If you’re looking for the perfect way to show appreciation, consider these thoughtful gift ideas tailored for nurses. At Minority Nurse, we’re always finding ways to show nurses appreciation, so we’ve curated this gift guide to help spread nurse appreciation this holiday season.
From practical ideas to self-care essentials, this comprehensive gift guide will help you find the ideal present for the nurse in your life. Let’s explore a range of options that will make their job easier and brighten their day.
1. Nursing Scrubs
Can a nurse ever have too many nursing scrubs? As something that they have to wear every day, it’s no surprise their daily uniform scrubs get worn down quickly, and there’s always room for a new favorite pair of scrubs. With so many scrub colors, designs, and brands, these can be a more fun gift to open up. Just be sure to include a gift receipt in case there needs to be a size or color exchange.
2. Coffee Maker
The nurse you are gift shopping for may already have one of these. Many nurses rely on coffee to keep them going! This is a gift we recommend ensuring they don’t already have. If not, you’re in luck because this can be a great addition to their routine and a time and money saver.
Additionally, coffee makers are available at a wide range of prices. So, you have the flexibility to determine what kind of coffee maker is within your budget range.
3. Mani-pedis
Any nurse on their feet for over 12 hours a day and constantly using their hands dreams of a nice mani-pedi after a long day of work. Whether they keep up with them regularly or rarely, booking an appointment in advance for a nurse is sure to be a welcome gift. Check with local nail salons to see if they offer gift cards or appointment vouchers.
4. Smartwatch
Smartwatches tend to be on the more expensive side, but they’re always on a lot of wishlists every year. Apple and Samsung smartwatches start at around $250, but some more budget-friendly options are available on Amazon, starting at $20.
The even better news is that smartwatches tend to go on sale around this time of year, so if you’re interested in gifting a nurse a smartwatch, keep an eye out for the holiday deals that are coming up.
5. Gift Cards
Although gift cards are often impersonal, they are typically the safest option you can opt for. Picking out a few gift cards for a place people frequently visit for weekly errands, a restaurant, or even somewhere to treat yourself can be used at the leisure of the gift recipient, which adds an extra layer of convenience. To present the gift cards as a gift, you can make a gift card tree to ensure a stellar presentation.
6. Essentials Kit
Although essential gifts are typically considered stocking stuffers, saving the hassle of someone from having to restock them in the future will be appreciated. Nursing essentials such as pens, socks, snacks, a new badge clip, or even an extra nursing bag or tumbler will surely be a great addition to their daily life. Additionally, people love
7. Lumify uNight Light
Here’s a gift that is made by nurses for nurses. The Lumify uNight Light 2.0 was specifically designed to help provide nurses with some much-needed light in rooms during night shifts without disturbing patients. Night shifts are hard enough, so nurses go out of their way to avoid turning on lights, disturb patients getting much-needed rest, and stumble on things in the dark. This night light has red, white, and blue options, not to mention it can easily be clipped onto scrubs, offering nurses a hands-free solution that is also liquid-repellent and washable.
8. Littmann Stethoscope
Gifting a nurse a stethoscope is nothing new and is often considered a “cliche choice.” However, many nurses have a specific stethoscope in mind that would serve as a great gift: the Littmann stethoscope.
The Littmann’s Classic III is the most popular stethoscope that many nurses opt for, which is usually priced at around $100. However, some nurses (particularly ones in cardiology specialties) may be eyeing the top-of-the-line stethoscope. The Littmann Master Cardiology Stethoscope can run you up to $250.
Final Thoughts
This holiday season provides the perfect opportunity to express appreciation for the nurses who make a difference in our lives. A thoughtful gift is sure to ease their demanding routines. Kind gestures that acknowledge their dedication and the right gifts can truly resonate.
“At a time when one in five pregnant people experience mistreatment during childbirth, and up to 40 percent of Black and multiracial patients report discrimination while receiving maternity care, it is imperative that interventions like TeamBirth are made widely available,” says Ahrin Mishan, Executive Director of The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation. “We are proud to support the expansion of this important intervention.”
Developed by Ariadne Labs – a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health – TeamBirth is a care process innovation that ensures people giving birth and the clinicians who are caring for them have shared input and understanding into decisions during labor and delivery. Using such easy-to-implement components as team huddles and a patient-facing whiteboard, patients and clinicians alike have credited TeamBirth with making the labor and delivery process more person-centered and, most importantly, safer.
After an initial feasibility trial at four sites in 2018, TeamBirth is on track to be integrated into more than 100 U.S. hospitals by the end of this year. Building on this momentum and a growing evidence base, HID funds will enable Ariadne Labs to pursue innovative strategies for maximizing the reach and impact of TeamBirth.
“Funding from The Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation comes at a critical time,” says Amber Weiseth, DNP, MSN, RN, Director of the Ariadne Labs’ Delivery Decisions Initiative and the principal investigator of the HID grant. “This partnership and support will be vital in ensuring that more parents-to-be have access to dignified, equitable, and safe birthing experiences.”
