the gifts that nurses get.
By impactEDnurse • Jun 3rd, 2010 • Category: reflective practice., the nurses desk:
Of all the areas of the hospital, I would propose that the emergency department is on the lower end of the all important: ‘gift to nurse ratio’ (GNR) spectrum1.
Anecdotally, areas such as maternity, paediatrics, neonatal intensive-care and even oncology score a much higher GNR rating.
That’s not to say we don’t get some fantastic cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts from our patients from time to time. I was once offered $100.00 cash in a card from an elderly pensioner I looked after (I kept the card and the money was returned with thanks).
Over the years I have seen some staff receive beautiful and moving cards and letters, which despite the party line that nurses live for gifts of chocolates, can lift morale far higher and for far longer than any sugar rush.
I recently put the call out on Facebook: what was the most memorable gift/card/compliment that you have received from one of your patients?
And the responses make some great reading:
The gifts that they got:
Cheryl Freeberg I had a dear old lady tell me I could come over and take the chest freezer off of her porch, she didn’t need it anymore.
Alison MacIvor A bottle of home-made maple syrup. Yum!
Ursula Ridley I had a patient that sent me a hand made angel Christmas tree topper. It was beautiful. I still have it today and I think of her every time.
Christina Weeks an autographed picture, with a personal note from ….oops, can’t tell you …HIPAA regulations u know…;-)
rad McMullen A patient once offered me a 22 foot camp trailer.
Robert Timmings At risk of breaching confidentiality, I once treated a man for AMI, he was the CEO of Australia’s air traffic control network. Two weeks after one of his minions contacted me through work, and invited my family and I on a private tour of their Brisbane facility. It was an incredible glimpse of the behind the scenes negotiations that keep planes in the air. I was really touched. No money value in this gift, it was a priceless reward for his gratitude in caring.
Elisabeth Robson Mine was a loaf of bread from one of the nicest bakeries in London Town… It was awesome, i’ll never forget it!
Miriam Attard I looked after a man with renal colic of night shift, his wife cam back at 5am to give me a bunch of flowers she had picked by torchlight from her garden. It was the effort she went through to make sure I got it that was just lovely.
Carol Rodgers a duck pond to shoot for the opening weekend of duckshootong (it’s a big thing here lolz).. pt had recent shoulder surgery and couldn’t shoot
Jason Murray My most memorable compliment was from a lovely lady that was on our ward for a few weeks. She thanked me and said, “Jason, everytime you look after me, I feel safe”.
Jennifer Northey While working in Oncology I received many gifts, one of which was a 5% discount on my fruit and veg bill very week for some years. When I expressed my concerns regarding this gift to the owner said if I refused the discourt he would be offended. Another patient offered me 2 passes for Balloonaloft, which due to weather I never got, but thats ok. It was the thought that counts
Brent Driscoll A Chivas Regal gift pack (2 Glasses and a Bottle) for me and my side kick. They let us keep them!
Brenda Richardson I have a 2 page letter of reference from an intellectually impaired man i cared for, it is awesome, the social co-ordinator at the home i worked at told me it took him days to write…
Laura Mcgoldrick A beautiful pair of opal earrings from the family of a pt i helped palliate.
Amanda Elizabeth a $130 box of Godiva chocolates delivered on Valentine’s Day to the staff on my unit.
Anne Chandler While an elderly patient was in ICU with us, her daughter would sit with her and knit away. She would describe to her mum each different type of stitch, each different type of yarn, the pattern she was creating. When her mum was discharged to the ward the patient and her daughter gave three of us (nurses) a beautiful handknitted scarf to say thank you. So simple, yet so heartfelt.
Zenta Kronitis A little old Greek lady offered to have her son marry me. Or to have him make me his famous lasagna. I wonder if that was a euphemism…
Lauren King After being off work with a pneumonia for 5 weeks and numerous ab’s I returned to find a lovely hand made card from a 7yr old girl I had the honour of caring for.
That card made me feel better than all those antibiotics ever could, and is still on my fridge today.
Lauren King Oh and a lovely old digger called me cobba. Along with some words of wisdom. He told me he thought he was doing it tough as he had no shoes, until he saw the man with no feet.
Ian Pullin A Mum gave me a small religious symbol (for clarification, it was plastic & inexpensive) after caring for her child, it was not of my denomination but it touched me and i wore it as a reminder on why we are nurses.
