5 Spooky-Fun Ways to Teach Phlebotomy and EKG Basics This Halloween
Turn "order of draw" and EKG interpretation practice into something students actually look forward to
TIPS FOR TEACHERSFALL, HALLOWEEN & THANKSGIVINGCLINICAL SKILLS & JUDGMENT
10/11/2026
October is prime time for review activities with a little seasonal flair — and phlebotomy and EKG skills are perfect candidates, since they genuinely benefit from repeated, low-stakes practice. Here are five ways to bring some Halloween energy into these units.
1. Turn order of draw into a "trick or treat" sorting game. Assign each tube color a "treat" or challenge card, and have students sort a mixed set of draw scenarios in the correct order to "collect" their candy (literal or points-based).
2. Use a mystery-patient EKG activity. Present a set of EKG strips as "mystery patients" students have to diagnose — add a spooky framing (a "haunted hospital" theme) to make an otherwise dry interpretation task feel like a puzzle to solve.
3. Host a costume-optional review relay. Break the class into teams and set up stations around the room — one for order of draw, one for EKG rhythm identification, one for vocabulary. Add a timer and a little friendly competition.
4. Create "haunted" case studies. Write short, slightly dramatic patient scenarios (nothing graphic — just some seasonal storytelling flair) that require students to determine the correct draw order or read an EKG strip to move the story forward.
5. Let students design their own "spooky" flashcards. Have students create Halloween-themed flashcards for tube colors, additives, or common EKG rhythms — making their own study materials is one of the best ways to retain the content.
Keep the core content just as rigorous as always — the seasonal wrapper is just there to make review day feel a little different.
Reinforcing order of draw and vital signs with your EKG and phlebotomy students? Check out our Pumpkin Patch Patients case studies and Phlebotomy Feast activity.
