Something Nice for the Nurses

[soFlaNative]

Six hours yesterday at the hospital for an outpatient procedure had me once again appreciate the attributes of the Registered Nurse. Like cops they often have to deal with people at their worst but manage to maintain a professional outlook but with a more engaging personality.

From check in to recovery with visits from the anesthetist assistant and Yvonne the surgical nurse they took their time dealing with my questions and general BS I'll spew when out of my element with good humor. Yvonne in particular stood out as she reminded of Rusty's Ruthie with the lack of stature and fantastic eyes peering over the mask. Tough yet caring she backed my play at the surgeon by positioning me in such a way the cutter could access all the affected areas without me having to make a second trip in 3 to 5 weeks.


I tend not to let things good or bad slide but the treatment I received needs payback. If I'm able to I'd like to leave something at the nurse's station in appreciation.
Flowers seem lame and donuts may not be appropriate. Any suggestion?

 

[Onomea]

Gift coupon to a local restaurant? Nice box of chocolates?

 

[Krogen]

It takes a special, very special, person to be a nurse. A friend, now retired, was a nurse in the Harborview trauma center. Then she joined Airlift Northwest as a flight nurse. She saw people in their worst moments. I asked her one day, how she could handle all the death she saw as a flight nurse. "If we can just get a dying person back to their family to say goodbye, we'd call it a success."

Oh my word . . . .

A tip of the hat and deep gratitude to the nurses in our world.

 

[ameridaddy]

During my 19 days in ICU and rehab after heart surgery, one nurse stood out. I was weak as a kitten, stinky, bloody, unkempt, unwashed, needed help using the toilet, couldn't get out of bed without help, had to change bloody bandages, and all through the nights, she was there with no complaints. She treated me like I was her loved child.
As I got better, we talked and I found out her favorite restaurant was - Domino's Pizza! (wouldn't have been my choice, but...)
I left her a substantial gift certificate for Domino's in an envelope with her name on it along with a thank you note.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Nurses are rarely given credit for catching mistakes made by doctors; however, many a M.D. and D.O. owes their career and freedom to a RN who caught a mistake a “superior” being made.

 

[Nevada Ed]

When I had neck surgery and disk fused, I thanked the staff with two boxs of See's candy.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Six hours yesterday at the hospital for an outpatient procedure had me once again appreciate the attributes of the Registered Nurse. Like cops they often have to deal with people at their worst but manage to maintain a professional outlook but with a more engaging personality.

I tend not to let things good or bad slide but the treatment I received needs payback. If I'm able to I'd like to leave something at the nurse's station in appreciation.
Flowers seem lame and donuts may not be appropriate. Any suggestion?

Most times just a signed Thank You card is plenty. Another thing you can do is a letter to the hospital CEO praising their care. They will usually get a good "attaboy/girl" from the front office, which carries a lot of weight.

When I had neck surgery and disk fused, I thanked the staff with two boxs of See's candy.

My legs might not have been as pretty as theirs, but a 1/5 of single malt Scotch would have worked for me.

I was a surgical RN for 37 years and also a USAF Flight Nurse for 8 during that time. We always strive to make the patient's experience memorable in a good way and to do everything to make it as painless as possible.

 

[DWalt]

I have a bit more experience with nurses than most, having lived with one for 57 years. She has a PhD in nursing and spent most of her career teaching college, actually at three of them. Also have a daughter-in-law who started as an RN and later became an MD, now chief of anesthesia at a large medical center in Wisconsin, and also an ex-DIL who is a nurse practitioner. One of my wife’s former nursing students.

