Gifts for Instructors @ Graduation

Angels' · Jan 7, 2006

suzy253:

:) Our graduating CNA class gave our Instructor red roses. :)

A returning student :)

Angels’

Aneroo, LPN · Jan 7, 2006

I think the roses are an excellent idea. I would either do that, or nothing at all.

Our instructors asked us not to get them anything- they did not want there to be an issue of "favorites" (because you knew there were some instructors we loved and some we hated).

We did get a plaque for an instructor who was retiring though.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2006

I was one of 2 students who opted to not attend my graduation ceremony. Additionally, I didn't buy my instructors any graduation gifts (nor would I ever want to).

xokelly2 · Jan 25, 2006

I gave them a copy of chicken soup for the nurses soul and wrote a cute note in the front cover, with the date and what not, I included a gift receipt because I figured that to be a common gift for a nurse, but I see now that it probably wasn't so smart with the inscription I included in the cover.......hehe......

I do know Costco sells 2 dozen long stem roses for 12.99 (do you have one of those stores by you?) that come beautifully and are cheap!!!

Congratulations on youre graduation!!!!!

VeryPlainJane · Jan 25, 2006

My gift would be that none of my checks bounced!

TweetiePieRN · Jan 25, 2006

We didn't get our instructors anything.

jimthorp · Jan 25, 2006

Additionally, I didn't buy my instructors any graduation gifts (nor would I ever want to).

Because we graduated in August we did not have a graduation ceremony at my school. If we wanted to attend one we would have had to attend the previous or following May ceremony.

There was only one instructor who I felt deserving of a gift. She was a clinical instructor who went out of her way and busted her hump to get us the best experience possible. She put me in ICU to work for two days. She would not accept any gifts but a heart felt thanks.

The best gift you could give any instructor and yourself is to pass the NCLEX and be an upstanding nurse.

ZootRN · Jan 25, 2006

We did not get anything to our instructor. To be honest, I was always opposing the tradition of buying gifts at the end of every semester, because our group was going to quite extreme, like restaurant gift cards for every instructor involved etc. It's against a law too - state employees can only have presents not exceeding specified amount of money (probably, they mean a card or something as little).

bargainhound, RN · Jan 25, 2006

Starbucks gift card.

I do however, agree that no gift seems appropriate since most students

are probably budgeted.

KatieBell · Jan 25, 2006

Well, it apparently is a tradition at the original posters school, so I don't think it matters what we all think of gifts in general, lets think of sme suggestions.

1. I would avoid any of those nursey type gifts (Statuettes, magnets, books about nursing, etc). These are nice, but having been bombarded with them by a lot of people, I can safely say if I never see anything inscribed with "Nursing is a work of heart" and a sickly looking teddy bear on it, I will be pleased...

2. I would go for something nice, but not overly expensive- possibly a framed photo of the instructor with some students- it would not have to be the whole class, but one day one of the students could use a camera in Skills lab and get some good shots. One of my favorite photos is one of me teaching a student nurse how to give a Med IV push...It is rare to have photos of yourself in action, so I think a nice photo would really be appreciated.

3. Quote box: visit http://www.thequotelady.com and click to find quotes on healing teaching mentoring etc. Print them out with fancy fonts and on nice paper, and put them in an attractive container...the instructor can pull one out daily for inspiration. This gift is very cool, and quite inexpensive to do.

4. ANother version of quote box is to have students list things that they appreciated about the instructors. They list only what they want and then it could get typed up. There are many times when an instructor really helps someone and never knows it, letting them know it can be really encouraging.

5. maybe make a CD with "Nursing songs" on it for the instructors (Depends on the age and humor level of your teachers...) In school I did this for my preceptor in the ICU. I can't remember what all I put on it, but it included songs such as "Hot-blooded" and a variety of other hit songs with health related lyrics (indirectly usually, but she liked it)....

6. or this would be inexpensive, but time consuming- get the small wooden cut outs from Michaels or another craft store, and paint them and add on to it a nice quotation and "Class of 2006" or whatever....

Hope that helps. I'm not one for traditional gifts just because I think we tend to miss when we try to gift for people we don't really know well.

mtnmom · Jan 25, 2006

We wanted to do something for the instructor who had been faculty advisor of my group. We wanted something personal since she was very special to us. We got a plain wooden birdhouse from Michael's craft store, and I sanded it and painted it in the school colors. We painted the year of our graduation just above the little birdhouse hole, and then all the various group members signed the roof.

We then applied fixative spray so that the paint would not wear either in or outside. The whole project, including house, 2 bottles acrylic paint and fixative cost just around $10-12. IT did not take a ton of artistic talent. Assuming that someone has sandpaper and paintbrushes on hand, of course.

She was truly touched by the gift and still displays it. We told her we picked that because she had "taught us to fly" as nurses.

I would not have gone to that much trouble for just any instructor but for a special one it is a great gift.