Team building activities for healthcare workers

Team building for healthcare workers has to fit the shift: a hosted 45 or 60 minute event for one unit, run twice so day and night staff both get it. Play a game on video, make a kit at home on a day off, or bring a host to your break room.

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Nurses in scrubs decorating cookies together around a break room table with a laptop video call open

8 activities for nurses and hospital staff

Short hosted games that need no prep, calm sessions for tired teams, and kits people make at home. Every one has a live host, and prices are live from our catalog.

Kit workshops need about 3 weeks for US addresses; hosted games about 2 weeks. No alcohol kits on this list, on purpose. See all activities.

Hospital staff team building around 24/7 shifts

A unit never closes, so one event at one time leaves half the team out. Book the same event once per shift instead.

  • Day shift

    A midday or early afternoon slot

    Run it when the morning rush has passed and before evening handover. People step off in pairs while colleagues cover, so plan on a session per half of the unit.

  • Night shift

    Before the shift, not after it

    Nobody wants a game after 12 hours awake. Book an early evening session that night staff join from home before they leave, or one on a weekday off.

  • Weekend and per diem staff

    Give them their own date

    Weekend teams and float pool staff miss every weekday event. A Saturday or Sunday session, or a kit they do on a day off, includes them.

  • Clinics and offices

    One session in the lunch hour

    Outpatient clinics, billing and admin teams keep office hours. One 45 or 60 minute session over lunch usually reaches everyone.

What two sessions cost. A hosted game is one package for up to 25 guests, so a 40-person unit split into two shifts of 20 pays for two packages. A kit is priced per person, so splitting adds only a second base fee.

Total price for a 40-person unit, in one session or two
Trivia with a Twist!Hosted game, 60 minutesOne session of 40$1,195Two sessions of 20$1,950
Music BingoHosted game, 45 minutesOne session of 40$1,800Two sessions of 20$3,600
Zen GardenKit workshop, 60 minutesOne session of 40$2,179Two sessions of 20$2,558

Totals worked out from live catalog prices. Want a price for your unit's exact shifts? Get a free quote.

Group by unit, not by org chart

The team that covers for each other on a shift is the team worth bringing together. Four group shapes that work in hospitals and clinics.

  • One unit or department

    The people who work the same floor and cover for each other. Often 15 to 40 people, split across shifts.

  • Charge nurses and unit leaders

    A small group that rarely sits down together. A hosted game or a stress session gives them an hour off the floor as a team.

  • Non-clinical teams

    Environmental services, dietary, registration, IT and billing keep the hospital running. Thank them in their own session, at a time their shifts allow.

  • A whole hospital or system

    Several sessions on one day or across a week, so every unit and site gets a slot. We plan it as one multi-event program.

Team building for nurses: a kit at home or a host in the break room

Nurses on 12-hour shifts rarely want another hour on a screen at work. These two formats get around that.

  • A kit made at home

    Each person gets a box at home with everything inside, then joins a live session on a day off, often with family nearby. Continental US shipping is included. See the team building kits.

  • A host at your hospital

    In 17 US cities a host runs Feud Night, Music Bingo or live trivia in a conference room or large break room, and staff rotate in when they can step away. Feud Night is $1,750 for up to 50 guests. See in-person events.

Running a calm session rather than a game? See guided meditation and wellness events. Every session is general wellness, not clinical training.

Nurses Week, Hospital Week and the holidays: book-by dates

Hosted games need about 2 weeks, kit workshops about 3 weeks for US addresses. Here is what that means for the healthcare calendar.

  1. Dec 8, 2026

    A December unit party

    For a Tuesday, December 8 event, book a hosted game by November 24, 2026 and a kit workshop by November 17, 2026. More ideas on the virtual holiday party page.

  2. May 6 to 12, 2027

    National Nurses Week

    The American Nurses Association fixes Nurses Week at May 6 to 12 every year, ending on Florence Nightingale's birthday (ANA). For a session on Thursday, May 6, 2027, book a kit workshop by April 15 and a hosted game by April 22, 2027.

  3. May 9 to 15, 2027

    National Hospital Week

    The American Hospital Association lists Hospital Week 2027 as May 9 to 15 (AHA). It overlaps Nurses Week, so one plan can cover both: run the event twice that week, once for each shift.

Paying for it from a unit fund or a foundation

Staff events in hospitals are often paid from a unit fund or a foundation's staff appreciation money, not a company events budget. What to check, and how we bill.

  • Unit or department funds: ask your manager what is left this quarter and whether it covers staff events.
  • A hospital foundation or staff appreciation fund: ask the fund's owner what it may pay for before you book.
  • Card, or an invoice against a purchase order. A PO booking gets an invoice instead of a card charge.
  • Health systems that book across many units can use monthly invoicing through our enterprise program.

Healthcare team building questions

What are good team building activities for healthcare workers?

Short hosted games like Music Bingo (45 minutes), trivia and a survey-answer game show work on any break room screen or phone. Calm kit workshops like a zen garden or gratitude journaling suit tired teams. Every event has a live host, so nobody on the unit has to plan or run it.

How do we include the night shift?

Book the same event twice: once in the day and once in the early evening before the night shift starts, or on a weekday off. Each session is its own booking with its own live host, so both shifts get the same event.

How much does team building for a hospital unit cost?

A hosted virtual game is one package for up to 25 guests (Trivia with a Twist is $975), with added guests in blocks. Kit workshops are a base fee plus a price per kit, with continental US shipping included. Each activity page shows the price for your headcount.

Can a host come to the hospital?

In 17 US cities a host can run Feud Night, Music Bingo or live trivia at your site, in a conference room or a large break room. Feud Night is $1,750 for up to 50 guests. Check your facility's visitor rules first.

Are the wellness sessions medical training?

No. Sessions like Let's Stand Up to Stress are general wellness for the whole team, led by a live host. They are not clinical training and do not carry continuing education credit.

When should we book for Nurses Week 2027?

National Nurses Week runs May 6 to 12, 2027. For a May 6 session, book a kit workshop by April 15 and a hosted game by April 22, 2027. Booking earlier gives you more host times to pick from for a second shift.

How do we pay with foundation or unit money?

Reserve online with a 50% deposit by card, or ask for a quote and pay by invoice against a purchase order. Check with the fund's owner what it can pay for before you book.

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