Thank you gift for unit that hosted my student clinicals

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It's almost the end of the semester and my clinical group wants to thank the nurses and CNAs who have been so great to us. Our first thought was food but my nursing instructor forbade us from bringing anything with sugar and veggie trays always look so depressing after the first hour or so. I was thinking little gift baggies with a travel-size hand lotion, lip balm, and travel packets of Advil. Would that be sweet or are folks sick of little swag bags like that when it's not necessarily the brands they prefer?

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.

Coffee flavors? Popcorn tins?

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Coffee and tea would be good.

I do like hand lotion but sometimes the hospital limits lotion to whatever brand they carry. Something about preventing breakdown of the gloves.

Why does your professor limit sugar? Is it a diabetes unit or something?

Fruit platters are also welcomed... as are cheese/sausage platters and pizzas.

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Prof is very health-conscious and concerned about the percentage of obese nurses- pizza and bagels were also vetoed but maybe coffee and tea would go over well. And fruit and cheese/crackers sounds good...

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Specializes in ED, psych.
Prof is very health-conscious and concerned about the percentage of obese nurses- pizza and bagels were also vetoed but maybe coffee and tea would go over well. And fruit and cheese/crackers sounds good...

"Concerned about the percentage of obese nurses?" Oh funk that ... that ain't cool. She going to put that in the group card too - "thanks for all your help - don't get fat, get PHat! ❤️ Cohort 7!"

Fruit, cheese and crackers sound good ... but so does anything with sugar. But it's the thought that counts. The nurses appreciate that most of all.

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Specializes in ED, psych.

Double post

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Specializes in CCRN.

I would go toward something that will be okay sitting out in the break room for several hours. If it is something that has to go in the fridge, it will either go in the fridge and be forgotten for a while or it will sit out on the table and go bad. I don't agree with your professor saying no sugar. She should leave her personal feelings about obese nurses out of your thank you gift. Coffee and tea could do well, but nurses may only be able to enjoy it while on their break (due to not being allowed to have drinks on the unit). Something bite size is nice because they can run in, grab a quick bite, and then get back on the floor.

I've seen student groups bring baked goods (cookies/brownies), order pizza, bring candy, bagels, donuts, and cards. All have gone over well with the staff.

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Specializes in Pedi.
Prof is very health-conscious and concerned about the percentage of obese nurses- pizza and bagels were also vetoed but maybe coffee and tea would go over well. And fruit and cheese/crackers sounds good...

*****

When I worked in the hospital, we LOVED when anyone gave us baked goods. It is not prof's job to police the unit nurses' diets.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
It's almost the end of the semester and my clinical group wants to thank the nurses and CNAs who have been so great to us. Our first thought was food but my nursing instructor forbade us from bringing anything with sugar and veggie trays always look so depressing after the first hour or so. I was thinking little gift baggies with a travel-size hand lotion, lip balm, and travel packets of Advil. Would that be sweet or are folks sick of little swag bags like that when it's not necessarily the brands they prefer?

A lot of facilities have policies & procedures in place that restrict what gifts (if any) employees may receive from patients, vendors, and others--which would include nursing students. However, food gifts always seems to be allowed...or at least it's not as frowned upon as gift bags of swag might be.

Your professor needs to relax, IMO. One food gift from grateful clinical students is not going to send the health of the entire unit immediately into the toilet :)

Pizza is usually a popular choice that goes over well with nursing staff. So do muffins/bagels/donuts, fruit/veggie trays, cookies, cheese and crackers...any food item, really.

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Cheese ball? Soup? If someone had a crock pot soup is a good idea for the last clinical day.

Good coffee if they have a coffee maker in the break room.

Think appetizers and party food. Food that can be left out.

As an above poster stated most places won't allow outside hand lotions. The reason I was given is that if they are inspected every ingredient of every product on the floor has to be listed in their master list or the facility gets docked.

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...instructor forbade us from bringing anything with sugar and veggie trays always look so depressing after the first hour or so.

YES! Donuts just sit around all day and get eaten by other departments. (I'm looking at you, Security.) Lotion, etc., I just use the stuff we have in the unit.

I bring whole fruit for my department. Apples, pears, and those easy to peel mandarin oranges.

I do like a nice coffee, though.

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Specializes in Neuroscience.
"Concerned about the percentage of obese nurses?" Oh funk that ... that ain't cool. She going to put that in the group card too - "thanks for all your help - don't get fat, get PHat! ❤️ Cohort 7!"

I snorted coffee out of my nose. Thanks pixie for this gem.

One thing all nurses on my floor bring is microwavable popcorn. It's a nice treat and somewhat "healthy".

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