What's the best gift from a patient?

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Hi, I have been lurking for a while. I am a nursing student and I just recently had a baby. I wanted to get a gift for the nurses the were involved in my care, but I want to be creative. Anybody had some really creative gifts given by patients that you just loved?

Thanks in Advance:D

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Specializes in ER; HBOT- lots others.

this may be the cheesiest thing ever, but a huge heartfelt thank you that completely melted my heart. ppl say thanks all the time, but it was the way she said it that meant the world because i knew she meant it from the bottom of her heart!

. a pt that has been on my floor for 2 months and time still to come. its the little things we can do for a pt. she wanted some things from the giftshop, and i went and go them for here when everyone else was blowing her off about it. it was her money for gosh sakes. what was so hard about coming in 5 min early to pick it up?

-h-rn

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

Congratulations on your new baby! If you want to give the nurses something extremely meaningful, write a letter describing what excellent and friendly care you received. Include dates of your stay and all names you can remember. Send copies to nurse manager of nursery, L&D, post partum and copy to hospital administrator. Trust me, they will appreciate this more than anything you could imagine! :smokin:

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Specializes in NICU.

"Thank you"

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

A heartfelt hug and thank you gets me every time. I have had wonderful, thoughtful gifts over the 11 years I have been an OB nurse, cards, letters, plants, flowers, candy, gift cards, even a handmade card on a hospital menu stuck in my inbox once that was just beautiful----the sketch was of a garden and a thank you from the patient to me, so personal, it was a tear-jerker. Such simplicity and yet beauty is hard to forget.

One gift that stands out for me was a beautiful azalea from a patient of mine who as close to death as I care ever to see from a severe complication in her birth. She told me it represented the lives of her and her baby that she felt meant so much to me. I cried when I got that one; that plant still lives and blooms today reminding me of both of them.

I admit, I am a sucker for a heartfelt thank you from my patient.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

PS: WELCOME to the FORUM!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad you decided to "de-lurk".:yeah:

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

A thank you means more than anything, or a card.

Of course, chocolate's always good, too.....

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

A touching, heartfelt personal letter to the staff and nurses that stuck out to you...with copies sent to the nursing manager and DON....

The most touching gift I remember was the simple "thank you" from a patient who spoke little english....he was middle eastern and always had a lot of family in the room...They always offered candy and always said thanks every time we left the room....very polite..

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I wanted to tell you, most of us really just want to know we helped. You don't have to get too creative or go all-out. Just bring the baby in and say hello from time to time----that is a great gift from my point of view. Congratulations on the birth of your baby!

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"Thank you"

That's it!!! The number one best gift!!

To the OP:

Since your looking for suggestions, one of the most unique gifts I've seen given to a floor was made by a rather artistic patient who drew the staff in caricacture and had it very nicely framed with the name of the unit underneath. We also once had someone make angel ornaments for us out of linen napkins.

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Specializes in ICU.

I have to agree with the letter or card idea. I positively treasure notes from pts/families that let me know that I have made a difference to them. (Even better are the ones that come on the "employee recognition" forms. That way the boss gets to see it too. :cool: )

As a side note, if you decide to get chocolate or such, don't forget to get a box for each shift. Such things are often gone by the time the night/evening shift arrives. :)

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Specializes in LDRP.

Definitely a personal letter, mentioning names and specific actions you appreciated. A letter copied to the manager is great too.

Anyone can buy a gift, but the time and thought in writing a personal letter is so appreciated.

I had a patient who was on antepartum unit who i spent a lot of time talking to her about her plan of care and such, her HUSBAND wrote me a thank you letter!

I save all of my thank you notes.

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