What's a good gift from a grateful family?

I think a wonderful gift would be a thank you card with a hand written message, and maybe possibly some kind of food for unit staff. Food is a great idea. The Edible Arrangements are cool but honestly, all of the units I worked on would appreciate and welcome anything . Edible Arrangements can go a couple hours without being in the fridge if I remember right.

Candy and treats are always appreciated... as is pizza.

Be sure to treat the NOC folks, too.

As a former night-shifter, you might also consider sending a gift for each shift specifically...

I've seen individuallly packaged chocolate covered pretzel rods (a couple dozen in each) decorative pail - one for each shift. Once, a patient sent huge gift bags filled with snack-sized chips (healthy and not), cookies, granola bars, etc. The thing I loved about these is that the sender marked one for each shift.

IMO, the best gift is a letter to the upper administrators of the facility, specifically naming the individuals who did a particularly good job. I always tell clients, when they're thanking me and praising me for what I did for them, "If you really feel that way and really want to thank me, tell my bosses."

That was the best thank you I ever got. I had a patient once that was an RN on an other unit at the healthcare system I worked at. She worked in a procedure area, I worked a busy med/surg/tele unit. All of her work was stuff done when the patients were under conscious sedation, she admitted she got a 'reality check - and a glimpse into what all the med/surg RNs deal with, having to explain medications, procedures, policies - to patients and families, and everything else you all do for us including how time intensive medication passes can be when done correctly'. She said she learned a lot from me, and thought I was precepting my preceptor, boy was that patient shocked to hear it when I explained I was a new grad on orientation. As they tended to do on the unit at that hospital, a rep from administration rounded on the unit, the patient mentioned the nurses who were taking great care of her, AND sent a letter to my manager and our VP and DON. I got a very nice little card in the mail from the VP and DON .

What I like is a card or a letter with my name on it sent to management.