Gifts for nurses and hospital staff

[Darlin65]

Am I the only one that finds this a bit obnoxious? We bring in a tray of cookies normally after delivery (well MIL does ) but I can't get over how people are doing these mini gift baskets with mini lotions and stuff. I feel like it's so over the top and not necessary. What's even worse is when you speak your mind over it and a nurse chimes in and pulls the "you're ungrateful" card. I'm already leaving the hospital with a huge bill. I don't have the $100+ to spare to pamper you. Not to mention I usually have so many people doing things for me other than an L&D nurse and my midwife does most of it. They always have one on staff from my practice and they come in constantly to check on you, check your monitors and all sorts of stuff. Since when is a polite attitude and a nice verbal thank you not enough for someone doing their job they're already getting paid for?

 

[EleanoirRigby]

I feel like it's a good idea, IF you have the money and time to do it, especially if you're a bear in your delivery and a pain in the butt.

However, I know with my DD I was in the hospital for over a week and had too many nurses to even remember their faces. I wouldn't be able to afford extravagant gifts like that.

 

[MemmaJ]

it's no different to tipping a cab driver, or a delivery man, or a waiter/waitress, or plenty of others who are already getting paid for their job. I just see it as an extra token gesture of thanks, and this is a slightly bigger experience/moment in life than when you would see/use/tip a driver or a waitress, lol.

I agree that expensive and extravagant gifts are not necessary and neither are individual ones really (unless maybe there's one particular person with you the whole time, or the majority of it), but even just a box of chocolates or biscuits to go in the staff room for everyone to share, always goes down well and is cheap enough! It doesn't even need to be a gift/cost money for an individual though, a simple, personal letter or card of thanks is just as touching I think, and something that can be kept.

I'm sure your MIL's cookies are well received ;-)

 

[LilianA]

If i had loads of money then i would like the idea.. But honestly at that time we are over whelmed with all kinds of medical bills that i cant imagine spending $5-$10 on each staff member!!!! I do thank them constantly especially the very friendly ones and once had a super nurse so sent her a thank you card later on

 

[charliekay]

I just gave them a big box of chocolates to enjoy on a brew break and a nice card. I wouldn't spend loads of money but I think it's nice to show you appreciate all they have done for you and your baby. I will be doing the same again this time round but as it's near Xmas I will get then extra choccies or biscuits as I know what it's like to work all over Xmas and be away from your family xx

 

[WW1]

It wouldn't occur to me to buy expensive gifts for individual staff (unless there was an exceptional circumstance). I will be buying a big box of biscuits /chocs for the staff to share. Oh and if a nurse told me I was ungrateful then said chocs would likely be shoved where the sun doesn't shine! 😀

 

[LoraLoo]

I think a box of chocs or bunch of flowers is lovely. I don't understand this extra any buying? It's just a gesture to say thank you, and most nurses just appreciate the spoken word x

 

[o0oCharlieo0o]

Iv never heard of anyone getting gift baskets for the midwives who deliver your baby?! I say thank you and thats about it, i dont go buying flowers for the nurse who does my cervical smears either lol when did all this start that you seem to have to buy gifts for everyone? Its just a constant way for shops to make more money selling these gifts, a thank you card is one thing but gift baskets? I think its a bit much if im honest x

 

[Indi84]

I'm uk, I didn't give individuals gifts but I did leave a really pretty plant for them to keep in the staff room and a box of chocolates. I was kept in for five days due to post eclampsia so felt they did a really great job.

 

[flamingpanda]

Iv never heard of anyone getting gift baskets for the midwives who deliver your baby?! I say thank you and thats about it, i dont go buying flowers for the nurse who does my cervical smears either lol when did all this start that you seem to have to buy gifts for everyone? Its just a constant way for shops to make more money selling these gifts, a thank you card is one thing but gift baskets? I think its a bit much if im honest x

This ^ To add, if anyone should be getting gifts it's me, I just squeezed a baby out of my unmentionables!

But seriously, I've never heard of this. Is it a US thing?

 

[Twag]

Iv never heard of anyone getting gift baskets for the midwives who deliver your baby?! I say thank you and thats about it, i dont go buying flowers for the nurse who does my cervical smears either lol when did all this start that you seem to have to buy gifts for everyone? Its just a constant way for shops to make more money selling these gifts, a thank you card is one thing but gift baskets? I think its a bit much if im honest x

This ^ To add, if anyone should be getting gifts it's me, I just squeezed a baby out of my unmentionables!

But seriously, I've never heard of this. Is it a US thing?