 

[Bald1]

My wife was an RN for a long time. Worked 12 hr shifts 5-6 days a week in the ICU at the height of Covid Pandemic. She’s worked ER, Telemetry, and Pediatrics as well. Two Christmas ago she was stuck at hospital for 52 hrs straight because of a blizzard. If your relief doesn’t show up you can’t leave. The dedication and compassion most nurses show is unbelievable. I know I couldn’t do it. She has since finished up her Masters and is a FNP working in Neurology. One of her Dementia patients was a woodworker. He made her a jewelry box he was so appreciative of her. To say my wife was moved is a huge understatement………. This is a long winded way of saying that nurses appreciate your gratitude

 

[Skeet 028]

My wife was an ER nurse...for a lot of years...tough job. Makes 'em get tough too with what they see. All said and done, Food is a good thing. I was helping in an ER one evening(paramedic). We had a patient who we worked on one evening. Kept her alive and up to ICU...lady's husband ordered 8 pizza's for the ER...They were more than enjoyed by the ER docs and nurses...like a pack of wolves on a busy night. As a paramedic...it was kinda neat having a patient walk into the station every now and then ...alive...and thanking us.

 

[NYlakesider]

A few years ago (pre Covid) my wife had to have a emergency surgery. The nurses were very good during her 5 day stay and made the time as good as it could be.

A week after she was discharged we went back with a large box of assorted chocolate candy.

They were happy with the gift but said most of us are on diets.

My reply was, did you not know there are no calories in gift food items? The one nurse said that is nice to know and then they all attacked the box with serious enthusiasm.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Ruthie says a fruit basket works as it lessens the chance of food allergies. Pizzas are always appreciated as nurses usually nibble on the run.

More than anything she and the other nurses appreciate a hand written pat on the back.

She says an edifying post-stay review on the survey to corporate is also most welcome.

I am biased but nurses are the NCOs of the medical trenches. They do the heavy lifting.

To quote TT: "God bless them everyone".

 

[glenwolde]

If it's morning bagels are better than donuts.

 

[Doug M.]

Over the last 17 years of my medical journey I have developed a serious regard for the various folks who have taken care of me in different ways.

 

[JET4]

When our daughter had a baby 6 years ago we gave the nurses a couple boxes of Landies Chocolate Covered Pretzels. They loved them.
Chocolate Covered Pretzels - Landies Candies Buffalo, NY

 

[jscheck]

I work in a hospital ( non clinical position) and am privileged to see many men and women just like you’ve described. Someone already said a letter to corporate or chief of staff is a good idea and it is, also something as simple as a card with a note of appreciation is great. In any case don’t miss the opportunity to say thank you!

 

[Alk8944]

Write them a sincere thank you note to each one individually or send the hospital a "letter of praise" mentioning them each by name. A "Good Guy" letter is often appreciated more than anything else, and it usually will be placed in their personnel file for future reference. This could help them in the future with promotions!

 

[schutz5]

Instead of chocolates,how about a couple of N frames! Haha.

Any type of gesture of gratitude will be well taken.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I retired in 2019, just before the Covid outbreak. I don't wish I hadn't missed it, and I admire all those who were in the midst of one of the worst medical emergencies in the last 100 years in the US and gave it their heart and soul.

I started out as an EMT, working as a Correctional Officer in a medium security prison infirmary. I was the medication officer handing out pills to almost 750 inmates twice a shift. My medical director, a PA, suggested I go to Nursing school and I did, while working full time at the prison. This was before online learning, so I went to classes in the mornings and worked either 2nd or 3rd shift. When I graduated, my first job was in the maximum security prison hospital that I transferred to, but I knew it wasn't the path I wanted to follow. I went to the Level 1 trauma center in town and worked a postop neurosurgical floor for 6 months and then did a 6 month internship in the O.R. and stayed there the rest of my career (different hospitals but same department.) I joined the USAF Reserve about 5 years after school, became a Flight Nurse and also worked E.R, O.R. and ICU in military hospitals on occasion for continued training. Stayed in the Reserves for 8 years including service during Desert Storm until after I was married, and then left so I could spend more time with wife and kids. Nursing was a great career, spent more than half my life in it.

 

[SSGRock]

Nurses

Fruit Basket.