The Hillman Innovation Dissemination program, established in 2017, amplifies the scaling efforts of successful interventions with proven outcomes that target the needs of marginalized populations. See a roster of previous HID grant recipients here.
Join Kaiser Permanente for a free webinar, “Increasing Nurse Retention, Engagement, and Certification Pass Rates in a Post-Pandemic World,” on Tuesday, June 13 at 2 pm EST. Register here.
Discover how healthcare organizations are putting solutions in place to address nurse burnout and retention in the post-pandemic era.
Join us as we delve into the success story of Kaiser Permanente’s Nurse Scholars Academy. Learn how their partnership with Springer Publishing transformed nurse career development, leading to significant benefits.
Speakers include:
Stacy Hull MS, RN, CCNS Clinical Practice Consultant NCAL Kaiser Permanente Regional Office
Stacy Hull MS, RN, CCNS, CCNS Regional Clinical Practice for KP Practice Excellence, Clinical Education and Effectiveness. Hull is a UCSF School of Nursing graduate as a Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Luis Perez, MNA Consultant V for KP Nurse Scholars Academy
Luis Perez, MNA, Consultant V for KP Nurse Scholars Academy, has over a decade of healthcare experience and earned a master’s degree from the University of San Francisco.
Jim D’Alfonso DNP, RN, PhD (h), FNAP, FAAN Regional Executive Director Professional Excellence and KP Scholars Academy
Jim D’Alfonso DNP, RN, PhD (h), FNAP, FAAN, Regional Executive Director Professional Excellence, and KP Scholars Academy. Graduate and Faculty at USF and Associate Editor of Nursing Administration Quarterly.
Janet Sohal, DNP, RN, NEA-BC Regional Director of KP Nurse Scholars Academy
Janet Sohal, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Regional Director of KP Nurse Scholars Academy. Caritas Coach and HeartMath Trainer. Graduate of USF with her doctorate in nursing practice.
Benson Yeung, DNP, RN NEA-BC, CHSE, Regional Director Patient Care Services, Clinical Education and Effectiveness, Adjunct Faculty and President of Betta Gamma Chapter of Sigma at USF.
Don’t miss out on this valuable insight, and register today!
The National Council Licensure Examination is a prerequisite for becoming a nurse, and with increased nursing school applicants, we thought it would be worthwhile to offer tips on how best to pass the NCLEX. We each tried our techniques and utilized similar options to help us pass the exam in May of this year. With some guidance from our parents, we also have plenty of tips to help others pass this challenging exam with much more confidence than you otherwise might have exhibited.
Watch Tips and Tutorials on YouTube
YouTube has tons of great material on every subject, including the NCLEX. We recommend finding some tutorials and tips to help you pass. Shannon, in particular, used this study method for subjects she didn’t fully understand. It enables you to gain knowledge in areas where you’re lacking and is just a fun, easy way to gain more information and help you feel more confident with that material.
Allot Yourself So Many NCLEX Questions Per Day
Don’t try to push yourself to get through hundreds of practice questions when you don’t have the mental capacity. Instead, give yourself a few months to take your time and practice until you feel comfortable. It’s best to allot yourself so many questions daily and only focus on getting through one set at a time. Shannon stuck with the 75 questions per day rule, and it helped.
You can also go with Kristyn’s technique and allot yourself so many daily topics. Then, pick two or three and work on the material until you feel like you’ve nailed it. She spent one month working this way until she felt confident she could pass the test.
Study and Correct Your Incorrect Answers
By only focusing on so many questions each day, you have time to go back over the answers. You can correct anything you got wrong and take the time to understand why it was wrong. Then, use your results to help you study better and refocus on the problems you’re having trouble tackling.
Let Your Family Help
You don’t have to do this alone. Sure, you’ll be the only one taking the test, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get help practicing and preparing in the meantime. Let your family help you in any way they can—we both did. Kristyn’s mom helped her by being a pretend patient. Her aunt and uncle let her stay with them while in college to help save on costs. Shannon’s dad tried to help keep their dog occupied, so he wasn’t in her way or disturbing her studies.
Be Sure to Eat Healthily
Speaking of Shannon’s dad, Mark stresses the importance of eating well. It’s important to eat something healthy and keep your body full and your brain working to the best of its ability while studying and before you have a big exam. So, eat something healthy and keep your body full and your brain working to the best of its ability. That will go a long way toward ensuring you can pass your NCLEX without the pangs of hunger interrupting your thought process.
Also, Enjoy a Snack
You don’t have to eat all the time healthily, however. Sometimes, it’s good to get your favorite snack and reward yourself a little for the hard work you’ve been doing. So, grab your favorite candy bar and savor every bite before you get back to the work at hand. That little bit of goodness in your day can be a huge motivator and help when feeling down.
Add Vitamin D to Your Day
It’s also essential to make sure you’re staying healthy overall. Adding Vitamin D to your day, especially by soaking it up outside, is beneficial for how you feel mentally. Don’t just sit and study for the entire day. Get outside. Enjoy the fresh air. Take the break you need and deserve. It will help give you mental clarity so you can return to your study routine afterward.
