1. Check pulses with the Doppler.
Grab a handful of lube packets from the stock room and practice finding pulses on each other. Somebody always tries to find a fetal heartbeat on a pregnant coworker. It never works.
2. Take your own vital signs.
You check vitals when someone feels off, but on a dead shift you'll do it out of boredom too. Holding your breath to watch the pulse oximeter drop is a rite of passage. So is running down the hall holding it. For the record, a normal reading sits around 95 to 100%, and the FDA notes oximeters are only an estimate that loses accuracy below 90% (FDA).
3. Weigh yourself on the scales.
The old balance-beam ones, not the digital. Bonus points for comparing your weight across both scales just to see which one lies.
4. Make balloons from gloves.
Not just a pediatric trick. Draw a face on it and you've got a contest for the goofiest balloon.
5. Test out the hospital beds in empty rooms.
This is how you actually learn the chair setting, max inflate, the length extension for tall patients, and how to Trendelenburg someone to slide them up the bed. Half of it makes you better at keeping real patients comfortable.
6. Wheelchair and rolly-chair races.
Long hallways were made for it. Just run them when patients are asleep and won't wander into your lane.
Slow days don't come often, but when they do, you need something to get you through the long hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal pulse oximeter reading? For most healthy people it sits around 95 to 100%. The FDA stresses an oximeter gives only an estimate of blood oxygen and grows less accurate below 90%, so it is never the whole picture (FDA).
Is it okay to mess around with medical equipment on a slow shift? Keep it harmless and clean, and never with anything sterile, single-use, or staged for a patient. Patient-care equipment has to stay ready and uncontaminated.
Why do nurses goof around at all? Hospital nurses pull long shifts at all hours (BLS). Light camaraderie on a rare quiet stretch helps the team reset and recover.
Does practicing on empty beds actually help? Yes. Learning the chair setting, length extension, and Trendelenburg on an empty bed makes you faster and gentler when you position real patients.
What should never be part of the fun? Anything that risks a patient, contaminates supplies, blocks alarms or walkways, or delays a response. Safety always comes before the slow-day games.