gifts for L&D nurses?!

rocknrollmommy · July 2009

So I was just reading an article on welcomebabyhome.com about the hospital bag and it mentioned to pack "A few small gifts or one for all of the nurses that helped care for you".

Seriously? WDYT?

mariec77 · July 2009

I was JUST reading that too........ I am like.. HUH??

weddedwife · July 2009

I've heard about bringing some 'goodies' or something for them; I'm sure they really like it. Seems kind of silly to me since this is their job... but I figure it can't hurt to bring a bag of cookies or something.

mariec77 · July 2009

I was just reading the same thing..... I don't think I am going to be doing to be honest with you. I just don't know... I never heard of this before.

MrsBeckO · July 2009

We discussed this with my sister and BIL who delivered their first baby last month - and we all agreed that it seemed odd to bring gifts to the hospital, but if you had a great experience with your nurses, you could then send them a "thank you" gift after the fact. That's our plan if we love our nurses (like we did my sister's - she seriously had some awesome nurses in L&D and postpartum!).

I don't think I should have to bring gifts ahead of time and bribe them to do their job well though. Maybe that's just me. ?

cherrykat · July 2009

Gosh... never thought about this! Could be a good idea... but what to bring w/o seeming like a brown noser!

Runnerwife · July 2009

I don't think its needed and I've never heard of it before.

I sent each of my nurses a personal thank you card.

rocknrollmommy · July 2009

MrsBeckO:
We discussed this with my sister and BIL who delivered their first baby last month - and we all agreed that it seemed odd to bring gifts to the hospital, but if you had a great experience with your nurses, you could then send them a "thank you" gift after the fact. That's our plan if we love our nurses (like we did my sister's - she seriously had some awesome nurses in L&D and postpartum!).
I don't think I should have to bring gifts ahead of time and bribe them to do their job well though. Maybe that's just me.

THIS was my thought. Plus, I never expected anyone to "bribe" me to do my job in the past. I understand that it's stressful and stuff but wow, I'm already spending big bucks here!!!

MrsBeckO · July 2009

rocknrollmommy:
THIS was my thought. Plus, I never expected anyone to "bribe" me to do my job in the past. I understand that it's stressful and stuff but wow, I'm already spending big bucks here!!!

Well not only that, they signed up to be L&D nurses. If they don't enjoy their jobs and need to be bribed with preemptive gifts to take care of their patients as best they can, perhaps they should choose a different specialty. ::shrugs::?

rocknrollmommy · July 2009

i agree. maybe i'll just send the entire staff a nice plant for the breakroom or something after i'm home

H4'sFan · July 2009

I think something sent after the fact is fine. Have you ever looked at the Edible Arrangements? Their stuff is awesome. I have sent several of these to friends and family, and always received great feedback.

Also, I think I will be in too much of a hurry to think of bringing something on my way to the hospital.

rocknrollmommy · July 2009

i hadn't thought of that! i'll look into it and get something in mind before-hand.

yeah, i'm going to have a hard enough time just remembering everything i HAVE to bring lol

H4'sFan · July 2009

Also, an L&D nurse once posted on here in regards to this subject. She said that she, and her fellow nurses, felt more comfortable accepting store bought items rather than homemade cookies and such. Not sure why?

She also said it was not necessary to bring goodies, but it was always appreciated.

IselaCid · July 2009

I baked them cookies during my "labor project", they seemed to like them!

H4'sFan · July 2009

IselaCid:
I baked them cookies during my "labor project", they seemed to like them!

Maybe yours were just too awesome to resist. Big Smile

Now I want cookies!

jjwheat1007 · July 2009

My PA suggested that goodies are always appreciated by L&D nurses and that they really warm up to your wishes and your birth plan if you have a small gift. She basically told me that developing a good relationship with them is key to a wonderful birth because they're with you through the whole thing.

I agree with the fact that it's their job and they signed up for it so they should just do it, but at the same time, it doesn't hurt to show up with goodies. Might be the difference between someone having a crappy day and feeling unappreciated to a much better day and more smiles.

rocknrollmommy · July 2009

jjwheat1007:
My PA suggested that goodies are always appreciated by L&D nurses and that they really warm up to your wishes and your birth plan if you have a small gift. She basically told me that developing a good relationship with them is key to a wonderful birth because they're with you through the whole thing.

I agree with the fact that it's their job and they signed up for it so they should just do it, but at the same time, it doesn't hurt to show up with goodies. Might be the difference between someone having a crappy day and feeling unappreciated to a much better day and more smiles.

damn you and your wise thoughts... now i guess i'll have to find some kind of goodies to take. hmmmmm i could always make my sister's death balls!!! (Oreo cream cheese truffles). these are OMFG good. too bad there's like... 500 calories in 2 of them LOL

https://www.recipezaar.com/Oreo-Truffles-87967

Sheer1005 · July 2009

My sister is a L&D nurse and she rarely gets any gifts. She has been a nurse for 8 years and only a few times (just recently) did she mentioned that a patient brought her something. She appreciates patients who are not snotty more than stuff

This one thing that she was brought recently were flowers. That might be something simple for someone to pick up for you the day you leave. I would only do it for the nurses that were really helpful to you. It is sometimes hard to bring things in later because of shift changes the same crew is not always together that was there to help you. That being said, I might have my mom pick something up for both L&D and Mother/Baby just because my sister works there and I am hoping for the hook-up of a good room Embarrassed

rocknrollmommy · July 2009

oh i forgot to mention that you can use white chocolate to dip the truffles in and they make this sugar spray thats like spray paint (but edible). my mom used it to spray the truffles at my shower pink and then drizzled them with more white chocolate. they were really cute!