Utilize UWorld
One of the best things you can do for yourself (or a family member) is to purchase a pretest system that allows you to see how well you would do on your NCLEX. It’s excellent practice and shows you the areas where you need additional guidance before you take the actual test. We used UWorld, and it offers options for both RNs and PNs. It helped us gain the information and experience necessary to help us feel genuinely prepared for the exam in real life. In addition, the UWorld NCLEX-RNⓇ provides more than 2,000 questions to help prepare for your impending. If you want easy-to-understand information, this program is for you.
Take Your Time During the NCLEX
Our final piece of advice is to take your time. It isn’t necessary to feel rushed during the NCLEX because you get five total hours for the entirety of it. Don’t rush through any questions. Please read it thoroughly so that you’re entirely comprehending what it’s asking. Some questions can be tricky, and you’ll misinterpret what it’s asking for if you don’t read them all the way through and give yourself time to sort through the possible answers.
Why Preparing to Be a Nurse Is So Important
It takes a village to support nursing students and current nurses, particularly given the added stress of the pandemic. In addition, as current nurses are exiting the profession due to burnout or attrition in large numbers, student nurses must find the resources they need to support their academic and career goals. A family and friends support network can also help make all the difference in reaching your goal of being a nurse with a healthy work-life balance.
This article written by Shannon Rosen and Kristyn Smith was published in the September 2022 issue of Minority Nurse.
About the authors
Shannon Rosen graduated from Nova Southeastern University, passed the NCLEX in May 2022, and is an Operating Room Nurse at Naples Community Hospital in Naples, Florida.
Kristyn Smith graduated from Chamberlain University, passed the NCLEX in May 2022, and is a Pediatric ER Nurse at a hospital in Houston, Texas.
Joanne Campbell, RN, PHN passed away peacefully on June 21 after a 5-year battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 91.
Joanne Marilyn Ross Campbell:
June 11, 1931 – June 21, 2022.
Joanne was born at home in Lakeport, California, on June 11, 1931, to Joseph and Anna (Santos) Ross. Soon after, Joanne and family moved to their beloved ranch on Big Valley Road in Finley, California. It was a place where she fondly remembered growing up in the family’s orchards surrounded by siblings Kenneth, Leona (Newman), Lois (Thorne), and Judith (Davidson). She and her sisters also comprised the entire choir at St. Mary’s Church in Lakeport with Joanne eventually taking over piano duties as well.
Joanne, always the stellar student, graduated school in Lakeport at the top of her class receiving a Doyle Scholarship to attend Santa Rosa Junior College. It was there she started her career with a pre-nursing program, graduating in 1952. Upon graduation, she was accepted at both Stanford University and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) nursing schools, choosing UCSF for practical reasons — she would graduate 6 months earlier than the Stanford program with both RN and PHN (Public Health Nurse) degrees. She graduated in 1955. At the end of her nursing internship, she attended a 6-month position at the Queen’s Hospital of Nervous Diseases in London, which began in 1958. This would lead to her lifetime passion for traveling. After the internship, she joined three of her eventual lifelong friends in a Volkswagen bug and toured Europe for 6 months—it was the trip of her life. Upon her return, she turned down a nursing position in Connecticut and accepted a position with the City and County of San Francisco as a Public Health Nurse in 1960. She would make San Francisco her home for the rest of her life.
It was during this time she met her future husband, James (Jim) Campbell, a third-generation San Franciscan. They married in December, 1961. The next chapter of her life began when she gave birth to her oldest son Timothy in 1962, Brian in 1964 (a short move south to Daly City in 1965), and Robert in 1967. Her boys were her pride and joy in life and became her sole focus after the untimely death of Jim in 1973. She raised the three boys by herself in Daly City attending as many baseball, basketball, and band concerts as humanly possible, eventually putting all of them through college. She retired from nursing in 1992, but she did not stay idle for long.
As a tribal citizen of Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, she was elected to the Tribal Council in 1998 where she served multiple terms over 18 years, retiring in 2016 to spend more time with the second love of her life, Young Smith. While serving on the Tribal Council she was passionate about the tribe’s federal restoration, cultural revitalization projects including tribal language learning programs (Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo) and sharing traditional basketry skills.
She served on the initial boards of directors for the California Indian Basketweavers’ Association (CIBA) and the San Francisco Quilting Guild. She was an avid quilter as well as a Giants, 49ers, and Warriors fan throughout her entire life. She was also a great friend, aunt, mother, and grandmother. She never stopped being a nurse and continued to look after and help many families and friends right up until her passing.
She is survived by her three sons, Timothy (Bonnie), Brian (Carla), and Robert (Tina), her sister Leona Newman of Oak Harbor, Washington, as well as her 6 grandchildren (James, Ethan, Kayla, Miles, Emily, Chase), numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and close friends. A funeral Mass was held at Church of the Good Shepherd in Pacifica, CA on July 7. Private burial will follow at a later date. A Celebration of Life gathering in Sonoma County will be held later this year.
Memorial donations may be made in her name to St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Mateo County at www.svdpsm.org, or 50 North B Street, San Mateo, CA 94401, 650-373-0622.
