Nurses play a vital role in healthcare, providing compassionate care and medical expertise. Their challenging jobs require intelligence, quick thinking, and problem-solving skills. Riddles offer a fun way to exercise critical thinking. In this article, we’ve compiled 101 riddles about nurses, nursing, medicine, hospitals, and more. Test your wit and see if you can solve them!
Opening Questions
Q: What makes a great nurse?
A: Intelligence, empathy, attention to detail, calm under pressure. The best nurses blend medical knowledge with genuine caring.
Q: Why are nurses often called “unsung heroes”?
A: Nurses provide constant care at patients’ bedsides, monitoring their conditions. Doctors develop treatment plans, but nurses make them happen through vigilant and skilled care.
Q: What are some key duties of nurses?
A: Administering medications and treatments, recording patient medical histories, operating medical equipment, assisting in examinations and procedures, educating patients on health management.
Q: What are the most important skills for a nurse?
A: Caregiving, communication, critical thinking, decision making, attention to detail, stamina, emotional stability. Nurses must juggle many demanding tasks.
Q: What makes the work so challenging?
A: Nurses face heavy workloads. They’re on their feet for long hours and must maintain intense focus to notice changes in patients that require quick action. They deal with stress from life-and-death situations.
General Riddles
Q: What do you call a nurse who loves candy?
A: A nursie with a sweet tooth!
Q: Why did the nurse keep a red pen in her pocket?
A: In case she needed to draw blood!
Q: How does a nurse which her car had a great day?
A: She checks under the hood for vascular congestion.
Q: Why did the nurse get fired from the morgue?
A: She kept losing patients!
Q: What was the baby corn’s diagnosis after seeing the nurse?
A: Just a little husky!
Q: What do you call a parade of nurse practitioners?
A: A walk-in clinic!
Q: Why does a nurse make the worst criminal?
A: Because she cares too much!
Q: When does a nurse go “hmmph?”
A: When she’s doing a chest examination!
Q: How does a nurse like her coffee?
A: On intravenous drip!
Q: Why did the nurse put a red, rubber nozzle on the patient’s ear?
A: To reach their blood pressure!
Hospital Riddles
Q: What did the nurse say when she looked at her patient’s rash?
A: “This condition looks contagious!”
Q: How does a nurse working the night shift stay awake?
A: Lots of IV caffeine!
Q: Where do nurses go to chat?
A: The nurses’ station!
Q: How does a sleepy nurse stay alert during a long shift?
A: Take some medicine for nurses’ aid!
Q: When does a hospital get very loud?
A: When all the nurses are shouting “STAT!”
Q: How does a nurse working overnight stay warm?
A: Bundle up in isolation gowns!
Q: What’s it called when a nurse works on New Year’s Eve?
A: Celebrating with IV cheer!
Q: Why did the nurse keep running down the hallway?
A: There was a code blue!
Q: What’s the nurses’ favorite hospital room?
A: The recovery room – it’s always full of patients getting better!
Q: What did one IV line say to the other?
A: “I’m vein to burst!”
Medical Riddles
Q: Why are nurses so good at drawing blood?
A: They have a lot of vein experience!
Q: What did the nurse say to her dizzy patient?
A: “Vertigo right ahead and take a seat in the waiting room!”
Q: Why do nurses hate being on hold?
A: It makes their patients’ blood pressure rise!
Q: How does a nurse check her patient’s reflexes?
A: Tap the knee and check for kicking!
Q: What’s a nurse’s favorite snack?
A: Blood sausages!
Q: Why do nurses walk softly in the ICU?
A: So they don’t wake up the coma patients!
Q: How does a nurse measure blood?
A: In milliliters – though some just do it for the hemo-globin!
Q: Why do nurses wear so many bobby pins?
A: To put patients’ x-rays back together!
Q: What do you call it when a patient codes in the bathroom?
A: A case of potty arrest!
Q: How does a nurse treat kleptomania?
A: Take something for it!
Nursing School Riddles
Q: Why did the nursing school instructor keep saying “STAT?”
A: To get students to learn faster!
Q: How do nurses clean their hands during flu season?
A: With antiviral soap and hot water – for at least 20 seconds!
Q: Which class do nursing students hate the most?
A: Anatomy – so many body parts to memorize!
Q: What’s the hardest part of nursing clinical rotations?
A: Changing bedpans without grimacing!
Q: How do you make a nursing school graduate feel better after failing the NCLEX exam?
A: Just reassure her she can take it again!
