Do your families give you anything for the holidays?

[CloudySue]

I dunno, it's not like I'm really looking to GET anything, but holidays seem to be a good time for families to demonstrate how much one is NOT appreciated. I sat at the table doing my paperwork while the clinical manager came for her monthly visit, and the mom gave her two gift bags: one for her and one for the scheduling manager. Right in front of my face. I left empty-handed, and I've been her daughter's favorite nurse for two years.

[nursel56]

I'm not working as a PDN currently, but we have PDNs in the home. We gave our nurses iTunes/App Store and Racetrack gift cards. They weren't much ($25/$25 split) so total $50 worth of gifts in a card signed by each of us, "including" Gemma (not her real name). Everyone of the 6 nurses seemed really thankful, except one who is only here twice per month, who went out of her way to tell me her full time case gave her a subscription of some kind to Amazon with coffees for her professional grade Keurig.

Some people. . . . That is just awful. Especially because you are actually quite generous!

I usually get a handmade item crafted by a caregiver who works with my patient's sister. I really like that. Once they gave me a home sewn scrub top. I also got a really cute pin made from beads and a safety pin they attached to a leopard-print polar fleece muffler. Really sweet.

[CloudySue]

I'm not working as a PDN currently, but we have PDNs in the home. We gave our nurses iTunes/App Store and Racetrack gift cards. They weren't much ($25/$25 split) so total $50 worth of gifts in a card signed by each of us, "including" Gemma (not her real name). Everyone of the 6 nurses seemed really thankful, except one who is only here twice per month, who went out of her way to tell me her full time case gave her a subscription of some kind to Amazon with coffees for her professional grade Keurig. It made me feel really bad and a bit awkward, too, because we happened to be talking about it over coffee I had just made in my Cuisinart single serve coffeemaker (uses K-cups) that I was so excited about purchasing on sale at Big Lots... I'll probably think long and hard about whether to give gifts to the nurses again next year.

I know tone of voice gets lost in writing, so you are certain she just wasn't telling you as a matter of interest, rather than accusing you of not doing enough? That WAS her full time case, maybe she was just thinking she was telling you about how crazy generous they were, not realizing how it sounded? I don't know what sort of subscriptions Amazon offers, but if it was anything like Netflix, that would make sense since she's always spending lots of hours with them.

[HisTreasure, BSN, RN]

I know tone of voice gets lost in writing, so you are certain she just wasn't telling you as a matter of interest, rather than accusing you of not doing enough? That WAS her full time case, maybe she was just thinking she was telling you about how crazy generous they were, not realizing how it sounded? I don't know what sort of subscriptions Amazon offers, but if it was anything like Netflix, that would make sense since she's always spending lots of hours with them.

I admit, sometimes I can be overly sensitive so I did re-evaluate the conversation after Gemma woke up and she went back into the room to do cares. It made me feel uncomfortable. We have a lady come and clean once a week and she overheard her. I didn't ask that day, but I asked later (because it bugged me something awful!) and she agreed the nurse sounded snotty. Her demeanor and attitude didn't really fit in the context or tone of the conversation. Gifts had been given out the week prior to our regulars. Hers was in a small gift bag with the card, some chocolates, peppermints, and tissue paper waiting for her on the bedside table when she came in. She comes at 5:30 to relieve the night nurse who leaves early on Wednesdays for class, so I was asleep when she came. I woke up at 7, made the coffee at 8, and offered her a cup because I saw on the monitor that Gem was still asleep. She came out; I asked her if she had seen the gift bag and did she know it was for her, and she said she had. No thank you, acknowledgement of anything, just flat affect "yes." Then she made herself a K-Cup, and then started talking about her subscription. "Oh, I thought you said you were going to get a Keurig. This isn't a real Keurig." I reply about the sale and liking the style of the Cuisinart, still taken aback by the lack of appreciation or acknowledgement regarding the gift and she goes on to the say: "Well, I've heard these aren't as good. You should get [model number]. It's more expensive but it'll last you. I love mine, and the X's gave me an auto subscription to get my favorite coffee from Amazon for the next 6 months. I just love them. I love coffee!" All gushy and authoritative. It didn't feel right to me. I don't think she was being purposefully nasty or ungrateful, but it kind of came off that way. I don't know...

[fireball78]

Kiyasmom,

$50 worth of gifts? Wow! That is extremely generous!! That nurse certainly sounded ungrateful which is a shame! I received a lovely Christmas gift from a family I had only been with for 3 nights before, and I was so touched and thankful. I wasn't expecting anything. A card would be nice, but an actual gift should never be "expected" IMHO. Thank you for showing gratitude to your fellow nurses and I'm sorry that one nurse ruined part of the holiday mood. Shame on her.

[Tired_Mommy]

My main case gave me a card and $25 gift card. I was very surprised as I had only been with them for a month. I would had been happy with a simple "Merry Christmas"...seriously. I'm thrilled to have this case...safe home/neighborhood, sweet client and wonderful parents. I've had some awful assignments...so simply having this particular case is enough for me.

[Adele_Michal7, ASN, RN]

Yeah that's really rude. If I was your nurse I would've been thanking you left and right. Wow.