Mr. & Mrs. RN · July 2009

Nurses aren't legally allowed to accept individual gifts from a patient. Unless it's something for the entire unit, you're better off not bringing anything.

rocknrollmommy · July 2009

Mr. & Mrs. RN:
Nurses aren't legally allowed to accept individual gifts from a patient. Unless it's something for the entire unit, you're better off not bringing anything.

yeah i was planning on making enough for the entire unit. i would hate for someone to feel left out. my thing is as cheap as buying 1 pack of oreos and 1 pack of cream cheese (plus the dipping chocolate). this was enough for a group of 30 at my last baby shower. they're so rich you can really only have 1 or 2.

LoveEeyore · July 2009

I thought it was ridiculous, but I have to say, at my hospital the nurses are amazing. I regretted not having a tangible TY, but after DD was born, I took pics of each of them with her and then after being released, got a nice frame that had 5 slots. In one, I wrote a nice thank you on scrap book paper, and in each of the other slots a pic of each nurse with DD, That was 19 months ago and on a recent trip to triage, I saw it was still up on the wall. I want to do the same this time around.

AZAudiGirl · July 2009

jjwheat1007:
My PA suggested that goodies are always appreciated by L&D nurses and that they really warm up to your wishes and your birth plan if you have a small gift. She basically told me that developing a good relationship with them is key to a wonderful birth because they're with you through the whole thing.

I agree with the fact that it's their job and they signed up for it so they should just do it, but at the same time, it doesn't hurt to show up with goodies. Might be the difference between someone having a crappy day and feeling unappreciated to a much better day and more smiles.

This is true. It is always nice to feel appreciated for the work you do.

I picked up a few boxes of yummy chocolate and made it my husbands job to bring it into the hospital.

penguinem · July 2009

H4'sFan:
Also, an L&D nurse once posted on here in regards to this subject. She said that she, and her fellow nurses, felt more comfortable accepting store bought items rather than homemade cookies and such. Not sure why?

Having worked in the healthcare field for several years, in hospital and home health, I can speak to this.... you just never know who you are accepting something from! Once you've seen the inside of a variety of homes, even of the nicest people, you wonder what conditions home-baked goods were made under, who made them, and if you should trust a total stranger, even if they seem completely lovely... a lot of times nurses will accept homemade food and then trash it! They also drill into you in ethics that you should not be accepting gifts from clients. It's not illegal, as one person mentioned, but it is considered unethical.

That being said, a store-bought gift to the entire unit is not inappropriate and does not violate ethical codes as strongly as individual gifts. I have a good friend on L & D and she says that her favorite gift is when a client's family surprises the shift and orders them a pizza!

Michelle110 · July 2009

You may be in labor at the hospital for quite some time, which means that there may be several shift changes. That means that there will be many different people coming in and out of your room, and who do you decide to give a gift to? I would just write a very nice thank-you note to either individuals or to a shift if you had an especially nice experience. I think it would be awkward to send gifts to individual nurses, and if you make cookies or something like that, they may not even eat them, for reasons that pp stated.

KatGapp · July 2009

We didn't bring gifts, but I sent a Thank You card with a picture to my Dr and the L&D Nurse. She was fantastic and I wanted to thank her. And obviously, my Dr kind of had a big part in T's life...so he got one too!!

But I don't think too many people do that.

electricdoctor83 · July 2009

I'm an ICU nurse and the best "gift" I recieve is a simple thank you written on a napkin before they leave.

We don't need a gift in order to do our job like some people suggest, in fact that makes me uneasy if someone brought something in when they are admitted. Just be nice and flexible during your hospital stay, don't expect the nurse to be able to attend to your every need the second you ask for it. Don't be mean (unless you are in pain, that is to be expected Stick out tongue ) Just treat the nurses like you would anyone else you meet out in the world and you will have a great experience with them.

If you had a good experience then send some flowers after your stay or send a card. If there were staff members that went above and beyond their job duties or just did them really well then point that person out in the card. Nursing can sometimes feel like a thankless and extremely stressful job (maybe not so much in L&D) so every little token of appreciation is awesome.

Good luck ladies!

Cass&Derek · July 2009

I am so late to this, but as a nurse, I agree, gifts brought in preplanned are a little odd, unless it's a whole unit gift (cookies or pizza are much appreciated, especially on busy shifts). Also, yes, home-made items are not looked upon as greatly as nurses are all too well aware of all the germs and bacteria that lurk everywhere, even on the nicest persons countertop. It is a stress-ful job, and I think in L&D it may be particularly hard because they're dealing with a lot of hormonal women, in pain and scared. Best gift I plan on bringing is to try not to be a "whiney gyne" pt, remember it's a hospital, not a hotel, and my most sincere thank you for the staff.

Tiffany&Jake · July 2009

I know...when you are in those early stages of labor and the doctor tells you not to go to the hospital yet, make cookies. it will take your mind off what will be happening in the next few days. Then bring them on a cute plate (cheap from Ross) for the L&D ward.

Everyone loves home made cookies. Big Smile

mediadiva · July 2009

A nurse must have written that or someone who has a nurse friend hah.

?My nurses SUCKED and I didn't like any of them. They said rude things to me or waited too long to do things or didn't listen to me (when they thought I was fingertip dialated, I said CHECK ME AGAIN they didnt want tool well I was 5 freakin cm in 30 minutes! ass hats!?

married4love · July 2009

I didn't have anything pre planned for my 1st, but I know DH brought in bagels one morning for the nurses. I think something simple like that is probably the best and easiest if anything at all.

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