I have never heard of this either

 

[Jessicahide]

My husband came in to see me with a big box of krispy kreams for the midwives and they all thought he was a hero, but no bloody way would I be getting sodding gift baskets and lotions for any one sounds really over the top to me, I am in the uk so this is one thing we had not taken from the us, thank god!

 

[jlw617]

it's no different to tipping a cab driver, or a delivery man, or a waiter/waitress, or plenty of others who are already getting paid for their job. I just see it as an extra token gesture of thanks, and this is a slightly bigger experience/moment in life than when you would see/use/tip a driver or a waitress, lol.

I agree that expensive and extravagant gifts are not necessary and neither are individual ones really (unless maybe there's one particular person with you the whole time, or the majority of it), but even just a box of chocolates or biscuits to go in the staff room for everyone to share, always goes down well and is cheap enough! It doesn't even need to be a gift/cost money for an individual though, a simple, personal letter or card of thanks is just as touching I think, and something that can be kept.



I'm sure your MIL's cookies are well received ;-)

I agree with this, it's not necessary or even expected however it's a very nice gesture if you can afford it and on that note, it doesn't have to be expensive, it can be something as simple as a small cellophane bag filled with miniature chocolates or something like that. I've personally never done it, I don't think it really became a thing until the last 2-3 years or so...Pinterest is so evil lol! However I do think I might do something like that this time around, I remember there being a couple of nurses that really made a positive impact on me last time and I wished I would have done something for them-I even like the big box of chocolates idea as well

 

[DoubleTFun]

Well I had never heard of it. If I had extra money then sure I would spread the love, but they are doing their jobs, and the nurses I've had in the past who are extremely helpful knew exactly how thankful I was for their help. This time around I am in a new hospital and with twins I definitely don't have any extra money to do such a thing. Who knows when the time comes I may have hubby pick up something for the staff but not individual gifts.

 

[Dollybird]

Hey ladies! Well I am a nurse in the UK so I can give an insider perspective! lol. Gifts to staff are not expected not required, we are paid for our jobs yes, and we do our jobs not for the pay or "gifts" but because, for the majority of us, it is a vocation and our reward is in knowing we have done our job well and made a difference to the lives of others. Cheesy yes but for the most part true. We work long hours, often go without breaks, and often stay late after work- so that our patients do not go without the care they need. I have a bad back and I've seen me hobbling about during a 12.5hr shift, in sheer agony, because I will not see my colleagues or the patients suffer. Our work is stressful and upsetting at times, we put up with a lot of abuse, and we also deal with a lot of difficult situations. The majority of us work extra too cause we have been on a pay freeze for what seems like forever, so our wages are definitely not what they were. Anyways, I've gone a bit off tangent here. Back to the point. So taking all that into account, no we do not expect, or even want gifts.. But when a patient gives us a card, saying how they've appreciated us, a wee box of biccies for our break perhaps, well it makes it all seem worthwhile. It's amazing to know that the person has actually appreciated that we were there. I can't tell you how lovely that is. Again I stress that we don't expect it, and we certainly wouldn't think less of anyone who didn't give us it, but when we do get a token of appreciation it is great. So no I do not think it's obnoxious at all! Lol. However just a thankyou and a kind word of appreciation has the same effect so again I stress the point I made about us not expecting it or needing it.

All that being said.. After the birth of my wee boy I never even gave a thought to it.. I was too emotional and consumed with my new bubba. I never thought of it till after. but I did give my heartfelt thanks And I know that would've been enough. xxx

 

[kintenda]

As a neonatal nurse, we don't expect gifts etc. We often get a box of chocolates from parents when they leave the unit which are very well received (especially on nights!). This must be a U.S. thing, as I can't envisage any nurses from the UK being upset that they didn't receive gifts.

 

[Dollybird]

Oh jessicahyde I would've thought your hubby a hero too!!! Krispy creme are amazing! Xxx

 

[PurpleIvy44]

I'm in the US and have never heard of this. You see so many nurses over the course of your stay that buying they each something seems a bit excessive. I think a heartfelt thank you is enough.

 

[Jessicahide]

Oh jessicahyde I would've thought your hubby a hero too!!! Krispy creme are amazing! Xxx

he was keeping them sweet so they kept him in tea... Only joking, they had been so lovely to us so he thought a sugar rush was in order x I made sure and thanked everyone who had looked after us and was even thanked and hugged by the lady who was with me during the birth, it was a hairy moment before he was born and she told me she would never forget me, thought that was very sweet xx

 

[jlw617]

I guess it is a U.S. thing but it's relatively a new concept...but based on what dolly bird said and what I already know to be true about the hard work a nurse does, I think some sort of gesture whether it's spending a little (doesn't have to be a lot) money on individual treat bags with goodies or just a couple boxes of doughnuts is a very sweet gesture.