From themed decorations to food ideas, here are 30 nursing graduation party ideas.
Graduating is such a big milestone and if you’re looking to celebrate with a party, then these ideas will give you some quick and easy inspiration.
Nursing Graduation Party Ideas
1. Go with a Color Scheme
Choose a color scheme for your nursing graduation party to tie the decor together and make the space feel cohesive.
Popular choices include red and white, pink, blue, or rose gold, but you can also select colors that match your school or nursing scrubs.
2. Blood Bags
Add a fun and creative touch to your nursing graduation party by serving red drinks in blood bags.
Fill them with punch, cranberry juice, or even red cocktails for a themed twist that’s sure to impress your guests.
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3. Urine Samples
Get creative and serve apple juice in “urine sample cups” for a hilarious and on-theme nursing graduation party idea.
Overall, this is a playful highlight on the medical profession that’s sure to have your guests side eyeing the cups.
4. Decorate with Nursing Textbooks
Incorporate your hard work into your party decor by decorating with your nursing textbooks.
Stack them as part of your centerpieces, use them to elevate table displays, or open them to showcase colorful diagrams and notes.
5. Sterile Utensils
Another great nursing party idea is theming your utensils. Place your plastic utensils or silverware in individual plastic bags and label them as “Sterile Utensils.”
Overall, this simple idea is a great way to tie in the party’s theme into the small details.
6. Create a Dessert Table
Design a nursing themed dessert table that’s both creative and delicious.
Use marshmallows to represent cotton balls, Smarties as colorful pills, and Tic Tac candies as tiny tablets. Arrange these treats in clear jars or small trays to complete the look and mimic a medical supply station.
7. “Leave Prescriptions for Success” Advice Table
Set up a “Leave Prescriptions for Success” advice table where guests can write their words of wisdom, encouragement, or life tips for you.
You can provide small prescription-style notepads or cards and a jar labeled “Pharmacy of Advice” for guests to drop their notes into.
Or simply have a sign that says “Leave prescriptions for success” along with a blank book where guests can write inside.
8. Nursing Themed Table Centerpieces
Decorate with nursing themed centerpieces to highlight the party’s theme.
You can use items like mini first aid kits, cotton balls, stethoscopes, face masks, or even gloves.
9. Serve Candy in Pill Bottles
Add some more creativity to your candy table by serving candies such as M&Ms, Skittles, or jelly beans in pill bottles.
10. Graduation Cake
Celebrate your graduation with a cute graduation cake. If you’re not really a cake person, you can opt for other sweet treats such as cupcakes, donuts, or cookies.
11. Balloon Garland
Whether you’re wanting to create a photobooth or really accentuate the entryway, a balloon garland will help to add that festive party vibe to your space.
12. Nursing Themed Balloons
Add a fun touch to your decor with nursing-themed balloons! Look for balloons featuring hospital or nursing-related designs, like stethoscopes, medical symbols, or graduation caps.
13. Nursing Graduation Party Invitation
Set the tone for your nursing graduation party with themed invitations.
Include fun nursing elements like stethoscopes, bandages, or a prescription-style design to give guests a sneak peek of the celebration.
14. Syringe Pens as Party Favors
Syringe pens are a cute and practical gift that your guests will love. Plus it’s a clever way to tie the nursing theme into your party favors.
15. Set up a Hydration Station
Set up a station for your drinks and label it “Hydration station”. You can include things like water, lemonade, juice, or soda within your station.
16. Have RN letter balloons
For creative nursing graduation party ideas, decorate with large “RN” letter balloons. They’re perfect for adding a fun, themed touch to your photo booth or as statement decor for your party space.
17. Have Large RN Letter Signs
Go big or go home, right? Large RN or GRAD letter signs are such a statement piece for your nursing graduation party!
They’ll instantly elevate your party decor and make your theme pop. Place them near the entrance to welcome your guests, by the dessert table, or incorporate them into your photo area.
RELATED: 40 Graduation Party Ideas to Celebrate Your Big Day
18. Have Hand Sanitizers Around Your Party Space
Hand sanitizers are such a nursing essential, it’s basically the unofficial symbol of every hospital and clinic!
So bring that vibe into your graduation party and set out bottles of hand sanitizer throughout your party space. Think entryways, snack tables, or even at guest tables.
19. Serve a Red Punch
Another great menu idea is creating a red punch and labeling it “Blood transfusion punch”. It’s clever, easy to recreate, and another fun way to tie in that nursing theme.
