Appreciated in different ways...

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2006

I had a DON that would make us care packages filled to the brim with lotions, candles, calm music CD's, slippers, and other things to illicit relaxation after a hard day. She would even make a poem that pointed to each gift in a special way...it was creative and very special. She also went as far as to know your hobbies or things you like and represent that too...like Asian style items for me or frogs! It was very special!!!! Got that for 4 years....

Now...lots of free food, discounts at the giftshop and other stores around the area, awesome benifits, discount on travel and lodging places (I am talking like 70% off major resorts!), and excellent pay! I like this too because it is year round!

LOL, but one "nurses appreciation" day when I worked in a Developmentally Disabled Group facility...they did a small lunch and then tricked us by having an inservice about 'patient safety with restraints' which was basically how to take a hit from a patient and suffer less harm (I am serious...they actually showed us how to properly get beat up and not retailate in any way!!!!). Okay now that SUCKED!!!!!!!!!! (I left shortly after that...showed to me they cared alright...take the hit and don't bother them with workers comp!).

ArmyMSN · Nov 1, 2006

Getting frequent luxury/pampering type gifts is a good deal - save the cheap trinkets for someone else, imo.

allnurses Guide · Nov 1, 2006

On Nurse's Day, cheap junk, except one year a nice large tote bag with the hospital logo.

But, at Thanksgiving for the last few years a certificate for a free turkey (up to 12 or 15 pounds).

This year, no holiday reason stated except to say we are appreciated, all full time employees got a $200 card for Shell gasoline, part-timers got $150, perdiems also got a card (not sure how much).

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Nov 1, 2006

I had a DON that would make us care packages filled to the brim with lotions, candles, calm music CD's, slippers, and other things to illicit relaxation after a hard day. She would even make a poem that pointed to each gift in a special way...it was creative and very special. She also went as far as to know your hobbies or things you like and represent that too...like Asian style items for me or frogs! It was very special!!!! Got that for 4 years....

I'll bet she paid for that stuff out of her own pocket.

Watch, with company logo; nice big tote bag, hospital logo; small ham at Christmas; grocery gift card; lanyards, pens, shoelaces; once I actually got a bonus check for real $$$$!!!

ikimiwi · Nov 2, 2006

on er nurses day we got a card, but the clinical coordinator bought us supper. We used to get $100 check at Christmas from the er docs, but other departments complained so the docs were told not allowed to give us cash. So now they throw a holiday party,but half of us are working 3-11 so they alternate weekends. liked the cash, but it is one hell of a party!!!

muffie, RN · Nov 2, 2006

plastic whistle, extremely cheap water bottle, triangular pen with pink highlighter at other end[at hosp we use yellow highlighter for d/c meds on mar], free cup of coffee during nurses' week[used to get a free muffin too but i guess that was just way too expensive], lanyards, keychain with tiny light, t-shirt

the best part is that they just changed the hospital logo[once again with no nurse input[no nurse input in anything]]and a lovely glossy handbook to explain our mission

wonder what that lovely endeavour cost

:confused:

MS._Jen_RN, ASN, RN · Nov 2, 2006

In the past the facility has been pretty good to us. (Umbrellas, pen, lunchbags, t-shirts) this year we got (for RN Day) a very small, thin mouse pad that you can put a photo in with, of course, a logo. We (practice council) told the DON for the hospital that, while we appreciated the idea, there were better ways to spend so little that wouldn't leave us feeling like we got the consilation prize at a school carnival. Sometimes getting nothing is better than feeling second rate.

~Jen

kate1114 · Nov 2, 2006

while we appreciated the idea, there were better ways to spend so little that wouldn't leave us feeling like we got the consilation prize at a school carnival. Sometimes getting nothing is better than feeling second rate.
~Jen

That's a great perspective. The best gifts came out several years ago when we would get a coupon for a turkey or ham at Christmas or Thanksgiving time. They would store the meats in a freezer by the cafeteria. So very nice! Then a lot of grocery stores started having "turkey bucks" so that if you shopped there you could save up for a free turkey.

Nursing week gifts have included:

nice totes (great idea)

lunch bags (but it would be nice if they had different designs, because sometimes it's hard to find your lunch bag when they are all the same!) umbrellas (great if they work)

ceramic mugs (never use them)

thermos mugs (better idea)

a gym bag (worked awesome for a trip to the beach)

a fanny pack (???? never use these!)

a blanket that rolled into a carrying case (excellent idea for our cool climate)

a foldup chair (good idea but haven't used it yet)

pens (always useful)

I don't mind logos as long as they are tastefully done. I would like something that is well thought out (and not the same exact thing each year as I have many many bags) and sturdy. Having an umbrella fall apart or a bag tear within weeks shows a poor choice!!!

kate1114 · Nov 2, 2006

Another idea they had at one hospital was a $10 coupon book which could be used for anything in the hospital. We had several gift/flower shops which had cute items, and the coupons were good at the cafeteria as well. They had an early January expiration date, and we always rushed to one of the shops to spend the money the weekend before expiration LOL

I don't work there anymore (moved out of state) but after I left they started giving $10 Walmart gift cards. I didn't like that because not everyone lived near a Walmart (none located within the big city), some people don't like shopping at Walmart, and if someone doesn't use them, then the hospital paid $10 for nothing. If the staff didn't use the $10 coupons, then the hospital actually saved money, which I thought was a smart idea since there were lots of things to get in-house.

jack19 · Nov 3, 2006

is that all......???

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Nov 3, 2006

I've gotten most all the cheap useless things mentioned above.

One year our hospital had us line up after work and pick up our frozen turkey. Now this isn't useless, it's kind of a nice gift. But I was a single 22yr girl. I donated the turkey to the local shelter, they were happy to have it.

One item I got one year for nurses day that I really liked was a current issue nurse's PDR. Very useful and quite a nice gift I thought.

One I found oh so amusing was at a hospital that I worked weekend nights. There were few ancillary departments on through the weekend and certainly no maintenance folks around. So this one year all the nursing staff got what I call a Gerber Multi-Tool. Kind of a convertible tool that has phillips, slot, pliers, so on. They should have attached a can of WD-40. I guess right about time we got these I had several issues over the weekend where I needed maintenance and found it ironic that instead of having them around they gave me the tools to just fix things myself.

jack19 · Nov 9, 2006

Today i have got a great gift in form of a nice "locket".....from a patient its really very beautiful