Nurses are the unsung heroes of the medical industry. And darn it, they deserve gifts. But it can be difficult to figure out what to get them when the time is right. What is a thoughtful gift that nurses can actually use and still be meaningful to them?
Well, whether you’re celebrating a nursing student’s graduation, a nurse friend’s birthday, a nurse spouse’s accomplishment, a nurse cousin’s engagement, a nurse neighbor’s baby’s first steps… you get the picture… we’ve got you covered! Below are 5 of the best gift ideas for nurses we compiled that will tell that special nurse person in your life “I appreciate the heck out of you.”
Personalized Nurse Mugs and Tumblers
Coffee. Some say society would crumble without it. They may be right. And your nurse friends would probably agree. But whether or not they are coffee connoisseurs, cocoa cravers, or tea takers, a personalized mug can be a great way to show your appreciation for the nurse that’s special in your life. For the nurse on-the-go, a personalized tumbler or travel-mug can be just as thoughtful, and give them the gift that keeps on giving: hot coffee for hours at a time. Nothing like coming back to your coffee after 4 hours in the weeds and it’s still piping hot!
Rice Bag Warmers
I wasn’t sold on rice bag warmers until I tried one. And they are awesome. Anyone who works long shifts can hang up their scrubs when they get home, pop these bad boys in the microwave for just a couple of minutes, then relax as they feel that warm and weighted bliss sink into their aching muscles. These are especially great for nurses, as they are portable and can be used mid-shift to help heat cold hands in a pinch (provided a microwave is available). These incredibly simple yet effective heating pads are fantastic, and if you’re the crafter-type you can even make one yourself! You might need to google how to do that, though; we claim no responsibility for large quantities of spilled dry rice as a result of this gift idea.
Nurse Shot and Wine Glasses
They may have just graduated from nursing school. They may have just finished a marathon shift. Or maybe they simply have a day off on the horizon. Regardless, there are always reasons to celebrate. This cheeky gift can give that beloved nurse in your life a nice chuckle, and provide them with a fun vehicle for celebratory liquids that they can use for years and years. If they’re not the type to indulge, however, fun mugs and tumblers are still on the table (scroll up)!
Nurse Compression Socks
Everyone knows nurses are on their feet. A LOT. A foot massage after a long shift can go a long way, but for those of us not quite willing to go that far, a nice pair of compression socks can do the trick! These fancy socks are perfect for the active nurse. By improving the circulation in the legs and adding more cushioned support for longer-lasting comfort, they’ll be wondering why they’ve been working their shifts without them for so long. And oh yeah, they come in all sorts of fun patterns and designs. There are plenty of fun compression sock designs for nurses that exist already, or you can create your own! You can’t go wrong with this one.
Portable Phone Chargers
The life of a nurse is one of movement. No matter what type of travel, nor number of daily steps that nurse in your life takes, one thing is certain: nurses are on the go. And their phones (as well as their other handheld gadgets) will almost always move with them. It can be stressful having a phone on low battery without a way to charge it. Well, this thoughtful gift can help eliminate that stress. By giving your favorite nurse the ability to charge their devices without the need for an outlet, you give them even more ‘untethered’ time during the day that they absolutely need, and would love to have more of I’m sure. A good gift is one that prevents a problem, and what better problem to prevent than a dead phone? I admit, there are probably bigger problems in the world that could be prevented, but this one can be prevented by YOU! As a gift!
Bonus Gift
This last gift is one that isn’t a product per se and can be combined with any of the great gift ideas for nurses above: a real show of appreciation. Write them a heartfelt letter. Record a thoughtful video. Give them a HUG and tell them how proud and thankful you are for all that they do. Nursing is often a thankless job, and while material things are great and all, nothing hits like real, genuine thanks, compassion, and empathy.
We hope this helps you find the perfect gift!
