The Top Nurses Week Gifts To Show Your Appreciation

Nurses are the backbone of healthcare. They provide essential patient care and support, bridging the gap between patients and physicians. We honor and recognize nurses' daily contributions with National Nurses Week at the beginning of May.

When is National Nurses Week? National Nurses Week is celebrated on May 6th and ends on May 12. These dates are the same every year, ending on May 12th, or Florence Nightingale’s birthday. Florence Nightingale revolutionized healthcare and nursing education in the 19th century by using statistics to show the importance of sanitation, hygiene, and attentive care in a healing environment.

How do you honor nurses during Nurses Week? Nurses deserve an extra week of employee appreciation, and during Nurses Week you can honor nurses by recognizing their hard work and vital roles with appreciation gifts. Go the extra mile during Nurses Week with one of our Nurses Week Gift Ideas. 

7 Best Gifts for Nurses Week

We talked to the nurses in our lives and reached out to others around the country to see what their favorite gifts have been over the years, and also what missed the mark (standard branded coffee mugs are not very exciting for most nurses)

What are the most popular gifts for Nurse Appreciation Week? Outside of a nap, here are a handful of the most popular gift ideas that we’ve put together from the responses for Nurse Appreciation Week.

Scrubs

Whether a nurse practitioner, nursing assistant, or a nursing student, scrubs are always going to be needed. Nurses spend the majority of their day in scrubs. Gifting a set of high-quality, comfortable scrubs means one less set they need to buy, and one extra day before laundry needs to be done.

The scrubs at 4AllPromos can be embroidered and come in a variety of colors to match your branding or give your nurses the option to select the one they like best. 

Self-Care Gift Boxes

Nurses are constantly on their feet and have to deal with situations that most of us cannot even fathom. Most nurses we talked to reported that the ideal gift for them would be a nap or time off. You can make the time off that they do have better with a self-care-themed gift box.

Consider gifting nurses a nice spa-style gift set with an eye mask, a gift card to a salon or spa, and velour slippers.

Tumblers

Tumblers have always been a thoughtful gift for employers to give to customers and staff. A large 40 oz stainless steel tumbler can keep a nurse’s coffee hot throughout the whole shift, or keep ice water cold all night. 

We carry top-of-the-line brands like Swig, Owala, Stanley, and Hydroflask. Choose a quality tumbler to be used as a travel mug, get one with a built-in straw, or consider switching it up with stemless wine tumblers or a gift set that includes a blanket! These promotional products make great Christmas gifts too!

Stethoscopes

A certified nursing assistant (CNA) or registered nurse (RN) can’t get through nursing school without using a stethoscope. These healthcare instruments come in a wide range of qualities and prices. While goodies like lip balm and snack tins are convenient, a professional-grade stethoscope is practical and is one less item your nurses will have to purchase themselves. (Sidenote: A quality stethoscope also makes a great nurse graduation gift!)

Stainless Steel Water Bottles

One of the nurses we talked to about their favorite gifts mentioned a stainless steel water bottle. They said it was the branded promotional product they used the most both at work and when they’d go on hikes and bike rides. They particularly enjoyed the fact that because their hospital installed water fountains to refill bottles, they were reducing landfill waste too. 

A vacuum-insulated bottle is a premium choice for Nurses Day. These water bottles feature the same temperature control as tumblers but they’re easy to toss in a gym bag and won’t spill if they’re used for extracurricular activities either. 

Big Tote Bags & Multi-functional Bags

The nurses we talked to had mixed feelings about tote bags, but we included them on our list because of the feedback we received. In our survey, nurses were underwhelmed when they were gifted a run-of-the-mill tote bag with their hospital logo on the side. 

The tote bags that nurses loved were totes that either offered more space or had an extra purpose. Big tote bags to carry lots of groceries or all of their things to and from work were appreciated. Tote bags that turned into blankets like our Beach Blanket Tote with Sand Stakes were also a hit. While lunchboxes were not talked about as often, insulated cooler bags, wine totes, and backpacks are also very popular promotional gifts for Nurses Week.

Gift Baskets with Gift Cards

Creating a personalized gift basket with the items you know your nurses enjoy is a great way to recognize their hard work and show you care. Add in your favorite snacks and a gift card for lunch or coffee nearby. 

What treats do nurses and healthcare workers like? If you don’t know their favorite snacks, healthy snacks are always a good way to go. Nuts, granola bars, and dried fruits are good for you and provide a boost of energy throughout the day. It’s also hard to say no to chocolate.  If the facility allows for it, chewing gum is also a good option to add in a gift bag. 

If you know about your nursing staff’s hobbies try to personalize each gift basket with something that fits their interests. Consider browsing our premium corporate gifts collection to find high-quality products for your team. 

Our Pick for the Most Unique Nurses Week Gift: UV Phone Sanitizer and Charger Combo

Let’s face it, nurses have to deal with situations that involve bodily fluids from others. Their scrubs can be changed and their hands can be washed, but they still have their phones exposed to germs and bacteria regularly. 

Our pick for one of the most unique and useful nurse appreciation gifts is a charging pad that doubles as a UV-C sanitizer. The LEDs in the case can sanitize phones, eyeglasses, keys, credit cards, and more to help your staff leave work feeling a little cleaner. 

Pass On These Thank You Gift Ideas

During our conversations with nurses, a few gift ideas repeatedly came up that almost all the nurses felt missed the mark as appreciation gifts. To help you shop for your nurses we’ve included a short list of things NOT to gift. 

Badge Holders — Giving badge holders or branded lanyards doesn’t feel like a gift to nurses. These items are generally required for hospital staff and getting a new one to hold your work ID doesn’t translate into showing appreciation.

Pizza  — Nurses are constantly on the go and filling the breakroom with pizza feels like doing the bare minimum. If you’re going to gift meals to your nursing staff, consider a healthier option. A gift card to a nearby restaurant is a better way to show thanks than ordering a few pizzas.

Pens & Office Items — Even though nurses are using pens every day, office items like pens and sticky notes don’t express gratefulness. They are a necessary part of allowing nurses to properly do their work.

Keychains — A promotional keychain can be a helpful item for anyone, but as a gift for people changing bedding and bandages it falls short. 

Hand Sanitizers — Don’t give items that are found all over the workplace. Yes, sanitation and clean hands are important, but hand sanitizer stations are easily found in the hallways and waiting rooms of medical facilities. 

T-shirts — Custom logo t-shirts are created to create a uniform look among your team, but nurses wear scrubs all day. If you want to gift custom apparel to your nurses, consider a custom embroidered jacket or half zip that can be worn over the scrubs when it gets chilly. 

Give Back to The Nurses Who Give Their All

The best Nurses Week gifts speak the language of gratitude. From a set of comfy, high-quality scrubs to the sip of serenity offered by a trusty tumbler, give your nurses a gift they’ll enjoy. 

As you set out to select the perfect token of appreciation for the healthcare professionals providing patient care and advocating for health and well-being, make sure to consider what they want and need.  At 4AllPromos bulk buying for the entire nursing nursing staff or finding premium thoughtful gifts to say "Thank You" is just a few clicks away. 

Every nurse deserves a thank you that lasts far beyond Nurses Week. Browse the selection at 4AllPromos today and find a heartfelt give for the nurses who never skip a beat. 

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Special thanks to the nurses who responded to our survey