Nurse Life: Working New Year’s Eve Like It’s Just Another Shift
You want to see a death stare? Just ask a nurse where they’ll be watching fireworks this New Year’s Eve—or better yet, if they’ll be bringing their famous Thanksgiving turkey to the potluck.
Spoiler alert: they won’t.
For us Santa’s of healthcare, the only thing more important than our patients might just be… time off.
But in a world where gas stations, pharmacies, and supermarkets operate 24/7/365, nurses have long held the original badge of “round-the-clock service,” especially on holidays.
New Year’s Eve in Scrubs, Not Sequins
As a registered nurse scheduled for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, I’ve often fantasized about needing a clone. One version of me at the hospital—checking vitals, calming anxious families—and the other dancing in Times Square, counting down the seconds under the confetti shower.
But let me clear something up:
Don’t assume I don’t have a family.
Don’t assume I don’t wish I could be home.
And definitely don’t assume I picked this shift because I love missing holidays.
In nursing, getting time off during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s is like winning the lottery. And if you think having kids guarantees you a break, think again—50 other nurses might be leaving crying babies behind too.
A Nurse’s Real New Year’s Resolution
While the world declares resolutions about weight loss or chasing dreams, mine are more practical:
“Survive the shift. Stay awake. Keep smiling.”
(Okay, and maybe don’t pass out next to your patient after 20 straight hours sipping glucose from their IV bag. Just kidding… mostly.)
Making Magic in the Middle of Mayhem
Sure, I won’t be dancing in the streets of NYC. But I’ll be right here—laughing with coworkers, sneaking Bonbons between call bells, and watching the ball drop from a corner TV in the unit. For us, that’s celebration enough.
Because while the world parties outside, we’re creating our own magic in the middle of the mayhem.
So I ask you: Where will you be this New Year’s Eve?
If you happen to see a nurse—give them a smile, a thank-you, or a strong cup of coffee.
They’re out there, doing the work—even when the fireworks go off. 🎉
That’s hard.
And it’s not “just” that you are working on the holidays, weekends and overnight shifts, but for many such workers – nurses and doctors, policemen, EMT’s and other service-related professionals – those shifts are ugly. The emergencies are worse and more heartbreaking, somehow, because it’s a holiday. They see more drunk driving and holiday stress-induced domestic violence in addition to the “ordinary” crises, fires, accidents, crimes and violence.
And it’s hard for your family, too, as well as families of those others and military families. Our own family has all of those careers, so we are always juggling schedules to find a day for celebrating Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. I wish there was a national “Holiday Workers” holiday! 🙂
So I hope your New Year’s Eve shift isn’t too hard. I am sure you will be a blessing to those who need you that night and all those holidays you would rather spend with your own family.
You are right Cathe,
Holidays are supposed to be with family at home for all medical personnel and police we are out on the frontline for some it causes great sadness. I try to start early preparing my family reminding them about my schedule. It doesn’t get easier. But we work on it and most of the time without my present. What I don’t like most I am not able to leave the building on time. I have to think I am making a difference patient need me.
I am not a nurse, but for 16 years I had a job where my only day (or evening, or weekend day) off in December was Christmas Day itself. At least I had that day to be with my wife and four kids. Many nurses and others in public service don’t even get that.
I now work in healthcare administration and am very aware of nurses’ schedules. They are under appreciated and over worked. Of course it is not just the winter holiday seasons where they sacrifice, but it happens all year long. I commend you and all of the nurses who work so hard and long.
Josh I really appreciate this comment. Nurses are always on the front line and in return we do not get the amount of recognition or respect that we should. It takes a special person to be a nurse, and that is why I continue to make everyone aware of what we do. We are celebrated once a year.
I think nurses do a fabulous job all year round and many are not appreciated.
Marlene Carr, We service to make our patients lives better thanks from ALL THE NURSES.
Its true emergency services work tirelessly around the clock to save lives and their is no break even during the festive season.
Thank you for working on New Year’s Eve. You don’t get told enough how important your job is. Thank you. I will go to bed early. 🙂
I know A Nurse an angel walking this earth for that sick invalid child, man, woman elderly patient. Irrespective of the fact that it’s a choice to be a nurse, you are human too and have family. I wish you every blessing in the new year!
I’m spending new year’s eve with my best friends, it will be fun 🙂 x
I hope all the hardworking nurses out there have a great year. You guys sacrifice so much personal time!
I worked as a CENA for a while, and it is incredible how hard nurses work but how little recognition they get. They are there rain or shine, holiday or not, when we need it most. Nurse are every day heroes.
I do hope you have a great and quiet shift so you and your colleagues might get to watch the ball drop without interruptions. All the best for 2016~
Yes, that is really sad for your family, but I’m sure a lot of patient needs your care as a nurse on New Year’s Eve.
I don’t know what it’s like. But I do know how it feels to work on Holidays. It takes some getting used to. And you’ll miss your family more during these days.
I used to work at Disneyland which is also open 365 days a year so this year I am thrilled to be off since I have changed careers. I do appreciate everyone who has to work and can fully understand what that feels like
They are all have a great job and service. it will help to those they need
love the humour in this posts! kudos to all the nurses and doctors that will be working on NYE – NY day! hope you guys will have a blessed 2016 and in the future for saving lives! Meanwhile my family and I will be walking in the street somewhere to watch the fireworks in dubai highest tower in the world and then go back home and eat, its our first NY in Dubai.
My best friend is a nurse and cannot attend several parties with me due to her shifts. She always has such a great spirit about working on holidays though and her children are old enough to understand they may not do the same things on the same days as others. Thank you for your dedication to the medical field.
My SIL works all the holidays too, and it’s hard but harder still on the families who have loved ones in there. God Bless the hospital folk!
I feel you Patrice. I am also a healthcare provider (oh well, my day job) and I lost count of all the special holidays like Christmas and New Years that I missed with my family. It is a huge sacrifice but thinking about all the people we have helped along the way makes it all worth it.
Tisha, thats what motivate me the people we serve thank for stopping by.
I feel you, Patrice. I have two cousins who are nurses too and both had to work on New Year’s Eve. You guys are a blessing to the medical profession and I am sure your family understands your sacrifice and loves you more than anything else in the world.
Annemarie LeBlanc, Yes, nursing is what I do so blessed to be in this position and to serve the people.
I have so many nurses friends and I know how it is to be away from the family in holidays like…I salute all nurse 🙂
Visiting from the Meet and Greet. Tried to subscribe, but got a page that said “mailing list is not active at this time”?
I love your blog’s premise. The first time I remember calling myself ‘depressed’, I was a teenager. It’s been that way ever since. One day at a time.
Whether for the nurses who helped during my three difficult pregnancies (starting at the age of 35), the nurses who cared for the residents at a facility for adults with MR/DD were I worked, or the profession in general…I have loads of respect!
LuAnn Braley,Welcome and I am sorry you did not get to subscribe. Hope you will return for more information. Caring for MR/DD only a special person and you are one. Have to have patience Just like a nurse. Thank you for your support.
I think watching the ball drop with a bunch of kids is an awesome way to ring in the New Year. Thanks for all that you do to keep us healthy!
I usually end up traveling on Holidays so I can visit all the relatives I don’t see the rest of the year. I’ve had times in the past, when I was the one working on the major holidays. I’m not in healthcare but I got a call one Christmas eve from a neighbor who had gone into labor and couldn’t get her boyfriend. So I left work early, took her to the hospital and ended up as her labor coach. I got home just in time to open presents because I’d managed to get the night shift so as to be home that morning.
Lee MacArthur, Glad you made it.