Gift ideas for staff nurses/instructor

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I would like the opinion of you floor nurses who work on the floor with "us students" Next week is our last week and would like to buy a gift for the staff of nurses that we worked along side of. ( Some were very helpful and welcoming others didn't want to be bothered with us) but oviously we cannot single anyone out and will buy a gift for the floor. Is there any ideas that you all can suggest that they will appreciate?

Also, Our nursing instructor was wonderful. There are only 7 of us in our clinical group and want to give her a gift from us. She loves gardening, travels to italy every summer. She is an NP and teaches 3 clinical groups.. about 50 years old... Any suggestions?

Thanks for any ideas

Beatrice

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Beatrice:

So happy you posted, I literally was coming to post a "What should I get for my preceptor and her unit" question. Hope you (we) get some great ideas.

Michelle

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From the students I have had working with me on the floor basically the nicest thing is a thank you card. I don't really expect anything from a student because I know how broke I was in school.

It's the thought that counts.

I did have someone one year that baked THE most fantastic chocolate raspberry torte.

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Specializes in cardiac, oncology.

Bake some cookies! We all like sugar to help get us through the day.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Don't forget to thank these people in a professional way ... by writing a letter to be placed in the personel file, etc. Saying "thank you" in a personal way is nice -- but it is also important to give them the professional credit they deserve. Such professional credit will help them get a good employee evaluation, perhaps get a bigger raise, perhaps help them get a promotion in the future, etc.

The good work that they do needs to be documented in the place where it can help give them the professional reward and recognition they deserve. Too many nurses and nursing students don't pay attention to that sort of thing -- and the people who most deserve to be professionally rewarded don't get the credit (and other professional rewards) they deserve.

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I totally agree with llg. This is actually overlooked at times. A letter of recognition can go a long way if its evaluation time compared to an informal one.

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I agree with you about giving credit to the nurses who did a good job. This group gift is for the whole staff of nurses on the floor. We did not work individually with a specific nurse, mostly with our instructor.

But our instructor was wonderful and she really deserves a nice gift from us. I personally plan on writing her a thank you card expressing my experience with her. but the group is chipping in for a gift.

any more ideas?

Thanks for your help!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

We made cards for individual nurses that really stood out to us and then cards and brought goodies for the unit. Our med surge clinicals we had such an awesome CI and we were with her for 2 sometimes 3x a week for the 6 weeks. We had a sub our last night because we were scheduled an extra day and she was working at the hospital with some of us. Anyway, we all pitched in and got her some beautiful flowers with a really nice vase that was totally her. Since their were 7 of us it wasn't expensive for us all to chip in. She was totally surprised and started crying.

It's always important to me to acknowledge those that really stand out. I thank everyone but I want the nurses that were really patient or helpful or what not to us students to know, I think it's important and they will see that it is appreciated.

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For the staff nurses, that's easy -- buy everyone lunch. Maybe KFC family meals? --- just to help them get through the day w/ a lot of protein (assuming they eat and like chicken).

For the instructor, maybe a gift card to Olive Garden? I'm guessing she eats, which probably includes Italian food. This way she can use the gift card to take her family there or w/ anyone. Or right after the last clinical, just take her to lunch with the group. A nice restaurant of course, with good food. It depends on what she likes.

Of course, well-written 'thank you notes' for both the staff nurses and the instructor would come with the above lunches. I don't know, I don't think most people would see free lunches as a form of a bribe? I could be wrong.

Everyone eats, right? Well, maybe not the anorexics.

I suppose there's always flowers, to brighten up their days.

A bouquet of flowers for the staff nurses and a 'thank you note/letter.' For the instructor, a bouquet of flowers, 'thank you' note/letter, and a restaurant gift card (of her choice).

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At the end of every clinical rotation we did we got Dunkin donuts for the whole floor. We had someone stop in the morning on the way to the hospital and pick up about 2 dozens donuts/bagels and one of those coffee travelers. It was always well received.

For our clinical instructor, we got a nice Brighton lanyard.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I think the majority of my nurses would prefer a fruit tray over sweets. But a watermelon, hollow it out and fill it with various fruit that's chopped up. That's if you really want to do it. I don't really care or anything, someone taught me and I will continue to help students because it is my(our ) duty.

Good luck with your future.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Telemetry, SICU.

My clinical groups always got the instructor a nice gift, ranging from a spa gift certificate to restaurant gift cards.

For the nurses on the floor, we always wrote out a thank you note at least. For one especially helpful group, we made breakfast for them. Breakfast casserole, fruit salad, donuts, juice, the works. (It was a big unit!) :)

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