Tracey Long
‘Tis the season for gifts! Everyone loves to receive a present, even nurses!
Gift-giving is a sign of appreciation, and nurses, who may not receive a lot of gratitude for their work, appreciate gifts. The great news for someone looking for Christmas gifts for nurses is that there are so many products with funny and clever twists just for nurses. Pretty much any regular item with a nursing emblem on it becomes a hit. Nurses are our own club, and we love our shared nursing experience with patient care, so gifts that play on that unique culture are always fun.
To help make the holiday shopping a little easier this year, we’ve put together a list of ideas of Christmas gift for nurses.
You can find adorable, customized, humorous, and creative gifts on the Internet, and we’ve chosen a few of our favorites to help you find that perfect gift for your favorite nurse.
Great for the nurse who doesn’t want “stuff” but wants to create memories. Treat your nurse to exploring creativity with pottery, painting, games, or a spa day! Many of these activities can be done for individuals, couples, or groups. The nurse can use the gift coupon in the city of their choice for national chains.
Nurses love their bags. We have a lot of tools needed for our everyday work, including a stethoscope, pen light, pens, water bottles, snacks and lunch, hand sanitizer, lotion, and more. Even a simple cloth bag with a nurse logo on the front is always helpful and appreciated. Each one of those items in the bag is another gift idea in itself!
Every nurse needs to stay hydrated during a long shift, and having a unique water bottle to easily identify in a crowded nursing lounge is helpful. Specialty mugs for nurses are easy to purchase online, or you can even paint or craft a special name or design.
Like money but in a plastic card that can be spent like cash at a designated vendor. Many gift cards have stores across the country and can be used almost everywhere. You can also pick one up at your local grocery store and many other chain stores without having to drive to the particular restaurant or store itself. A gift card to purchase new scrubs would be wonderful without having to guess a size or preferred color. The nurse gets to pick out their own fresh scrubs, and you get the credit!
If you can’t decide what to give, go to your local dollar store and find some simple but useful items and create a gift basket. Individual items may seem unimpressive, but when put together in a basket with clear cellophane and a ribbon, they suddenly become impressive. Presentation is everything.
Even if the nurse doesn’t take the holiday item home, they may choose to leave it by their locker for decoration. A novel ornament for Christmas can be customized or easily bought online for nurses. Pillows or blankets for home décor with an EKG pattern for nurses are something nurses always adore.
Snacks and treats to eat right away. This can be tricky as some people are nervous about home-prepared treats made in someone’s kitchen they don’t know is clean, while others prefer the customization and obvious time spent on culinary creations. If you are making homemade treats, just be aware of any allergies the nurse may have, such as nuts or gluten.
Lotion or scented hand sanitizer are helpful because a nurse runs out of these, and having fresh stock is useful. Badge reels are common among nurses, but you have to be aware of the hospital policy about these personal apparel decorations. Some are not allowed due to infection control measures.
Cuticle oil and scented lotions for dry nurse hands can be nice. A personal massager would be appreciated by any exhausted nurse. A personal frame that includes a picture of your nursing friends can become a treasure. Many nurses prefer to wear silicone rings instead of “real” jewelry due to frequent handwashing and not wanting to bring home pathogens inside a diamond-embedded wedding ring.
Foods that are wrapped for longer shelf-life. A small basket could include quick snacks like granola bars, candy bars, ramen noodles, nuts, and foods that a nurse could keep in a locker at work, like a snack emergency preparedness kit!
Gifts engraved with the nurse’s name, such as on a drink tumbler, coffee mug, keychain, or lunchbox are always appreciated if well done and spelled correctly. Nurses notoriously have a lot of belongings in the nurse lounge, and having a personal name on the frequently used items is helpful.
Penlights, notepads, pens, stethoscopes, ID tags, medical scissors, scented hand sanitizer, and even knee-high compression socks are gifts a nurse always needs and would appreciate. A hot electronic item is the new personal cell phone sanitizer. Many hospitals have larger units that fit stethoscopes and work tools, but having a personal one to clean belongings after a shift could be empowering.
If you’re looking for Chrismtas gifts for nurses without taking out another mortgage to pay for them, a handwritten card is always appropriate and can be treasured when you write a customized note to each individual about what you enjoy about working with them or a special talent you have noticed about the nurse.
Enjoy the opportunity to shower the nurse you care about with a gift that says they matter to you and to those they serve. Happy gift-giving!
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