Gifts/cards etc to thank clinical instructor?

tokyoROSE, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2011

What my clinical group has always done is have everyone contribute money, normally $10. We've gotten them gift cards to REI, year pass to the zoo, movie tickets, etc.

Hobbes02 · Apr 22, 2011

You clinical instructor told you to bring in something for the floor nurses!? That sounds very unprofessional.. it also seems like a conflict of interest. If you really think they were that awesome then go for it, otherwise I wouldn't do it. If anything, a hand-signed card from all of you expressing your gratitude would be a better idea, IMO. :twocents:

AOX4RN, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 23, 2011

It's no secret bringing treats to the floor where you did your rotation is schmoozing. Our instructors encourage it also. No harm, IMHO. But for the teacher, a card. It's her job to be your teacher and she gets paid a lot more than you

mom2rjns · Apr 23, 2011

We have ALWAYS given something to the staff and our instructor. I think it's more unprofessional NOT to give something. We usually bring in food for the staff. And we also give a card to our instructor. After all, we give her enough trouble being students.

AOx1 · Apr 23, 2011

I am a nursing instructor and my favorite gift is a framed photo of the clinical group! Can't go wrong with that & a sincere card. Many schools don't allow gifts over a certain amount and I am a vegan so this makes it uncomfortable when I'm presented with some foods. I just thank them kindly for the gift, then feed it to my hubby. One year I received homemade beef jerky :) It is the thought that counts!

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

You clinical instructor told you to bring in something for the floor nurses!? That sounds very unprofessional.. it also seems like a conflict of interest. If you really think they were that awesome then go for it, otherwise I wouldn't do it. If anything, a hand-signed card from all of you expressing your gratitude would be a better idea, IMO.

The nurses often don't have a choice in having students, it can be a big burden and disruption to them. If they took it in stride and were good to the students how an it bring wrong to thank them??

We have always done something for our instructors and the unit we were on. The only time we didn't was when we switched units constantly, in that case we did something special for a nurse that made an impact on us.

pitaya · Apr 23, 2011

I am a nursing instructor and my favorite gift is a framed photo of the clinical group! Can't go wrong with that & a sincere card. Many schools don't allow gifts over a certain amount and I am a vegan so this makes it uncomfortable when I'm presented with some foods. I just thank them kindly for the gift, then feed it to my hubby. One year I received homemade beef jerky :) It is the thought that counts!

I am so glad you said that because my clinical group gave our instructor a framed photo of us.

sandyfeet · Apr 23, 2011

I never thought of giving my instructor a framed photo of the group but it's a great suggestion! I'm bringing it up to my group!

We always bring something for the nurses at the end of the semester. Some of them really go above and beyond to make sure we have opportunities to practice unusual skills or witness cool things. My instructor was fabulous this semester, but I can easily think of 5 nurses that made it their mission for the day to blow my mind, challenge me positively, and foster my learning. I'm actually writing a thank you letter to one nurse that I spent a day with for hospice care because she framed the day so positively and was so amazing, it made me really consider hospice nursing as a potential career.

To the OP, a heartfelt card has always gone over well for the instructor. Once I saw a framed paper in a professor's office where the students had written down all of the quirky sayings she had repeated over the semester! It was very cute and all the more funny because she was still using the same sayings!

Hobbes02 · Apr 24, 2011

The nurses often don't have a choice in having students, it can be a big burden and disruption to them. If they took it in stride and were good to the students how an it bring wrong to thank them?

I don't think it's wrong to thank them, but I do think it's wrong for the clinical instructor to tell them to bring something in (sounded like more of a command than a suggestion).

FWIW I'm in my third rotation and I haven't thought about giving any of them a gift. None of them have stood out in my mind to the point where I would thank them any more than I already have; heck, I get a different nurse every day and I can hardly remember their names. Not to say that I haven't been happy with them, but gifts? idk, maybe it's a regional thing? none of my classmates have gotten gifts for any of their RN's/instructors either as far as I know.

Just to clarify, I'm not against gifts, I just haven't had that 'awesome' experience yet. Hopefully that will change next semester.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2011

It doesn't have to be individual presents. We always chip in and get our Clinical Instructor something. (I have had awesome CI's) but as far as the units, it can be muffins, or cookies or something. It's just saying a thank you for them allowing us to be there and trouble them even if none of them were outstanding. The hospitals don't have to let the students come in there. It keeps good "politics" to let them know we appreciate it and it's just the nice thing to do.

Just the way I look at it.

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Apr 26, 2011

We're told that there aren't supposed to be any gifts for clinical instructors. Our group made a scrap book. Each person had a picture and wrote a quote from our instructor or something that really helped us out during the semester. She said it was her favorite gift, but we had a crafty person in our class (not me), that could put together really cute stuff.

We also bring food and a card for the floor nurses. They seem to enjoy it.