Nurses are creating ways to have fun the vacations with patients

Caring for hospitalized patients is a year-round job, and lots of nurses work the summer shift sooner or later.

But with a bit of planning and creativity, nurses could make the vacations enjoyable for patients and one another.

Bring potlucks

Jennifer Chapin, RN, of CovenantCare at Home in Turlock, California, has worked many sabbaticals throughout her nursing profession. “When my kids were younger, I told them Santa was coming on the 21st or whatever day I had off,” Chapin said with amusing. “When I worked in the hospital, we celebrated holidays of different cultures. For example, during Diwali, the biggest festival in India, Hindu and Sikh nurses brought culinary delicacies and colorful lights to celebrate.” Kira Dimitrijevich, RN Kira Dimitrijevich, BSN, RN, a surgical nurse within the intensive care unit at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee assigned to work in the course of the holidays, said she was looking forward to celebrating along with her “work family.”

“We prepare a potluck and play Christmas music to make the atmosphere as festive as possible,” she said. “Sometimes carolers will go from room to room, which is nice for both patients and staff.”

Potlucks are a preferred holiday ritual at Children’s Hospital as well, said Jace Vargas-Weisser, BSN, RN, CPN, who works within the post-anesthesia care unit and post-operative center on the hospital. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “Everyone, including management, registers and brings their favorite holiday foods to share, and we’ll have a Christmas supply of candy for the occasional sugar fix needed during a stressful shift. In the days leading up to the holidays, we will also share favorite foods, usually family recipes,” said Vargas-Weisser, who brings apple cider with orange and cloves to his colleagues.

Nurses lift patients’ spirits

Brandon Cloud, MSN, RN-NAC, clinical case manager at Aetna MNS and clinical director of nursing services at LCCA in Phoenix, said most long-term care facilities attempt to concentrate on engaging patients’ families in the course of the holidays.

“The family Christmas meal is usually planned before both Thanksgiving and Christmas to give family members a chance to spend time with their loved ones,” Cloud said. “In my last job, we worked with local churches to provide blankets and clothes for patients who had no family.” Cloud said the power’s activities department made sure each resident received at the least two gifts for Christmas, and gift trees, where employees, guests and volunteers can select which patient they desired to surprise with a present, were common practice: “Decorating cookies, gingerbread houses and creating decorations are simple activities that help patients and staff feel the holiday spirit,” Cloud said. “Competitions like Christmas door decorating can also be great fun.” The holidays can be a happy time, but they can be bittersweet for patients who are hospitalized or have poor health.

“Lifting patients’ spirits is extremely important during the holidays, especially for children in long-term stays,” Vargas-Weisser said.

“Our Child Life team identifies those children who need a little extra attention and we do everything we can to improve their mood because no child or adult wants to be in the hospital,” Vargas-Weisser said, “especially during the holidays ” Chapin, who has worked in hospice and residential care, found that the practice of lively listening can go a good distance in helping patients feel understood. “Older people or people who find themselves homebound often turn into depressed in the course of the holidays because they’re isolated,” Chapin said. “If possible, spend a little more time with these patients, listen to them, show empathy and let them vent.” Cloud says recognizing holiday depression early is significant to search out medical and therapeutic approaches to combat it before it worsens.

“Not all patients have family available, so it’s important that they don’t feel left out,” he said.

Whether it’s wearing holiday aprons or making Christmas trees out of rubber gloves, nurses are creative in bringing the vacation spirit to their patients. Vargas-Weisser said it is important to create a way of normalcy for kids because a few of them will spend the vacations in hospital in an unfamiliar environment.

“Sometimes we wear silly hats or accessories like Christmas light necklaces with holiday clothes,” Vargas-Weisser said. “It helps improve the mood among children and help build a rapport quickly before we have to start an intravenous line or give them a drug with an unpleasant taste.” In addition to visits from Santa Claus and Christmas-themed activities, there may be a Christmas talent show for patients and their families, and volunteers can be found to arrange storytimes where they read holiday-themed books to young patients. “We have different teams that work with children, offering age-appropriate and mood-boosting activities (coloring books, reading books, random gifts from the volunteer department),” Vargas-Weisser said. “While there is no specific guidance for nurses to identify and provide additional care for these children during the holidays, nurses know from both the report and the assessment of the children which of them needs this extra attention,” he said. “More experienced nurses tend to lead new staff by showing that it’s OK to pay patients a little more attention, whether that’s watching a cartoon with them while you both eat popsicles or sneaking them a cookie from a staff party ( if they agree with their dietary orders).” Freelance author Linda Childers contributed to the research and writing of this text.

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