Ann Rahn I haven’t received any gifts from patients or there families. I find it very rewarding though when you see the patient or their family members days later and they remember your name and thank you for the care they recieved
Sharon Nihill i just finished the bottle of wine given to me by a pt i saw just last Friday. This man waited HOURS to be seen, during which time we unsuccessfully tried to resus a pt I had seen Mon!!!! When we finally saw and treated said wine maker/provider, he stated ‘I kiss your hand, you are wonderful’. Arriving for night shift Monday, there was the wine he promised, from his winery. How could I refuse!!!
Donna Madden one of my patients gave several of the nurses that cared for her a selection on tulips each, she passed on not long after being with us, i think of her every spring when they appear and reminds me that life goes on.
Joy Kingston after helping a woman in labour and then letting the consultant catch the baby(as she was a private patient), the husband went out and bought me a dozen roses
Tammy Louise Hagan a patient once gave me a sowing machine after she had been in hospital for a month.. she was very sweet
Jo-Anne McShane my friend was given tickets to JT concert from one of his ‘employees’, about 5 of us went for free!
- at the risk of getting all touchy-feely here…..by far the best gift any nurse can get from their patient is the gift of being able to give. If you know what I mean [↩]
impactEDnurse is also known as Ian Miller, a nurse with over 26 years experience working in a busy emergency department in, Australia. This site in no way reflects the opinions of that hospital.
All stories (although based on actual experiences) have been changed to protect patient confidentiality.
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Some easter eggs that a patient went to great trouble to arrange – for me to give to my kids. A letter of thanks for listening to a patient who had chronic pain. The hugs. The tears. The privilege of being allowed to be present to patients and their families during their most difficult days.
For sure we have delivered some amazing gift baskets and hampers to helath care teamd and epartments over the year, but the one that I always remember was an order where the board wanted to reward the staff for International Nurses Day and we were directed to deliver over eighty hampers across newcastle and the Central Coast. All the recipients were gobsmacked and it was great to see their smiling faces!
A patient once brought in a whole rack of negligees for the staff to choose from! I’ll never forget that day!
I’ve had a patient offer me a job driving trucks up in the mines with her ’spunky’ grandson, with the possibility of a relationship… Had to politely decline that one…
And another patient, gave me a cupcake that she had her fiancee bake, on my last day of prac, because i was a good student and even better nurse… Simple, but heartfelt… Its moments like that when you realise that all the stress uni puts you through, is going to worth it
Seeing the man who had a massive catastrophic stroke walking in the supermarket a few months after meeting him in the ED. He was young (60’s), and when I saw him, was unable to talk or make any meaningful movement. Absolutely blew my mind.
Over the last 30 yrs I have been given many gifts from a Pot Plant to a knitted Toilet Roll Holder and Tissue Box Cover. The one that sticks in my mind the most and I always remember fondly was the Indigenous Man offering me a drink under the Bridge in Moruya next time I was down the Coast..how great is that..He had nothing but wanted to share with me what he could…sometimes the most simplest gifts make you smile and really make your life worthwhile…
As an NP in GI, we don’t get a lot…but as a First Canadian/Native American, one of my vets gave me an eagle feather. That is something up there with the Medal of Honor.
A picture of me and the baby I delivered—poor woman was sitting up for an epidural. She said, “Oh no—I just felt something drop!” Then she said, The head, the head! I’m sitting on the head!” I lokked under her gown and I said, “Yes you are” in utter disbelief! Laid her down and delivered a beautiful girl! What fun!
As mentioned in another post’s comment. A young man promised me his first born son, after I unblocked his catheter. I’ve yet to claim – said child may now be about 20 years old LOL
The gifts that nurses team needs: love, respect, comprehension and valuable. Good salaries are very very important. We hahe to think now at the moment a image that our professiom causes to the new generations. Be nurse is one of the most difficult chose to get. Imagine a world without love and more and more people needing care. Y don´t talk just the physical cares! Forward in the future we necessit to prepare nurses to make care and mental diseases. In Brazil we suffer if the same troubles, but y believe in a future tha things change for the best. Respect is mos important gift.
I once received a music box in the shape of a miniature piano complete with a tiny bench. It was made for my by the husband of a patient I had cared for. He had carved it by hand from vegetable crates…it was the sweetest gift I have ever received from a patient!