Nurses week Cheap gifts from admin.

[nilepoc]

So, with nurses week coming up, I was fondly remembering all the neat swag my employer has offered me as a token of their appreciation.

Over the last four years as a nurse I have received -

A calculator that broke in one week,

A fanny pack that was made out of sheet plastic,

A coupon for a free cookie from the cafeteria,

Shoelaces with the hospital logo,

A lunch bag made out of the same sheet plastic as the fanny pack,

And the only gift that was ever usefull, a badge holder like the drug reps give out where your badge is on a string with a spring.

so what kind of gifts does your institution pony up for?

There have to be some worse ones than mine.

We all know that a cheap trinket from our employer will ensure our future longevity with said institution. So what made you stay working where you are.

[Sjackson983]

Our hospital gave us these great plastic pens with RN on the cap. Their generosity never ends. One year, it was arranged for us to clean up a park across the street from the hospital. Needless to say, they never planned a day in the park again. One year we received a key chain (one of those little ring things) with the name of the hospital on it.

[nurseratchett29]

Well, I waited a whole week. Still Nothing! I shouldn't be surprised. I did casually mention to one of the docs in my practice that the hospital hadn't given us anything and she gave me a pound of coffee. I guess that's good considering she usually treats me like her personal servant rather than her nurse. I was very impressed with the fact the during secretaries week, the girls in the office all got gifts from the hospital and the practice manager gave them mugs with candy in them and also gave the same mugs to us during secretaries week. I guess i;ve graduated to secretrary this year. Pretty soon they'll be paying me like one if I don't watch out. Any way, I thought that maybe, just maybe, this year would be different. I guess I was wrong again. They say the ultimate defination of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I feel like Linus sitting in the Pumpkin Patch all night waiting for the Great Pumpkin to appear. Oh, well, some things just never change. I can't wait until boss'es week so I can give the practice manager her invisible gift. Boy is it great to be appreciated!!!

[boobaby42]

I wrote our newspaper to mention maybe they should give nurses the same amount of exposure as teachers, for instance. Well, I noticed a small article about a nurse/felon in a day or two after that. Wow.

[nurseratchett29]

Boy, I stay away for a couple of weeks and all kinds of stuff gets posted. What's this from RNCM about how we should be ashamed? I take my work very seriously and love what I do. My patients frequently thank me and for the most part are very nice. Of course, I get my share of pains in the ass but that comes with the territory. The point is that although my job is to take care of my patients, they are not the ones who pay me or who I have to answer to day in and day out. It would be nice to be shown some appreciation and gratitute from those who sign my paycheck instead of only being adressed when they feel there is a problem. Everyone needs to feel appreciated and that;s what nurse's week is supposed to be all about. Recognizing the hard work we do to try to improve people's lives. It is true that I didn't go into nursing to be recognized, however, a kind gesture (and one that doesn't include the old single finger salute) would be nice. It is cheaper to provide job satisfaction than it is to recruit and train new hires constantly. Just a thought.

[ChristenLPN, LPN]

Originally posted by JBudd

Got a key chain last year, the stone fell out and the ring broke, and what's left is still on the floor of my van.

On the other hand, the administrators actually showed up on the night shift with hot carts of pizza from OUTSIDE the hospital, one of the good places in town!

JBudd, where in NM are you? I have seen several posts recently from NM nurses and it is interesting to know what is going on outside my little corner!

Happy Nurses Week!

[l.rae]

dear dskrn, where have you been? nurses are acting....ever hear of the nursing shortage?????????? :chuckle

[l.rae]

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[l.rae]

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[dskrn1955]

Dear l.rae, Touché!! I just meant that for those nurses who commented on their cr*ppy gifts, maybe they should help plan the nurses day celebrations. I was pretty shocked to read that there are places out there who do NOTHING for their nurses. Acting comes in many forms, and one of those is definately choosing to work somewhere you are appreciated.

[Goofball]

The docs and managers used to have pizzas or chinese food delivered, a different meal each day of the week for both shifts. But they haven't done anything for years now. We did have the choice of getting some free ice cream one day, but I wasn't working and sure wasn't coming in for that.

I'd like not floating ever again as a nursing appreciation thing.

[l.rae]

Dear dskrn..glad ya have a sense of humor! I'm the unit shutterbug...I love taking pictures of my co-workers. Believe it or not, people love to see ther picture, it's a real morale booster...don't know why. I mean admit it...who do you look for first in a group photo? Well anyway,, I took all these pictures and had a cheap color copy made, cut those up and made a neat colage(spelling?) color coppied the colage and the picture put on a cake...brought it in for Nurses Week It was a big hit...LR

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

Originally posted by dskrn1955

My suggestion to all of you who are not happy with your nurses day celebrations: get involved! Let someone know that you would like to help plan the nurses day celebration.

If you had read my post, you would see that we did try to get involved and give management ideas. They shot us down because the cost to them was $1 per nurse.

Hey, while I'm at it, maybe I should plan my own birthday parties too!

Heather