No gifts from the Drs???

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

We were talking over the weekend that this year we did not get one single gift from the Docs...In years past we would get cookie trays, or meat and cheese trays, cheeseballs and crackers or fruit baskets. This year?? Nada.

Someone then said it is because the drug reps are now no longer to give treats of food or gifts to the Dr offices---is that correct? I am sure we were just being re-gifted per say from the Docs in the past years, but that was fine with us---the basket of oranges did not care if an ICU nurse ate them of an office nurse ate them!!!

Do the Docs in your hospitals do anything special for the nursing staff?

[sunray12]

Goodness. That is cold. The docs my mother worked with over the years always gave gifts. One particular doc was known for his cheapness and that was a going joke in our house but the point is that he always gave something where you could tell he at least thought about what he was buying - not just recycling drug rep gifts. (It was fun to visit on the job and enjoy the wealth of drug rep goodies though :) ). Sounds like people are taking this bad economy thing and using it as an excuse for a variety of bad behaviors. You don't have to be but so old to know that the economy has been bad more than once in the past 25 years - that shouldn't mean that common civility goes out the window.

[NeosynephRN]

As usual this year we had more food than we knew what to do with....I am glad the holidays are over and I will not be so tempted to eat all that junk everyday....not that I did not enjoy eating all the yummies!!

[swirlygirl]

I worked at a large pediatrician's office while I was in nursing school (about 8-9 MD's, 1 CRNP, 1 PA) and the first year that I worked there, our office manager asked all of the office staff to pitch in about $5 for the docs christmas gifts and we all did. But the docs got us nothing in return.

I now work at a hospital and every Christmas, thanks to the doctors, our break room is full of food/snacks for the entire month of December. One of the surgeons even made our unit a few homemade cakes!! I thought that was so sweet. And we all pitched in this year for our unit manager and got her a beautiful watch, but she didn't get us anything.

[patrick1rn, MSN, RN, NP]

I worked at a large pediatrician's office while I was in nursing school (about 8-9 MD's, 1 CRNP, 1 PA) and the first year that I worked there, our office manager asked all of the office staff to pitch in about $5 for the docs christmas gifts and we all did. But the docs got us nothing in return.

I now work at a hospital and every Christmas, thanks to the doctors, our break room is full of food/snacks for the entire month of December. One of the surgeons even made our unit a few homemade cakes!! I thought that was so sweet. And we all pitched in this year for our unit manager and got her a beautiful watch, but she didn't get us anything.

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We do a secret santa at work pretty much just between the nurses and the RTs, I secretly wanted tickets to the Catalina Wine Mixer, but I didnt ask for me. It was cool.

[ToxicShock]

I think this is what I dislike most about Christmas. People become accustomed to receiving gifts every year, and when they don't, it's a huge disappointment. They think others are being cold, rude, offensive, mean, etc, when that is rarely the case. I don't think it should be that way, but blah. I digress.

[pink85]

I work at a county teaching hospital so we NEVER get gifts for the docs. Being an intern or resident is poor paying and the staff docs are all over the hospital so they would go broke trying to please everyone. I don't expect it from them and they don't expect it from the nurses. Worrying about giving so many people gifts is what makes Christmas stressful to me! Can't we all just enjoy each others company and be thankful were alive to celebrate it?

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

Trust me I am not crying that I didnt get my plate of cookies from the Docs this year--trust me my belly does not need more junk food!!!

I just found it odd that in the past we had trays of food almost everyday from the rounding docs and this year nothing. My thought was it was because the drug reps were not smoothering them with food...

I have heard the drug reps are now no longer legally allowed to give treats/trinkets/dinners out etc etc...Is that true in all 50 states now?

[NeosynephRN]

My hospital system prohibits gifts from drug reps or anything like that...I am not sure that it is "illegal" but I think you can get in serious trouble with the hospital if you get caught. Now when I worked in a private office, my doc thought it was unethical for him to accept gifts or anything of the sort from a rep. He wanted to make the decision on product use by which product was best for his patients...not what great gift he could get....he is a great doctor with awesome ethics and practice guidelines!!! Not sure if any actual laws are involved...

[jmking]

I never expect anything from the docs. My company gave a holiday bonus which was fine for me. You do get a few of the people that whine because they feel they are entitiled to MORE.....

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

We usually get a gift basket of snacks from the cardiologists. I doubt that any of them have anything to do with it on a personal level. It's probably their office coordinator who does it.

[DIVA_NURSE405]

We got so much food and candy from the docs, i think I gained at least 5 pds! lol That sucks that the docs wasn't thoughtful of the nursing staff:banghead: