Hi
My Dad is in hospital, in the ICU unit currently. I wanted to get a nice gift for the ICU nurses who have been so damn nice to me, and looking after him so well. I don’t like flowers cos they die, and heaven knows there’s enough death there… just chocolate? Or is there another gift that is especially appropriate?
The nurses are both male and female…
Thanks.
abby
I work in a hospital and in the last year have worked just about everywhere in the building.
I’ve seen: chocolates, flowers, card and letters.
I’d say go the letter or card route: because ICU is shift work that’s the best way to let everybody know you appreciate them. Or a big enough tub of choclates that everyone will get to have a little.
But people seem to like letters of praise more 
Write a letter to the editor of the local paper. Give a copy to the staff in ICU in case it’s not published.
Oh and a copy to their bosses - Hospital, Area Health Service however it works there.
Food is always always always a good present for nurses. Chocolate especially. If you’re not thinking food, however, check with the manager of the unit, because some hospitals have policies on gifts and employees; some employees can’t accept gifts that are above a certain amount of money.
Oh, and include a card or letter, so the nurses can hang it up and reaffirm every day how awesome they are!
A letter of thanks, with copies to the DON and hospital President, is always appreciated (usually the only people who write letters to the hospital are the ones who want to complain!). If you want to send a gift, be sure to send it to the entire unit rather than to a specific nurse, because hospital rules usually prevent individuals from accepting gifts. Chocolates (or any other kind of food) are an excellent idea; if possible, I’d send three small boxes labelled “1st shift” “2nd shift” and “3rd shift” so that all three groups are sure to get something.
Flowers are usually not a good idea for an ICU; sometimes the water they stand in can harbor bacteria, and many ICU’s don’t allow flowers in the unit at all.
Sometime after your Dad is released from hospital, he’ll probably get some type of “patient satisfaction” survey in the mail. Please fill this out and send it back; nurses are constantly hearing about the bad results of these surveys and helping to raise the units patient satisfaction scores will be boon to these hardworking men and women.
The best thing you can do, though, is simply to say “Thank you”. It’s incredibly rare to hear that when you’re a nurse, and amazingly fulfilling when you do. You’re a sweetheart, Abby, for thinking of the nurses. I hope your Dad is feeling better soon.
Cheers,
Nightingale
ER Nurse
My first child was an emergency C-section, my husband brought the nurses who took very good care of my son and I French silk pies from Bakers Square. For the nurses who took very very good care of my second child and I, he made chocolate chip cookies. My last child was a planned C-section, we pre ordered brownies for the nurses. Took them the goods when I went in to have baby. I received the most awesome care all three times. I did write letters of thanks to the nurses themselves and to the hospital board of directors. All the nurses I had were very dedicated to their jobs, and genuinely cared for my children and me.
Anything you give/say to them is going to let them know that you were touched by them.
Food is great and all, but it’s gone pretty quickly, and it can be really bad for people who are trying to diet. If you are going to send food, send something that can serve as a meal instead of snacks full of empty calories, and either send it three seperate times (once during each shift) or send some labelled specifically for each shift. Otherwise, somebody’s going to miss out.
Personally, I prefer it when owners send cards and letters. It’s a lasting, tactile reminder that we made a difference, and that helps a lot on those nights when all the clients are screaming about what horrible, callous people you are, and how the wait’s too long, and they’re just sure you’re not doing your job right. I especially like it when we get a card a little while later, with a picture of the patient in it.
I was just in the ICU and the nurses were wonderful. They were on the move constantly, so I bought them a huge pail of chocolate.