20. “She’s Ready to Call the Shots” Banner
Hang a “She’s Ready to Call the Shots” banner as a cute centerpiece for your decorations. It’s a playful nod to you or the graduate’s future role in the medical field and makes a great addition to a photo area or dessert table.
Nursing Graduation Party Games
When it comes to nursing graduation party ideas, great games and activities needs to be on the list. In order to keep everyone entertained and engaged throughout the party. Here are some easy nursing graduation party games that you can play at your party.
21. Cotton Ball Scoop Game
Spread cotton balls across a table and get ready for some laughs, with this cotton ball scoop game.
Here’s how it works:
- Set up two players with a scoop (like a large spoon) and a bowl each.
- Blindfold both players and spin them around once or twice to disorient them slightly.
- Set a timer for your desired duration—1 to 2 minutes usually works great.
- Once the timer starts, players must scoop up as many cotton balls as possible and place them in their bowls.
The twist? Cotton balls are so light that the players won’t be able to tell if they’ve actually scooped anything! When time’s up, count the cotton balls, and the player with the most in their bowl wins.
22. Medical Charades
Put your guests’ acting skills to the test with a fun game of medical-themed charades.
This game is easy to play and guaranteed to bring lots of laughs. Start by creating a list of common medical terms, tools, or actions, like “stethoscope,” “scrubs,” or “blood pressure cuff.”
Guests take turns acting out the word or phrase without speaking while the others guess what it is. Here’s a list of easy words and phrases that are perfect for acting out:
- Stethoscope
- Bandage
- Vaccine shot
- Patient
- Thermometer
- CPR
- Wheelchair
- Taking pills
23. Medical Telephone
Bring on the laughs with a classic game of telephone—nursing style! Have players line up in a single-file line to get started.
Begin with a medical-themed phrase or term, such as “Take two ibuprofens with a glass of water,” and whisper it to the first person in line. Each player then whispers what they heard to the next person. By the time the phrase reaches the last person, they must say it aloud. The best part? The phrase often gets hilariously distorted along the way!
You can play as long as you’d like and keep the game going with more phrases like:
- “Check the patient’s vital signs.”
- “Administer the flu vaccine.”
- “The nurse is on call tonight.”
24. Graduate Trivia
Test your guests’ knowledge of the graduate with a fun game of trivia all about them! Prepare a list of personalized questions to see who knows the grad the best. Include fun and memorable details like:
- When is their birthday?
- What’s their favorite food?
- What’s their favorite hobby?
- What was the color and make of their first car?
- What’s their favorite fast food restaurant?
Hand out answer sheets to your guests and read the questions aloud, or make it more interactive by dividing the guests into teams and turning it into a friendly competition.
Nursing Graduation Gifts
Last on the list of nursing graduation party ideas is gifts. Gifts are a meaningful part of any nursing graduation celebration!
Whether you’re putting together a wishlist for yourself or shopping for the graduate, thoughtful and practical gifts are always appreciated. Below, you’ll find a list of creative and useful gift ideas that are perfect for celebrating this milestone and supporting a nursing grad as they start their new career.
25. Coffee Gift Card
If the nursing grad is a coffee lover, a gift card to a coffee shop is a thoughtful and practical choice. With long nursing shifts ahead, caffeine will likely become a go-to essential for those early mornings or late nights.
26. Massage Gift Card
Nursing can be a physically demanding job, with long hours spent on their feet and lots of bending and lifting.
A massage gift card is a great gift to help your nursing grad unwind and take care of their body. Also it’s a great way to remind them that self-care is just as important as patient care.
27. Compression Socks
Compression socks are another great nursing graduation gift idea. Compared to regular socks, they can help reduce leg fatigue, improve circulation, and keep your nursing grad feeling comfortable all day.
RELATED: 37 Graduation Gift Ideas That are Practical and Budget-Friendly
28. Work Tote Bag or Backpack
Another practical gift idea is a cute tote bag or backpack so that the grad can carry all of their essentials to work.
29. Gift Card to a Shoe Store
A great pair of sneakers is essential for a nurse. A gift card to a shoe store is a great way to let your nursing grad choose the perfect pair of sneakers that match their style and provide the comfort and support they’ll need.
30. Crocs Shoes
Within the past couple years, crocs have become super popular, and for good reason.
Their wide toe design makes them exceptionally comfortable to walk in. Your nursing grad can slip into Crocs to give their feet a break after work or wear them casually for errands and outings.
