Gifts For Nurse Appreciation Day

purplemania, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2003

One hospital I worked at gave us coupon books to redeem for cafeteria food and snacks, or for discounts in the gift shop (on top of the discounts we already got). The nicest was a six-pack cooler. Have used it a lot. The worst was $100 gift certificate. Sounds like it would be great---but strings attached and here it is 5-6 months later and have not been able to redeem it. Left bad taste in my mouth. Sorta like a Dilbert thing-(non gift for which you are expected to be grateful). We get turkeys and hams for Christmas and free meals at other holidays. All in all, I appreciate whatever. Cheap crap with hospital logo on it is usually discarded (by me).

ktwlpn, LPN · Nov 20, 2003

Originally posted by carolce
I am a writer doing a story about nurse appreciation day. What kind of gifts do you nurses like to receive. If you would like to be quoted for the story, call me at 1800-729-6338, ext. 138. Thanks,

Carol C.

The "gift" of respect from my administration and the fostering of "team work" instead of the us vs. them attitude...Good working conditions-which translates to good staffing which comes in part from good salary and good benefits.The gift of actively retaining long term employees-instaed of offering giant sign-on bonuses to new employees...I don't need a coffee mug with the company logo-my real reward for doing what I do is knowing I have made some little difference in someone's day...I want to be able to do what I do without being shortstaffed...

Audreyfay · Nov 23, 2003

I would appreciate a certificate for a meal in the cafeteria. My hospital is so cheap that all we got was punch and cake, in one of the conference rooms! One hospital I worked at gave every nurse a long stem rose. I thought that was nice. Even better, if I could get a certificate for a massage, I'd be in heaven!

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 23, 2003

Originally posted by ktwlpn
The "gift" of respect from my administration and the fostering of "team work" instead of the us vs. them attitude...Good working conditions-which translates to good staffing which comes in part from good salary and good benefits.The gift of actively retaining long term employees-instaed of offering giant sign-on bonuses to new employees...I don't need a coffee mug with the company logo-my real reward for doing what I do is knowing I have made some little difference in someone's day...I want to be able to do what I do without being shortstaffed...

RIGHT-ON...quit the schmaltzy, cheeso gifts and gimme some

R E S P E C T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:

Speculating · Nov 23, 2003

Originally posted by Audreyfay
I would appreciate a certificate for a meal in the cafeteria. My hospital is so cheap that all we got was punch and cake, in one of the conference rooms! One hospital I worked at gave every nurse a long stem rose. I thought that was nice. Even better, if I could get a certificate for a massage, I'd be in heaven!

And you probable had to take the tin foil off the top of the punch to drink it:chuckle Is anyone going to need my address in order to get those gifts out to me:lol2:

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Nov 23, 2003

How 'bout gift certificates for local restaurants or bookstores, or for a free massage? Cinema tickets or video rental coupons?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2003

Carolce,

Lack of respect is quite an issue with nurses. Frequently, employers compound their daily lack of respect for us on Nurses' Day.

A gift basket would be nice, but there are larger issues involved with Nurses and Nurses' Day.

A valid article on Nurses' Day would involve a whole lot more than gift-giving.

I mean this in a most respectful way- Nurses' Day would be a light-hearted fun day, with nice gifts being the primary concern, IF nurses and nursing were not facing such a crisis of horrible working conditions, and attempts from the health-care industry and administrators to undermine our profession as a whole.

Really, far too deep of a topic for a gift basket review magazine.

Besides, employers would never buy a gift basket for their nurses. Too expensive.

Most alot $1.00-$2.00 per nurse in their budget for Nurses' Week.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Nov 23, 2003

In this day of cost cutting, nurses DO NOT receive gift baskets!

My homecare agency was offering $3,000 sign on bonuses., but did not have a Holiday Party provided by management. Nursing managers had cooked and provided food in past. "Can't afford it". Told em that we CAN afford it by showing appreciation to our staff and RETAINING them.

In 2002, for 225 employees we spent $1,000 on luncheon. 21 Managers/Admin team chipped in $11.00 each, and we bought 125 poinsetta's for staff --each cost $1.75.

We haven't had any nurses leave for the past three months....so have saved at least $5,000.

