Can You Top These Nurses Week Gifts….
We asked some of our nursing friends on Reddit for examples of the absolute worst nurses week gifts they ever received (we got over 120 responses. . . all terrible). The results shocked even us!
1. 
I’m a nurse in the Air Force. The last two months they have been selling us donuts and “highly recommending”(short for its not mandatory but may impact the way leadership influences your career) that we donate our time or unneeded items for a garage sale in order to raise funds for nurses week. They also put out a collection jar at the nurses station so we could donate our change to support nurses week. I’m yet to see what all our efforts will earn us this year, but last year it was a cheap plastic water bottle.
During the donut fundraiser, I made a comment with leadership present about how ridiculous it was that they were asking us to buy a dozen donuts for $10 in order to fund buying us a stupid gift that nobody wanted. Everyone there turned and looked at me like I’d just shut off my patient’s ventilator. – CBRdream21
2. 
Apparently the manager of the med-surg department at my hospital sent out a email that said “You guys do such a good job. Why don’t you throw yourselves a nice potluck. You deserve it.”- Rawrzimon
3. 
I’m night shift. This year, they’re having an ‘ice cream social’. At NOON. In order to participate, we have to be present. Thank you, but no… -nurseracht
4. 
Non-nurse, I am an RT.
For Respiratory Care week years ago, our manager got the department planners, you know with the dates on them. Good right? If you didn’t know, Respiratory Care week is held on October. -ivan927
5. 
Our hospital had a drawing and those 10 nurses won something for nurses week, nothing for anyone else. I won, and won a cheese tray. With the name of my hospital alllllll over the cheese tray. Thanks. Can’t wait to use this at parties.- Palindromeomg
6. 
Well, it’s not the worst gift, but I love when they give out lunch bags. Then the break room fridge is full of the exact. same. lunchbox. – sweetbldnjesus
7. 
A pair of underwear from the dollar store. Yes, you read that right. It was supposed to be funny……… dies a little inside – ettell
8. 
We used to get a free car wash, which was actually really nice. The new administration nixed that last year, and we got a total of 6 stale sugar cookies to share amongst our whole unit. Gee, thanks.- ThePantsWhisperer
9. 
My favorite was a “thank you” card from the higher ups and an FYI that they’d be laying off nurses.
-emerald_Shanty
10. 
Flair. We got flair. These cheap buttons the size of a quarter with inspirational messages like “team player” and “great job” that we were supposed to wear.- OvertimeRN
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11. 
My diabetic lactose intolerant coworker got ice cream. -mrwhibbley
12. 
My friends back at my old hospital just told me they each got ONE chocolate covered strawberry.- noxRN
13. 
I, (a guy), got a nice basket of hand lotion and girly sprays. I ask what I was supposed to do with that. I was told I could give it to my wife. – TomTheNurse
Makeup tote bag…I’m male. – SabaBoBaba
14. 
Last year we got this all-in-one charger thing. Like for your phone and whatever else. Had like 6 extensions on it. Anyways, we get an e-mail like two weeks later that we have to give them back because they’re been catching on fire (!!!!). Don’t remember what they replaced it with. Thinking it was a beach towel. With the name of the hospital written across… – olive2bone
15. 
One year, after Nurse’s week when everyone got something but me, management said they didn’t think I wanted the gift so they didn’t give me one. – firemanxxxphoto
16. 
It wasn’t for Nurse’s Week, but for an orientation class my hospital gave out lunchboxes. Mine was dirty inside, complete with a baggie that had obviously previously held some sort of snack. – gin_and_uterotonic
17. 
Couple years back we each got little gift bags containing a broken pen, a pack of wintergreen life savers, and a little paper tag that said “Thank you for your commit-MINT.” Ha ha. Get it? – auraseer
18. 
They asked us to consider donating to the hospital 😐 – katherine_rf
19. 
Last year they bought us red foam clown noses lmao. – PRNmeds
20. 
I got a postcard telling me I can drive to their main office (2 hours away) to receive my special Nurse’s Week gift!!!!! I don’t know what the special gift is, but I doubt it’s worth the time and gas. – courtnutty
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21. 
It was a weeklong event! We got a cheap plastic ladle with the company logo, measuring spoons with logo… Why? Because we are all ingredients to the soup that makes success!
The activity director handed them out as prizes to the residents. Management was not pleased. – kitty_r
22. 
Worse than nothing. We were “given” a dollar, which was “donated” to a hospital charity. Major university hospital. – vasharpshooter
Conclusion
We know they try, but many of these missed the mark big time!
Got a nurses week gift that you think can top this list. …comment below or on social media. We would love to hear about them.
Happy Nurses Week from NRSNG!
