Why are nurses the only profession that cannot accept gifts?

[RockinNurse2018]

So, the other day, I had a family member who gave me a card as a thank you from the patient, as a sign of appreciation, especially since they knew it would likely be my last time working with her. They left it with me before I could refuse to accept it. Later, I realized that I probably shouldn't have accepted it.

But I can't help by wondering why is nursing the only profession that is not allowed to accept gifts? When you look at teachers, for example, they are flooded with gifts around the holidays and end of the year, and no one says this is unethical. There are many other professions where no one says a word when a gift is given.

I understand that receiving gifts could possibly release protected patient information if the gift receiver is not discreet or cause resentment among coworkers. I also know that we are already being paid to perform a service for them. At the same time, though, teachers are also being paid, but no one objects to them receiving fits. My thought is, if it's the last time working with a patient, and the gift receiver does not identify who gave them the gift, why is this an issue?

[Have Nurse, ADN, RN]

I work in LTC, some of our residents have been with us for years. Gifts to the entire unit or facility are welcome. This usually applies to some kind of food items though on a few occasions families have gifted a rather substantial amount of cash which the administrator then decides how to distribute among employees, usually more food. Gifts to individual staff members are not expressly forbidden, but anything over $25.00 in value has to be reported. Our current administrator has never insisted that larger gifts be refused though it's very rare for a gift to be large enough to be concerning. We have on a couple of occasions had a resident leave something of value to a favored staff member in their will, as the family didn't have any objections these were allowed. In the same vein it's happened that family members of a deceased residents gift certain items to favored staff, these have also been allowed.

Yes. On my floor (years ago), we had a lady donate 800 dollars to the nurses for good footwear. We all bought new shoes!! It was ok'd by Admin, as it was meant for all of the nurses on our floor, no matter what shift. Back then, 800.00 went far.

[Ruixi13, BSN, RN]

Why not accept the card??? I think when we are told not to accept gifts it really means gifts (of monetary value). If someone gives you a card, or some home baked cookies... I personally don't put that in the same category. If someone bought you something that is another story and I would say definitely inappropriate to accept.

[Kitiger, RN]

Other reasons nurses should not accept gifts:

1. Other families my feel bad that they can't afford to give gifts.

2. Other families may also feel that their loved one will get a lower level of care because they didn't give a gift. We need to avoid any appearance of favoritism.

3. Patients may start to feel that giving gifts is necessary to receive the best care.

etc.

Exactly!

[caliotter3]

Yes. On my floor (years ago), we had a lady donate 800 dollars to the nurses for good footwear. We all bought new shoes!! It was ok'd by Admin, as it was meant for all of the nurses on our floor, no matter what shift. Back then, 800.00 went far.

What a sweetheart!

[wondern, ASN]

It all depends...What if a little kid you see every few weeks or so, who you know can't afford it but did it anyway, brings a few of his primary nurses a sweet gift like a little pretty statue from the holler store at Christmastime?

He has the biggest grin you've ever seen on his little face and his eyes are lit up when he pulls it out and he has signed the bottom in his little preschool writing!

Then you just say, 'Thank you so much buddy. It's beautiful! That was so sweet of you to think of me. I'll put this somewhere special and think of you whenever I look at it. Thank you very much."

So I guess it can be highly variable, really?

[NewEnglandRN16]

Many years ago when I was in LTC my then fiancée whom I met at work were getting married. We worked in dietary at the time and we had a resident who's husband came every lunch and fed her. We were always close to him. His son in law was the deacon at our church.

When we got married he gave us a wedding card and some money. My husband and I initially refused it but later got permission from administration to keep it. We never spoke of it to anyone. We always knew the rule.

Now as floor nurse we often get food, cards, candy. We put the cards up in the break room and share the food.

[thatgirl2478]

I worked in corporate IT for a large national pharmacy chain and WE weren't allowed to accept gifts. Not that we ever got any. But if we did, we had to refuse.

[0.5GPA, ADN, CNA]

My expirence has been individually it can be "wrong" but as a group not so much.

Example: a card or a cake (my old unit got a lot of baked goods it was great) given to a person individually was frowned on but if the card or cake (or cookies or if the patient was well to do Edible Arrangments YUM) was given to the unit as a whole (everyone who cares for the person and then some) the hospital didn't seem to care.

Fun story: I had a patient who liked my service to him in his time at the hospital that he wanted to give me 40 bucks. I refused several times so he kept pushing so I accepted it with the plan of giving it to my boss and let her deal with it (donate it for what ever)

She let me keep it told me "thank you for telling me but don't let anyone know" I hind sight I should have just not done it but what is done is done. I learned from it.

I then that night when to the state fair got lost from my group of friends couldn't get ahold of them so I blew the 40 bucks getting drunk on Japanese Suparo Beer! Good times

[CKPM2RN, ASN, EMT-P]

Fire and Police are not allowed to accept gifts either. (Well, baked goods are allowed, just so you all know.)

[wondern, ASN]

Our local volunteer fire department is basically run on monetary gifts! They ask for them, like a drive. I realize that is different than individual but just the irony struck me. Thank God for volunteer fire people!

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

Nursing is not the only profession. I worked in finance for years and could not receive gifts more than a certain amount of dollar (I can't remember the amount, but it was very small). Lunches/dinners are included because software vendors used to take my team (only 3-4) out to fancy restaurants a lot (the bills would often end up around $1k+). Not only that, we had to file every year (or more frequently) about any political contributions and any "gifts" received.

The rule is to avoid conflicts of interest, favoritism, and law suits.

[nehneh14]

I'm puzzled why the OP has the understanding that nursing is the only profession in which it's not acceptable to receive gifts???? That's very common policy in many professions/careers/workplaces.