An art break during an ED nursing shift?
It sounds a bit unbelievable.
ED nurses and staff are some of the busiest healthcare workers around. And rightly so. They provide care for patients facing some of life’s most difficult moments and must be fast-acting and quick-thinking in the process.
When these healthcare workers work together to cover duties and encourage self-care on the job, amazing things can happen.
On October 8th, 2025, ED nurses and staff from all four UF Health Gainesville Emergency Departments had the opportunity to engage in creative self-care during their shifts this week.
Day shift staff took 5-10 minutes during their shift to step outside their ED and pick up a paintbrush and cup of chalk paint. Night shifters contributed to a pre-drawn canvas with the same design displayed outside their respective Emergency Department.
Some feedback we heard from nurses and staff:
❤️🩹 “This is so therapeutic after the day I had yesterday.”
🤩 “I’m glad I made the time to come out here. It was fun!”
🙌 “I didn’t know you could paint with chalk! I’ll definitely be doing this with my kids.”
We’re inspired by these staff members’ teamwork to ensure patient care was undisturbed, and their courage to get creative when it might not feel like a priority in the moment.
Explore the event with the gallery below. Click the images to enlarge.
