It’s Halloween tonight! What does that mean for nurses? For some it means the night off, parties, friends, family, tricks and treats. For others, it’s just another day in the eventful life of a nurse. For the latter it means dispensing meds, being there for a patient, holding in their pee, being puked on and many other less-than-pretty nurse happenings.

Can you bring the spirit of Halloween to your floor or job even if you’re working on Halloween? Absolutely! It can be upsetting to have to work when it seems like the rest of the world is having fun and socializing. You can have that too. Get out of the gloom and bring the Halloween spirit on! With just a few, cheap and quick ideas, you can have Halloween on your dreadful shift!

Dress Up. This doesn’t have to be a major costume. You can wear a cute tutu above your scrubs, a sassy tiara, a funky wig, or crazy colorful eyelashes. These items can be purchased at a low cost or can be even found in your home! Your patients and fellow nurses will catch the Halloween spirit too!

Dispense Some Goodies. Since some patients have dietetic limitations, candy or candy bars may not be the greatest idea. Getting something universal, like a little Halloween toy, may be your best option. Bendable miniature Halloween people, small plastic ghosts and witches, or eyeball glasses can be fun for everyone. Although a goody this small is seemingly insignificant, it’s the thought and the spirit that counts with this one. No need to go over the top.

Halloween Lingo. Bring the Halloween spirit on by using words such as “boo” and “spooky”. You can also use a play on words to make the context lighter. You can say “spooktacular”, “boo-tiful” or “hell-arious”. The options are really quite endless.

So get out of the funk and bring the Halloween spirit on!

We would like to thank the devoted and caring nurses all around the world who are saving lives while others are enjoying their holiday time. Nurses rock – angels in scrubs!