Gifts for staff

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2012

It really completely depends on your hospital and when you come in. A busy hospital in a major city might have 6-10 labor nurses and 15+ post partum nurses per shift, plus 2-4+ aides. Then you have to factor in OR staff, recovery room staff, etc.

If you're trying to do individual gifts for the staff, then it's going to be very hard to get an accurate number and extremely expensive for you. Also keep in mind that many hospitals have policies that staff may not accept individual gifts that have monetary value (such as gift cards, clothing, make up, etc.)

Instead, what you should do is send one gift for the entire floor. A platter/basket of cookies, fruit and veggies would be very appreciated by the staff and wouldn't violate the hospital policy because it's shared by the entire floor. You could also include small things like pens (always needed by nurses!) and travel sized bottles of hand lotions. Send one platter/basket to each unit: L&D, OR, and Post-partum. (Hospitals don't really have separate nurseries, since rooming-in and baby-friendly initiatives are on the rise. Post-partum nurses usually rotate shifts in the nursery.)

pdsm · Jun 22, 2012

What I was thinking about doing is little bags like the ones in the photo. They contain brownies and hot chocolate on a stick. And attached to the ribbons and a pen.

I thought I'd do about 130 and divide them into three bags of 40 each for L&D, OR, and Post Partum and then do a smaller bag with around 10 for Recovery (since they're down on another floor). Do you think that would cover it for all the shifts?

ETA: Or, I also bake quite a bit and have an amazing sourdough bread and homemade jam that I make. I also thought about doing four or five loaves for each floor with three or four jars of different kind of jam and and a jar of sweet butter in a basket for each one also. (again, with the pens in there too!) and maybe some individual packets of tea and coffee.

ETA: Gee, guess I should attach the photos, huh?

http://www.epromos.com/product/8830719/happy-face-promotional-pen.html

http://theintrepidbaker.wordpress.com/tag/hot-chocolate-on-a-stick/

amoLucia · Jun 22, 2012

Realistically, you'll probably never acccount for everyone individually so doing a head count is difficult. And you're going to run into BIG $$$. Also, no offense, I usually don't partake of home-baked articles. So think group, unit and shift. It truly is the thought that counts because staff THANK YOUs are so infrequent . Ashley's post#1 is good advice.

Snowbird17 · Jun 22, 2012

Don't waste your time or money. Have family bring in a dozen doughnuts one morning if you really want to do something.

Better yet, save them the calories and just fill out an acknowledgment card for those who REALLY stand out as exceptional to you and your SO. You won't remember the others, and they certainly won't remember you. It's amazing how many times we have had bagels or whatever brought to us, and no one even knows the person who sent them. I would much rather have a personalized note pointing out a specific way I made a difference than a cream-puff.

Enjoy you baby! Don't worry about the staff.

P.S. Like the poster above...No matter how nice the patient or family is, I never eat ANYTHING homemade. You will spend all that time and it may just end up in the trash.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jun 22, 2012

Are you really going to want to make 20 loaves of bread and 20 jars of jam while you're recovering from a c-section and caring for a newborn? Or put together 150 goodie bags? Is this your first baby? Because it sounds like you might be underestimating how tired/sore you will be and how time consuming it is to care for a new baby- and yourself- in the immediate post partum period.

It's great that you want to show your appreciation to the staff, but there is really no need to go all out and do something extravagant. The staff will appreciate a simple gesture just as much as they will something really fancy. Like I said initially, A nice food platter- which you can buy pre-made and have delivered- will suffice just fine. Have it delivered around 5:30-6pm or am, so both the day shift and night shift can enjoy the treats. For the OR, you'll want it delivered in the morning, as they usually aren't scheduled overnight, except for those on call.

pdsm · Jun 22, 2012

Oh, no! I wasn't planning on undertaking ANYTHING after delivery. I was planning on making them before the surgery and having my MIL bring them the morning of the surgery. There is no way that I would ever consider doing it afterwords, especially after a surgery.

You guys make a lot of sense. Thanks for the great ideas!