This year were kicking food up a notch. Got HR to up budget to $2,00. One manager suggested giving staff new lanyard for ID badge as only gift. I loudly protested. Many managers said nurses wanted permanent momento. Saw Libby 22 oz glass jar with lid with holiday motif on side for $1.50 at Wallmart--can fill with candy, nuts, pretzels. Showing em to my committee members tomorrow, and expect to be back at Wallmart tomorrow night to get 148 more jars.

For our top 25 referral sources/referring docs, I am making my own baskets. Found some small ones wire reinforced for $1 and $2.00 (while visiting collages with son upstate). Our discount grocery store Aldi has small box imported cookies $1.49, can of itialin straw cookies $1.69 and along with my home made chocolate covered pretzels will make up a basket gift for about $6 bucks with giftwrap. Last year we gave out large tins of popcorn I found for $4.00/each. Homecare has such low profit margin--think it will be about 1% this year due to large amount of charity care we provide since city urban area so I only get about $100.00 allowance for gifts

Speculating · Nov 23, 2003

Originally posted by NRSKarenRN
For our top 25 referral sources/referring docs, I am making my own baskets. Found some small ones wire reinforced for $1 and $2.00 (while visiting collages with son upstate). Our discount grocery store Aldi has small box imported cookies $1.49, can of itialin straw cookies $1.69 and along with my home made chocolate covered pretzels will make up a basket gift for about $6 bucks with giftwrap. Last year we gave out large tins of popcorn I found for $4.00/each. Homecare has such low profit margin--think it will be about 1% this year due to large amount of charity care we provide since city urban area so I only get about $100.00 allowance for gifts

NRSKarenRN, I'm really hoping this is a typo "For our top 25 referral sources/referring docs, I am making my own baskets". I had to step away from the computer and double check. Yep we were talking about Nurse Appreciation Day. If I hear you right you're c/o not having enough money to do nice things for your nurses, then you turn around and buy something nice for the Md's. I don't know, but I think I would be really offended if on Nurse's Day my employer gave me a string to put around my neck and gave a bunch of Dr's. nice gift baskets. The Dr's. have their own day, but it's your money! On top of that, I've seen very few Dr's. ever do anything nice for us on Nurse's Day. Yet they bring home about five times what we do. One group of GI Doc's has gone around the hospital floor to floor with a hotdog cart and sodas. I've also seen one of the surgeons have an ice cream day for us. You have to remember there are a lot of us guys out there too we're not always into flowers, poinsettias, and gift baskets.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Nov 23, 2003

Nurse Appreciation Day? How about Nurse Appreciation---period!

RESPECT

I've been "given" a free Christmas meal for which you had to stand in line nearly 30 minutes, sit at long tables near no one you knew...sure we were given an hour for lunch but we rarely got to sit and eat for over 10 minutes of that......then we had to go and relieve the other half staff who had been double stepping for that hour to keep up with their and our patients.

RESPECT

One year the cafeteria got a $250,000 re-do and they gave us $25 gift certificates to a grocery store.....one that was 50 mi away in any direction from where I live.....Mama enjoyed that one.

RESPECT

Yes we got a lanyard....non break away btw. We got an umbrella one year that tore up the first windy day.

RESPECT

We've gotten ONE big Walmart tin of popcorn for ALL the employees/all shifts and then had a big upset over WHO got the empty tin.

RESPECT

Suggestion:No mandatory overtime, limits on nurse patient ratios, no punishment for missing 5 minute meetings on your day off, a uniform allowance, free coffee and coffee pot, another bathroom,,,one for 15 women is ridiculous.....enough chairs in the nurses station......

RESPECT

Sheesh......the CEO gets free club membership, free car allowance, free meals at another club....he shouldn't have to eat CAFETERIA FOOD, plus a $200K salary.

RESPECT

So I guess the article will be about the nice candles, mints and mittens some places give ...huh?

fab4fan · Nov 23, 2003

Originally posted by carolce
I am a writer doing a story on nurse appreciation day. What kind of gifts - particular gift baskets - do nurses like to receive for nurse appreciation day? Individual or for a group? What kind do you receive and who sends them?

Thanks for the info. If you would like to be quoted in the story, call me at 1-800-729-6338. The story is for Gift Basket Review.

Thanks, Carol Childers

Call me a cynic, but this looks like a thinly veiled attempt at getting some advertising/marketing in the back door.

Really, as someone else said, way too serious an issue for a gift basket magazine.