Providing a nurse with a gift this holiday season is the perfect opportunity to show your appreciation for the healthcare heroes who often put others before themselves. With long hours, a lot of time on their feet, and copious amounts of stressful situations, gifting a nurse with a small act of kindness reminds them that all of the work they do, does not go unnoticed. At Nightingale Foundation, our goal is to improve the nation’s health outcomes, health equity, and eliminate the nursing shortage in our communities. By showing current and future nurses in our own backyards that we care, we can make a bigger impact and create a sense of camaraderie. We hope that through this list, you can bring a smile to a nurse’s face during this festive time of year.
1. Nurse Badge Clips:
With nurses consistently in scrubs, adding a little pizzaz with a fun badge clip helps them display a little personality, character, and style. It can also make for a fun conversation starter when they are interacting with patients. Badge clips are a practical way for nurses to display their IDs and use them conveniently when it comes to swiping or grabbing information without having to remove it.
2. Comfortable Shoes
Nurses spend the majority of their shifts on their feet and with this being said, comfortable footwear is a must. From sneakers to clogs, and more, the exceptional relief that comes with a good pair of shoes will provide great support and not break the bank.
3. Handwritten Notes
Providing notes or cards with words of affirmation, gratitude, thanks, and compassion to nurses allows them to see that people do care. These words can be a positive reminder on good days and bad days. It allows nurses to reflect on the ways they have made a difference. It also motivates them to keep going when times get tough.
4. Lunch, Snacks, or Dinner
Consider dropping off food to the nurses at your local hospital. Having a meal ready so they do not have to scramble or worry about what they are going to eat can help to alleviate stress. A good sandwich, pizza, or bagel allows nurses to have a treat and something other than food from the cafeteria or food they bought from home.
5. Games, Puzzles, Adult Coloring Books, etc.
When nurses have the time to relax, provide them with an activity that will allow them to get their minds off of work. Whether it’s a puzzle that can allow them to use their brain differently, a nostalgic game like Monopoly or Scrabble, or an adult coloring book that will let them release their creative abilities, these gifts are bound to make them happy and contribute to reducing stress and promoting mental well-being.
6. Box with Small Gifts
As we know, nurses are consistently on the move. By dropping off a box of small but useful gifts to nurses, you allow them to pick from things they may like or use regularly or during their shift. Things you could place in the box could be small lotions, pens, on-the-go snacks, energy drinks, ChapSticks, and more.
7. Coffee Gift Cards
Many nurses run on coffee. By putting $5-$10 on a few gift cards and handing them out to nurses at your local hospital or clinic, you are buying them a coffee or tea. This gesture would be highly cherished and will provide the perfect pick-me-up for a nurse you want to show appreciation to.
8. Journals or Notebooks
Nurses are consistently taking and writing down notes. Providing them with a fun notebook where they can jot down their ideas and the important things they need to remember will remind them that they received that notebook from a person in their community who showed their appreciation.
9. Mugs
Whether they are drinking coffee or water from them, using them as a decoration, or to store their favorite set of pens or pencils, nurses can always find a use for mugs in their lives. By purchasing some quirky and fun mugs at a store and delivering them to the nurses in your community they are sure to provide a smile and a sense of joy.
10. Donating to the Education of a Nurse through Nightingale Foundation
By gifting a donation to the Foundation this holiday season, you are providing educational opportunities to the next generation of nursing students. These current and prospective students will become the individuals in your communities who will provide necessary healthcare and support to those who need it most. A donation will bring us closer to ending the nursing shortage in the United States and remove financial barriers to provide equitable access to nursing education. If you would like to support the education of a nurse in your community, you can donate through the link here.