Thank You gifts for hospital staff

[omniflow]

I'm fairly sure this topic has been covered before, but I don't have the time or the energy to search for it right now.

My Mum is currently in ITU and being looked after brilliantly (with the occasional rare exception). She will definitely still be in ICU on Xmas day. She is an ex-Nurse and in her day it was all wine and chocolates from grateful patients.

However, I am aware that the world has moved on massively, and ideally I should be looking for more inclusive things to show appreciation, so I would welcome any ideas of what I can give to the ITU "pod" on Xmas day from my Mother, that I can buy tomorrow without totally taking over my day.

I have already liberated 6 bottles of pink prosecco and various boxes of chocolates from her house, but feel I need to add to this. Budget is not the primary concern, but it needs to be "appropriate", and it also needs to be easily accessible. I've got a 4 hour round trip to see her tomorrow and my own kids arriving late afternoon so I don't want to set off on some kind of odyssey.

[V8FGO]

Non alcoholic wine, or just fruit juice
Turkish Delight and Baklava

[K77 CTR]

At this time of year when there is so much chocolate, I find our team really appreciate a good fruit basket, nice coffee and decent tea. We always like hand cream too.

[omniflow]

K77 CTR said:

At this time of year when there is so much chocolate, I find our team really appreciate a good fruit basket, nice coffee and decent tea. We always like hand cream too.

Thanks for this - a fruit basket I understand totally - tea / coffee, are we talking tea bags and instant or fruit teas and exotic beans.

Likewise hand cream - something Scandinavian and utilitarian or more like Clinique and chintzy?

[shed driver]

Ex ICU nurse - but admittedly it was 1980's and 1990's!

A good ground coffee and a large cafetiere is a really good shout. You could also ask the staff if a pod coffee maker would be an option with a selection of drinks.

I hope your mum gets better soon.

SD.

[Jamescrs]

omniflow said:

Thanks for this - a fruit basket I understand totally - tea / coffee, are we talking tea bags and instant or fruit teas and exotic beans.

Likewise hand cream - something Scandinavian and utilitarian or more like Clinique and chintzy?

You need to be careful because in the public services there are rules officially about staff accepting gifts and whilst your intentions are good it may cause more issues than anything.

Think about things that can be left on the ward desks and shared by all the staff on duty, that s what s mostly appreciated.

My wife is a Nurse and spent years working the hospital wards

[Slow.Patrol]

Hand cream

Lots of washing and sanitizer takes it's toll.

[Inspire]

I don’t have anything to suggest other than to say this is a lovely gesture - well done you.

[Elderly]

Slow.Patrol said:

Hand cream

Lots of washing and sanitizer takes it's toll.

That’s certainly the case when using alcohol based hand sanitizers,
but a medic in the family who yesterday I asked about needing hand cream
said that where he worked they used a substance that included a moisturiser,
so negating the need for hand cream.

[Scrump]

Elderly said:

That s certainly the case when using alcohol based hand sanitizers,
but a medic in the family who yesterday I asked about needing hand cream
said that where he worked they used a substance that included a moisturiser,
so negating the need for hand cream.

My eldest daughter is home for Christmas, she is a nurse and her hands are dry and sore from all the sanitisers. I asked her about hand cream and she thought it was a good idea. Her ward had been given a lot of biscuits and chocolates.

[DickyC]

I asked the cardio nurses if they'd prefer chocolates or biscuits. Both was the answer.



The irony was lost on no one, but the crew looking after me and many others were going to burn it off.

[oddman]

Leeds based.

Things the nursing staff really like aren't the ubiquitous Quality Street, Roses, Celebrations and Fox's (Batley) biscuits

M&S biscuits and chocs, Hotel Chocolat, Thornton's are good but for extra points

A hamper from Betty's. Posh teas and biscuits etc.

Booze isn't a great idea in our diverse NHS

Most importantly a handwritten note mentioning staff by name and explaining your appreciation.

[Steve_H80]

There is usually a financial limit for gift before things get complicated so I would avoid booze, and flowers are not acceptable for obvious hygiene reasons.
So it's chocolate, biscuits, coffee, tea etc that can be left on the nurses station for all to nibble away at. You'll be amazed how quickly that goes in a high stress environment

[blue_haddock]

My dad was in hospital for 5 months this year before eventually passing away, he was on a few different wards across two hospitals during that period and the level of care differed massively (although thats for another thread!)

He was on one really nice helpful ward when the weather was really hot so i took in a few boxes of cornettos and magnums for all the staff to share, they were definitely appreciated as the ward was like a greenhouse with no AC!

The final ward he was on when receiving end of life care were simply amazing and couldnt have helped him any more than they did, so a few days after he had passed i called back in with some nice biscuits to be shared between all the staff but also a a simple card saying thank you for looking after him so well.