Bonus from a surgeon, anybody?

Specialties Operating Room

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

Has anybody ever gotten a gift/bonus from a surgeon you work with alot?

Just curious to see how common this is, since I just started in the or. Not that I expect anything........:uhoh3:

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

We have an ortho doc that takes a group of nurses out to a very nice dinner every December, on behalf of him and the ortho group he's a part of.

Our MDA groups pull together and order a nice big catered lunch 3 times a year (Nurses' Week, Perioperative Nurses' Week, and Christmas).

I honestly don't know if we have a policy against bonuses or such, but i personally wouldn't feel right if a doc i work with a lot offered a cash bonus. If i worked for him, and my regular salary came from him, it would be a different story.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, DOU.

what did your colleagues say about this one? If you are the only one receiving the gift, then maybe that situation deserves a bit more scrutiny. If, on the other hand, everyone is receiving the same gift, then a Merry Christmas It Is. Best wishes and Merry Christmas.

:Santa2:

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what did your colleagues say about this one? if you are the only one receiving the gift, then maybe that situation deserves a bit more scrutiny. if, on the other hand, everyone is receiving the same gift, then a merry christmas it is. best wishes and merry christmas.

:santa2:

good point. i know one doc that has a very good friendship with a tech. they do things together in their off time. he receives something special. other than that, i haven't seen a gift to an individual. it is usually like a lunch for the department or something like that.

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.
what did your colleagues say about this one? If you are the only one receiving the gift, then maybe that situation deserves a bit more scrutiny. If, on the other hand, everyone is receiving the same gift, then a Merry Christmas It Is. Best wishes and Merry Christmas.

:Santa2:

Let me clarify........I didnt receive anything, I was just curious if it *does* happen......

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It does happen occasionaly. It can cause some really hard feelings between staff members so it is best if it is done in a quiet manner away from other staff members and not bragged about.

We had 1 doc who saw me looking at a book at a book fair at our hospital and insisted on buying it for me as a gift. I was terribly embarrased by the gesture.(I finally accepted the book because he kept getting louder and more insistent and my supervisor finally told me just take it.) We have another orthopod who buys pizza for the entire surgery area and central processing about once a month. This goes over well because he's the one that we work the most overtime for. When another doc offered a cash bonus to me I refused but offered to take it for the department to order food or buy something for our lounge. I have also been offered gifts from reps that I work with frequently. Again, I have told them that I would prefer something that benefits the whole department.

I guess this is just my personal stand on gifts from surgeons etc. I have known several other nurses who will always take what is offered and never think twice about it. Our facility does have a policy about "tips" from patients but not one about gifts from surgeons.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, DOU.

hi rnotoday,

my bad. i misunderstood your original post. hmmm, i don't know. it does sound like lindaloo51 has had various experience with this one.

i tend to be wary if not everyone is benefiting. but that is just me.

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Specializes in jack of all trades, master of none.

The past week, I have seen a few docs give the nurses/techs that work with them most frequently a gift.

I have to admit, I did feel slighted when the tech I am going to be partnered with on my new team got a nice gift from the doc that we will BOTH be working for. Granted,the tech has worked with him for about a month & a half & I just got put on this team 2 weeks ago, but still.....

Hi... just call me chopped liver!!

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

Well, I have mostly seen bottles of wine given out, with the ocasional flower arrangement given to a nurse who has been there forever.

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Specializes in ER/ OR/ PACU and now Occupational Health.

At one of the larger hospitals in Houston I know that some of the docs give their scrubs really nice gifts. I think that if you work with the same doc all of the time, you become also friends with them so sometimes unless it goes over the top, it is ok to accept their gifts. Not saying that I have done this but another scrub I work with has. She said all of their docs would give their techs Christmas gifts. Ours usually don't do crap but occasionally they will get pizza or something for the department. We bust our butts for them on a daily basis so why not. Just a little thanks for the 3:00 AM Lap Chole or Appendix that was totally not needed.

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Specializes in OR,Hemodialysis.

Hi RNTODAY! Oh yes bonuses do exist! I used to work in one of the hospitals in singapore. Our surgeons gave us a bonus and a special dinner for all OR nurses. That was cool!

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Specializes in OR,Hemodialysis.

And even the new nurse in the team gets one!

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