section of most grocery stores...

hmmmm...let's see...you may be able to find a dozen or so of the cheaper end of ornamental holiday pins at a walmart or dollar store you could even pin on the pillowcases of the ones who cannot have the candies and other treats...?

I also am forever spying those little trinkets of things in drug stores for kiddies of all ages! like finger puppets, etc.

anything out of the ordinary day for such special people would be much appreciated, I am sure.

Let me know of anything else if you need more details but this should start you out for now I would think.

Specializes in Emergency Room, Cardiology, Medicine.

Thanks for the wonderful reply! Will definitely take a lot of those into consideration. :)

Specializes in Emergency.

How about a little christmas music??? Little stereo thing, with a couple of Christmas CDs!

Hmmmm, and the smell of pine boughs a Christmas....maybe just a couple of little pieces for the nurses station, or for your pts bedside?

The unit we did our clinicals on strung christmas lights all over the nurses station, with garland, music, and little dollar store decorations on the walls. And I think someone had their kids cut out a bunch of big snowflakes, and had maintenance hang them with staples/thread from the ceilings! It looked so awesome!

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