Q: What did the nursing professor say to the struggling student?
A: “Don’t lose heart – you can resuscitate your grade!”
Q: Why did the nursing student bring gloves, gauze, and tape to class?
A: For hands-on wound care practice – to pass the skills exam!
Q: How did the nursing students prepare for final exams?
A: With all-night study sessions at the hospital!
Q: What’s a nursing student’s favorite breakfast before a big test?
A: Granola bars and coffee – easy to eat on the go!
Q: Why do nursing students get stressed during flu season?
A: Worried they’ll catch something from patients and miss clinicals!
Nurse’s Duties Riddles
Q: Why do nurses press and release the veins when starting an IV?
A: To see if the valve is working by checking that the vein refills!
Q: How can you identify a nurse outside the hospital?
A: They’ll instinctively check anyone who falls over!
Q: How does a nurse check if a patient is dehydrated?
A: By pinching up the skin and seeing if it snaps back quickly!
Q: What’s a nurse’s favorite dinner food after a long shift?
A: Comfort food like mac and cheese – easy to reheat!
Q: How does a nurse get ready for her night shift?
A: With a big coffee and packing a healthy dinner!
Q: What’s a sure sign your nurse had a busy day?
A: Her comfortable shoes have fallen off!
Q: How can you tell if your nurse had a chaotic shift?
A: Look for coffee stains on her scrubs!
Q: How does your nurse check your platelet level?
A: With a blood sample tested by the lab!
Q: What does the nurse say to her replacement at shift change?
A: “Let me give you the IV report on these patients!”
Q: Why does the nurse stop the IV for a few seconds?
A: To check for infiltration by seeing if the swelling goes down!
Nursing Specialties Riddles
Q: Why do ER nurses walk so quickly?
A: To get to the trauma patients STAT!
Q: How does the ICU nurse monitor her critical patient?
A: With constant watch of the vital signs monitor!
Q: What does the labor nurse say when the baby is almost born?
A: “I can see the head crowning!”
Q: How does the pediatric nurse distract a crying baby getting shots?
A: With funny faces and toys to hold!
Q: Why do OR nurses have great stamina?
A: They’re on their feet for surgeries lasting hours!
Q: How does the postpartum nurse help with breastfeeding?
A: By teaching proper holds and position!
Q: What does the hospice nurse monitor closely?
A: Pain levels and providing comforting care.
Q: Why do psychiatric nurses stay so calm?
A: Their patients need gentle reassurance.
Q: What does the wound care nurse reach for first?
A: The latest dressing and compression materials!
Q: What’s the orthopedic nurse’s favorite snack?
A: Yogurt with extra calcium for bone health!
Nurse’s Schedule Riddles
Q: Why do nurses request to work day shifts?
A: No disruptive night shifts messing with sleep patterns!
Q: What’s a nurse’s least favorite rotation?
A: The night shift – say goodbye to normal sleep!
Q: How does working weekends affect nurses?
A: Sunday scaries wondering what the week will bring!
Q: Why do nurses nap on their days off after a stretch of shifts?
A: To catch up on much needed rest!
Q: What do nurses feel when working overnights?
A: Exhaustion from an opposite sleep schedule!
Q: How do nurses reset after a week of 12-hour shifts?
A: With a relaxing “staycation” to recover!
Q: Why do nurses request cluster shifts?
A: To maximize days off!
Q: What do nurses feel ahead of a string of busy shifts?
A: Anxious anticipation!
Q: What do nurses want most after back-to-back double shifts?
A: Uninterrupted sleep!
Q: Why do nurses dislike rotating shifts?
A: Tough to flip between day and night cycles!
Hardworking Nurses Riddles
Q: How can you spot a nurse after a long shift?
A: Bloodshot eyes and a caffeine tremor!
Q: Why do nurses become so skilled with IVs?
A: Inserting them hundreds of times per shift!
Q: What do you call a nurse who never takes a lunch break?
A: Dedicated!
Q: How do you know when your nurse had a rough shift?
A: When she collapses into the first chair she sees!
Q: Why are nurses so good at dodging busy hospital traffic?
A: Excellent evasive maneuvers learned on the job!
Q: What do nurses and vampires have in common?
A: Working the graveyard shift!
Q: Why do nurses become so savvy?
A: When you see everything, you learn a lot!
Q: Why are nurses’ feet so tough?
A: Miles walked during 12-hour shifts – even clogs can’t protect enough!
Q: Why do nurses chug water on hectic days?
