Is it customary to give clinical instructor's gifts at the end of a rotation?

Jolie, BSN · Feb 23, 2007

It is my opinion that it is inappropriate for students to give or an instructor to accept a gift at the end of a clinical rotation. I think it raises ethical issues and could result in questions about grading and treatment in future classes. If you think that your instructor did an exceptional job, you could write a thank you note (cc'd to the department head).

I think small tokens of appreciation are a nice touch to the staff on the clinical unit, though.

Soon2BPaeds · Feb 23, 2007

We gave our instructor a gift card and photo of the group. There was no expectation of a gift by our instructor, we just wanted to give her something. As long as the evaluations have already been completed and there is no policy against giving gifts at your school I see no problem in giving a gift to the instructor especially if it is from the entire clinical group.

neneRN, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2007

We did this at the end of every clinical semester in nursing school; it was customary for the last clinical day to be a half day, and then the entire group would take the instructor out to lunch and give a small gift, i.e., group photo, nursing related item, etc. (not from the stone ages; this was about six years ago!)

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Feb 23, 2007

We always did. But it was one gift from everyone. I think individual gifts would be inappropriate.

caliotter3 · Feb 23, 2007

I remember it being done once when I was in school. Ironically, the clinical instructor was the one who was the (for want of a better term) "toxic" instructor at the school. The party was held at the home of the parents of one of the students and several gifts were given. I barely got invited, being that I was a working person who commuted many miles from the opposite direction of most of my classmates. Nobody even approached me for a donation for a group gift and I noticed she was given more than one gift. I was very inconvenienced, and uncomfortable. I would not have attended at all, had I not felt it would be really noticed if I failed to appear. I see no harm in a luncheon at a common sit-down restaurant at an easy to access address, and possibly a group small gift. But everything should be agreed upon by the group. I really don't remember anybody going out of their way to include me, although I was not offended at the time. (I was probably too busy with all my jobs and my family problems to be able to feel slighted.)

AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Feb 23, 2007

In my clinicals we usually just get a card for the instructor.

Swtooth

moongirl · Feb 23, 2007

we always have, as a group. One semester it was a spa day and a card

Psqrd · Feb 23, 2007

I am in my second semester and for first we all chipped in about 10 bucks and got her a spa day, we gave it to her on our last clinical day after which we all went out to lunch and we paid for her lunch. To us we felt that she had put in maximum effort to get us to the end and that we appreciated all of her knowledge that she shared with us. I see nothing wrong with it, we weren't trading it for anything it was our way of saying thanks to her. During our lunch we all took a turn and shared what we got the most from during our first semester...it was very touching without a dry eye at the table.

DDRN4me · Feb 23, 2007

we usually have a half day and do lunch and flowers or a small gift... more if she was exceptionally good to us. dont think it is ever wrong to show appreciation to someone who goes out of the way for you.

spiceyqueen · Feb 23, 2007

if a facilitator/instructor deserves it, then why not. i think it also gives them a sense of satisfaction as well, and feel appreciated. am not talking about a big gift, but yeah whatever group we were in we got them a card with flowers/chocolates etc. and for the nurses we get chocolates, and a card or flowers

we had an exceptional one, she was very pregnant, but she made time for each of the ten students she had to facilitate through a massive teaching and refferal hospital. she was passionate about her role, so we got her a album/diary from baby's first day.

as one poster said, for as long as the grading has been done and nothing is altered, go for it.. but then again if you aint comfortable, well let your collegues know

dani_girl · Feb 23, 2007

Our groups usually chip in and get a group gift.. but nothing crazy.. our last instructor always joked about how the care plans came back to us looking critical (she always used red ink) so we got her a little basket with stuff we knew she needed.. lots of RED PENS.. and a tide pen (they were forever leaking on her lab coat..) and other things like that.. she thought it was great. but anything one on one I wouldn't really feel all that comfortable with..