20 Ice Breaker Questions for New Staff Orientation
The first day of orientation is exciting and a bit anxiety producing. Not only is your new nurse beginning their role, but they likely are starting on the same day as other members of your team or with other nurses from various departments within your organization. Whether introverted or extroverted, your new nurses have spent hours with resume writing, prepping for their interview, filling out HR forms, and even figuring out what to wear on their first day of work.
They sit down in a massive room to learn about Organizational Policy or the new IV Pump system.
It’s a bit awkward, and they may not even have a badge yet!
It’s key to carve out time to help your new nurses feel seen and that they are not just a number or someone who fits well into a staffing grid. Thoughtful ice breaker questions can do just that as well as ongoing connection and support from their leadership.
Check out our Nurse Leader connection & meeting bundle to help you stay connected as your nurse moves through orientation and beyond. Nursing Clinical leaders, our student nurse bundle will help you connect and stay organized throughout your clinical rotation.
Here are my favorite (and fun!) ice breaker questions you can use as a Nurse Educator/Nurse Leader throughout your first day or week of orientation with your new class of nurses or nursing students.
20 Ice Breaker Questions for Nurses
You walk into a patient’s room to do your assessment and they are having a dance party with family and friends. How do you react?
You are a color in a 152 Crayola Crayon box. What color would you be and why?
Who in your life has inspired you most?
If you were an animal in a zoo, what would you be? And what is your escape plan?
If you were an alarm (bed alarm, IV alarm, Pulse Oximeter, etc), what would you be and why?What was the last gift you gave and who did you give it to?
What are you currently streaming?
What is something interesting about your family history?
It’s your weekend off. What is your perfect Saturday?
Do you have a favorite podcast? What is it?
If you were a meal from the cafeteria, what would you be?
Every nurse has that trigger, the one thing that they can’t stomach. What’s yours?
What is a treasured memory from this last year?
It’s the hospital Olympics. What sport would you compete in?
IV Team Challenge
Code Blue
Baby Swaddling
Patient Ambulation
EPIC Superuser
Dressing Changes
When a patient is discharged and talk about the care they received, what would you like to be known for?
What is the worst job you’ve ever had?
What shift are you working and why?
Surprise! You just stumbled upon an extra four hours of free time in your day on a day off. What would you do with it?
Share an embarrassing moment from nursing school.
The zombie apocalypse is coming. Who are three people you want on your team?
You just had an amazing shift with your favorite patient. Describe your favorite patient.