A: Not even time to stop for hydration!
Q: What do nurses want most after a stressful shift?
A: A hot shower and their comfiest pajamas!
Nurse’s Skills Riddles
Q: How does a nurse know if an IV line is blocked?
A: When the IV fluid doesn’t drip through the line!
Q: What’s the best way for a nurse to lift a patient?
A: Proper body mechanics – use those leg muscles!
Q: How does a nurse remain poised in emergencies?
A: Drawing on training and experience!
Q: What is a nurse’s go-to stress-reliever after a tough shift?
A: Talking through events with colleagues.
Q: How does a nurse prioritize a chaotic to-do list?
A: Tackle the most urgent tasks first!
Q: What is a nurse’s superpower?
A: Catching subtle symptoms of brewing trouble.
Q: How does a nurse respond to a combative patient?
A: With compassion and de-escalation techniques.
Q: What do experienced nurses rely on?
A: Their honed instincts.
Q: How does a nurse reassure a scared patient?
A: With empathy, patience and explanations.
Q: Why do nurses become so observant?
A: It’s key to providing optimal care!
Nurse’s Treatment Riddles
Q: How does a nurse help a dehydrated patient?
A: Administering fluids through an IV.
Q: What’s a nurse’s first step to treat low blood pressure?
A: Have the patient lie down and raise their feet.
Q: How does a nurse treat infections?
A: With prescribed antibiotics and disinfecting.
Q: What does a nurse put on a wound to promote healing?
A: Antibiotic ointment under the proper dressing!
Q: How does a nurse treat chest pain?
A: Administering nitroglycerin and oxygen.
Q: What’s a nurse’s go-to for bringing down a fever?
A: Acetaminophen or cooling blankets.
Q: How does a nurse help normalize a patient’s heart rhythm?
A: Medications and/or electrical cardioversion.
Q: What do nurses do for patients in isolation?
A: Don protective gear and meticulously disinfect.
Q: How does a nurse treat low blood sugar?
A: Administering orange juice or glucose tabs.
Q: What does a nurse do for uncontrolled pain?
A: Consult the physician about stronger medication.
Nurse’s Care Riddles
Q: How does a nurse comfort a grieving patient?
A: With a compassionate presence and listening ear.
Q: What’s a nurse’s secret weapon for calming patients?
A: Therapeutic touch – a hand to hold goes a long way.
Q: What does a nurse offer a patient having trouble sleeping?
A: Warm milk, blankets, back rubs and relaxation techniques.
Q: How does a nurse care for new parents after delivery?
A: Teaching infant care and offering reassurance.
Q: How does a nurse care for a car crash victim?
A: Vigilant trauma monitoring and emotional support.
Q: What does an end-of-life nurse provide?
A: Respect, dignity and comfort during final days.
Q: How does a nurse care for an anxious patient?
A: With compassion, active listening, and relaxation skills.
Q: What does a nurse give a patient having surgery?
A: Reassurance, kind words and a warm blanket.
Q: How does a pediatric nurse connect with young patients?
A: Getting on their level, using toys and fun distractions.
Q: What does a hospice nurse focus on?
A: Quality of life and pain management.
Nurse’s Knowledge Riddles
Q: Why do nurses know where everything is in supply rooms?
A: They constantly retrieve items several times a shift!
Q: How does a nurse know how to operate complex equipment?
A: Extensive training to master all medical technology.
Q: What’s a nurse’s secret to accurate diagnoses?
A:connecting subtle symptoms to identify issues.
Q: Why are nurses so knowledgeable about medications?
A: They administer them all day long!
Q: How does a nurse learn so much about diseases?
A: See one case and you’ve seen them all!
Q: Why does a nurse know just what the doctor needs?
A: Great intuition developed on the job.
Q: What gives nurses their encyclopedic knowledge?
A: Continuing education and years of experience.
Q: How does a nurse learn intricate body systems?
A: Advanced anatomy and physiology courses.
Q: Why does it seem like nurses know everything?
A: They are founts of medical information.
Q: How does a nurse know how to handle any emergency?
A: Drilled-in responses from scenarios.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed testing your critical thinking skills on these 101 nursing riddles! Nurses must utilize quick wit, medical knowledge, and problem-solving capabilities each day on the job. These lighthearted riddles offer an entertaining glimpse into the nursing profession. Next time you visit the hospital, be sure to thank a nurse for the vital care they provide – it’s no joke! Their long shifts, compassion and medical expertise promote healing and save lives every day.
