Giving Thank you gifts

Nursing Students General Students

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I am really bothered by how students want to purchase gifts for a teacher - especially giving it before the final grades are in. I think this puts some of us in an uncomfortable position that are worried we could be with this instructor again, or who didn't care for the teacher!

Do others have this same problem? I felt the most professional thing would be to fill out my course evaluation.

Thanks!

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

We actually had one student show up to the final w/ a great big basket of home-made goodies. I, personally, thinks it's unprofessional.

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We actually had one student show up to the final w/ a great big basket of home-made goodies. I, personally, thinks it's unprofessional.

For everyone??? Or just the teacher? Because that is crazy! I could see for the class, that would be cool but for the teacher? Yikes.

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Specializes in Family Medicine.

Every semester, we've gotten a small gift for our teacher. Our grades are completely determined by test scores so the teacher can't be swayed to give us a better grade based on a gift.

Last semester, we had a teacher who was a total B. We got her a really small gift (a book and card) and some people chose not to donate any money towards the gift because they disliked her so much. They still signed the card though.

I agree that this can put students who dislike the teacher in an uncomfortable place and if there is any subjective grading involved it can be seen as bribery.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Cardiac.

At the end of our clinical rotations, we always get a gift for our instructor. They really appreciate it. As far as lecture, I don't think any of the students brought gifts for the teachers, instead we may have students or even the teachers bring goodies for the whole class. Maybe it would be uncomfortable for the teacher to receive a gift from a student that is failing. That could be viewed as a bribe.

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I am friends with a professor at a UC, and she says she will not accept gifts from a student unless the grades have been submitted. I think it was because it was school policy, but she said it felt unprofessional as well....

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Our clinical group went in together and got a restaurant gift card for our instructor. I felt kind of weird about it, but no one else seemed to. The teacher seemed to really appreciate it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I had never even thought about giving clinical instructors gifts until I started at this school. Now, if a clinical group doesn't give a gift, but another clinical group for the same rotation does, it can appear like the non-gifting group didn't like the instructor. That's not the case at all.

Giving small gifts to nurse preceptors or clinical groups providing a breakfast buffet to the unit on the last day of a rotation are a totally different story, though. I think giving them an edible gift or small gift is the right thing to do. And always include a card.

I've been through school once, and nursing school is a whole 'nother animal in many aspects. Some of it is really, really weird.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.
For everyone??? Or just the teacher? Because that is crazy! I could see for the class, that would be cool but for the teacher? Yikes.

It was for the teacher!

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We did this for our clinical instructor. It was a large gift monetarily...but with nine people chipping in only about $10/person. It felt really awkward to me but nobody else seemed to think so. I didn't want to rock the boat. I feel like it would have been better to have given it to her after grades had been submitted but I don't think it was logistically possible.

Very odd. She is a sweet, nurturing, wonderful teacher and I thought it was nice to show our appreciation but on the other hand it did feel a bit unprofessional.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

My class is on gift giving overdrive. I'm not sure where the idea was picked up that everything that happens while school is in session is gift-worthy. It came up recently with a faculty advisor and we were told in clear terms that we are NOT to give gifts or cards to our instructors but if we want to leave cookies and cards in the break rooms for the floor nurses where we have clinicals, that's totally fine and encouraged.

And sure the instructors express delight in receiving them... do you expect them to refuse?

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

We gave small gifts to our clinical instructor only, and it was at the discretion of the group. Most groups gave gifts and some did not. I always pushed for a small "thank you" gift because I had great clinical instructors and always learned so much. Usually all of us would chip in like $5 or something and get a gift card, usually to Starbucks or something :) We would also usually chip in and buy either bagels or doughnuts for the staff on our last day.

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