Working on Christmas? 8 Survival Tips for Nurses

Did you know that nurses are the most likely to have to work on Christmas Day?

It makes sense, right? The whole world stops for holidays, but healthcare never stops. Patients still require monitoring, medications, comfort, and other essential care.

Plus, hospitals often see an increase in patients around the holidays. This could be due to seasonal illnesses, accidents, mental health crises, and other strains and stresses the holidays may naturally add to a person’s psyche.

So, how can nurses navigate the holidays without feeling overwhelmed and still provide quality care to their patients?

Here are some top tips to help nurses working on Christmas to face their shifts with confidence, compassion, and balance.

1. Create a “holiday mindset” before your shift

Working on Christmas is no easy task for nurses. If you are a human being (pinch yourself to make sure), then it takes resilience, compassion, and the ability to care for others—even if you have to sacrifice time with loved ones.

Take some time to get yourself in a “holiday mindset” before your nursing shift. Meditate, take a hot bath, journal, or enjoy a cup of coffee in a quiet place. Remember that this day, you are needed in society more than ever.

2. Lean on your team

Working on Christmas is rarely a solo effort. Your entire nursing team will be there to support you if you let them. Get together with nurses you know will be working on Christmas and devise a plan. Nurses, technicians, physicians, and all support staff, including certified nursing assistants (CNAs), are all juggling the same emotions.

Take the time to check in with one another throughout the shift. Offer encouragement, share a laugh when you can, and step in to help when a coworker needs a moment.

Share a snack or a sip of coffee with a colleague who appears fatigued. Even small gestures will go a long way this holiday season—maybe even making a 12-hour shift feel like four hours.

3. Add small festive touches

A little holiday spirit will go a long way. Show up to your nursing shift with a few festive badge reels for your peers or a funky pair of holiday socks that will brighten the environment for both your colleagues and patients.

If you are part of a close-knit team, bring some Christmas stockings packed with goodies like gummy bears, chocolate, or lip balm.

Often, hospitals will staff per diem nurses to cover holiday shifts, and these small gestures can help create a sense of community and camaraderie among all staff members who are away from their families.

4. Be present with patients (even briefly)

Patients who spend Christmas in a hospital or other healthcare facility are likely to feel lonely and emotional. As a nurse, you are in a unique position to be able to visit your patients and spend a little extra time with them.

This means taking an extra moment to listen or offer resources to a patient who is lucid and wishes to discuss their concerns.

Sometimes it may just be sitting by their bedsides and listening to them reminiscing about past holidays spent with their families. Even short, compassionate, and empathetic interactions can make patients feel seen and cared for.

5. Stay fueled and hydrated

Here’s the hard truth: holiday nursing shifts are often very busy. This can make it easy for nurses to skip meals or forget to drink water altogether.

Before you start, pack your Stanley, your tumbler, whatever you need to stay hydrated. Taking care of your physical needs will help you maintain energy, focus, and patience. This is especially important during high-stress hours.

6. Set boundaries to prevent burnout

As a nurse, and especially as a PRN nurse, it’s tempting to pick up holiday shifts, since they typically offer higher pay. While extra income may sound enticing, think about your mental health. If you have the time and the hours (you are not working another job), go for it!

However, if you are a parent or want to spend a bit more time with extended family that you haven't seen in a while, be more picky with your shifts. Choose shifts strategically and give yourself permission to say no if offered to work overtime.

7. Celebrate on your own schedule

Working on Christmas doesn’t mean missing out. Many nurses, especially PRN nurses, are able to create a schedule that fits their personal priorities.

Planning ahead for an alternative celebration can help maintain traditions, reduce feelings of missing out, and make working the holiday feel more manageable.

Even a small gathering, a video call with family, or a special meal on another day can preserve the joy of the season while honoring your professional responsibilities.

8. Reflect on the impact you’re making

Take a moment to appreciate your role.

Seriously, pat yourself on the back because many studies say nursing is one of the most stressful professions in the world to take on.

When you feel stressed about working during the holidays, take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember you are doing something truly meaningful.

Every medication you administer, every comforting word you share, and every moment of presence you offer make a difference in someone’s life, sometimes in ways you’ll never fully know.

Your dedication brings comfort, safety, and hope to patients and families, and that impact is especially profound on a day like Christmas.

But hold on—why do nurses work on Christmas?

Healthcare never closes, and Christmas is no exception. One of the main reasons nurses work on Christmas is simple: patients still need care. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities must remain fully staffed 24/7, regardless of the calendar.

1. Ongoing staffing needs

During the holiday season, staffing challenges often intensify. Some nurses request time off to be with their families, travel, or observe religious traditions.

While these requests are important and should be respected whenever possible, they can create coverage gaps that need to be filled. As a result, facilities rely heavily on nurses willing to work holiday shifts.

Hospitals, long-term care facilities (LTCs), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), rehab centers, and home health agencies all experience this need. Residents in nursing homes can’t go home for the holidays, and hospitalized patients can’t pause treatment until January.

Nurses ensure continuity of care, safety, and comfort during a time when patients may feel especially vulnerable.

2. Seasonal illnesses and increased patient load

Christmas also falls in the middle of peak flu season, along with higher rates of respiratory illnesses, accidents, and weather-related injuries. Emergency departments and inpatient units will see increased patient volumes, making holiday nurse shifts even more critical.

For nurses, this means their presence isn’t just helpful; it’s essential.

3. Personal and professional motivation

Beyond logistics, many nurses choose to work on Christmas for personal reasons. Some feel a strong sense of duty to their profession and their patients.

Others volunteer to work so coworkers with young children or family obligations can be home. Teamwork plays a major role in holiday scheduling, and nurses often step up to support one another.

For PRN nurses, holiday scheduling offers a different kind of motivation: high-paying jobs.

Nurses who don’t have strong Christmas traditions or who celebrate on a different day may find it easier to work on the holiday. For them, PRN holiday scheduling can be a practical and rewarding choice.

How PRN nursing jobs will boost your holiday income

Ever wonder what PRN nursing means?

Working PRN—short for pro re nata, meaning “as needed”—offers nurses flexibility, control over their schedules, and higher hourly rates. During the holidays, PRN nurses become especially valuable.

What is PRN nursing?

PRN nurses are not tied to a fixed schedule or long-term contract. Instead, they pick up individual shifts based on availability and preference. This allows nurses to work more during high-paying periods, like Christmas, without committing to full-time holiday schedules.

What does this mean? You can make higher hourly rates compared to permanent positions. This is because healthcare facilities are willing to pay more to ensure adequate staffing, and PRN nurses directly benefit from this.

For nurses who already work full-time, PRN shifts can provide additional income without long-term obligations. PRN work can also be a primary source of income.

Using apps like Nursa, you will have access to the highest-paying holiday shifts and can maximize your income without overextending yourself.

Because of this, many nurses prefer to work a few high-paying PRN holiday shifts instead of multiple lower-paying regular shifts.

Nurses working on Christmas can skip the “Bah! Humbug!”

With these tips in mind, a good mindset, and the ability to earn a great pay, nurses can be assured that their holiday shifts will be both meaningful and rewarding.

Plus, focus on the impact you—yes, you—make for your patients. By connecting with supportive coworkers and adding a little festive cheer to the day, you can transform a challenging shift into one filled with purpose, camaraderie, and holiday joy.

Want to pick up a PRN shift this holiday season?

Sign up with Nursa and connect to a local facility near you, earn great pay, and make a difference in patients’ lives.

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