Holiday Gifts for PCT's

[PinkNBlue]

Do you give gifts to your PCT's/CNA's for the Holidays? If so, what have you done in the past? I would like to do something for them as I am so grateful for all of their hard work, especially being shorter staffed. Just looking for some ideas. :) Thanks!

[RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN]

I'm a tech. The hospital supplies all the pens I could ever need! I think bringing a food item to share or packaged to take home is the easiest and most appreciative. I know as a teacher, I (and my family) appreciated food the most. I didn't need another ornament, coffee mug, tote bag, or candle.

[PinkNBlue, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the ideas! I was planning on the same gift for everyone, maybe a bit of variation but mostly, the same.

Appreciate it! :)

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Shoot I make everyone cookies. Sorry if you don't want them regift them. I am the one who takes the time to make several different kinds. I am the one who takes the time to get nice tins to put them in. If you don't like my gift it's your loss.

[SweettartRN]

I don't give "holiday gifts" but I give Christmas gifts of candy or food usually.

[mappers]

One year I ordered several packages of the Mary Kay sample hand lotions from my sister in law (The stuff only reps are supposed to buy), put it in a gift bag on the desk with a card thanking everyone and being great coworkers and invited them to help themselves. Another year i ordered packs of smelly votive candles from my daughters fund raiser and wrapped them individually in tissue paper. I gave everyone one of those as well.

I agree to get everyone the same thing or something people can share.

[tigerlogic]

There's a huge difference between home crafted cookies (awesome! Super thoughtful!) and a bunch of supermarket low quality sugar and lard processed cookies (probably meant well, but not actually thoughtful overall). But that's just my two cents. I also work at a place where only one in five people eat free donuts at staff meetings and the rest get wasted. Regardless of what you decide, it's a sweet gesture to thank you PCTs.

[Staragate, ADN, ASN, RN]

Personalized cards and maybe comfy socks. The kind you can't wait to put on because they are so soft!

[AlphaPig]

I get every one I work with a $1 scratch off Christmas lotto with a candy cane taped to it. Cheap, easy, everyone gets the same thing and people love them!

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Or get a box of Christmas bulbs and a gold or silver pen and write their names on them--attach that to a scratch ticket or a coffee mug. Or a re-usable water bottle.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

I think the efforts that go into homemade foods are thoughtful, but people should be mindful that many do not eat sugary or fatty foods, even at the holidays. It really would be a shame to waste your time and money making these snacks just to have them go unappreciated. Just a thought to keep in mind when you are planning your gifts. It isn't really a thoughtful gift if you know the recipient isn't likely to partake. Anyone who knows me would know I would never eat cookies or candy, so to give me cookies or candy would just be odd. It is akin to saying, "I know you don't really like this, but I don't care because I give everyone the same thing regardless, because it is easier for me than considering your personal feelings or tastes." Generally gift giving is best done with the recipient in mind.

That said, I am planning on giving all the clinic nurses, MAs and PCTs and support staff AmEx gift cards in the same amount. I will also be giving my MA an additional gift of cash.

[Ntheboat2]

I just don't like the idea of gifts (other than food/candy sharing) at work with the exception of a "secret santa" or some kind of gift exchange game that everyone willingly participates in.

For many people, the holidays are stressful just trying to come up with the money for gifts to give your own children. I always preferred co-workers not give me gifts because even though people say, "oh, it doesn't matter" there's still always the thought, even if it's only the person receiving the gift, that they should've gotten gifts too.

To me, this is even more of an issue when you work with people who have clearly different rates of pay. When I worked as a tech, I worked with about 20 different nurses and there were only about 5 of us techs. If the nurses all brought gifts, and I felt obligated to do the same, I'd be looking at a lot of $$ that I didn't have.

I know everyone doesn't agree with that thought process, but coming from a former tech who dreaded (and still dreads) the financial stress of holidays, I think a gift that can be shared by everyone with no names attached is the most thoughtful.

[PinkNBlue, BSN, RN]

I understand people feel differently about giving gifts but in the past, on my unit, the nurses have all given the techs a small gift as a token of appreciation for all of their hard work throughout the year. We have a smaller amount of techs this year and they've worked extra hard picking up extra and so forth. I was a tech on the unit before becoming a nurse and I thought it was nice and thoughtful for the nurses to think of us. It's ok if some of you disagree with it or don't think it's a good idea for you or your unit. But it's something I'd like to do and am interested in hearing what those that feel the same way, have to say. The point of the post was to hear some ideas as to what some of you may be giving your techs if you partake in giving a small gift for Christmas/Holidays/whatever you may call it and is PC. :) Thanks for those that have given suggestions. It is much appreciated :)