With the holiday season upon us, let’s not forget about those special clinicians and nurses in our lives, who are dedicated to giving the most important gift in the world: caring for others.
These professionals deal with stress all-year-long. The holiday season can make things even more challenging with the demands of shopping, decorating, hosting family, making travel arrangements (and more) – all while the kids are out of school. This is why we have compiled a very special list of holiday gift ideas to help ease the burden for clinicians and nurses.
As Juno Health’s staff is comprised of many former nurses and clinicians, we surveyed the team for their best gift ideas that would have helped them in their former roles as caregivers. With this in mind, here’s our official list of seven gifts of gratitude to brighten the holiday season for any clinician or nurse in your life.
7) Movie or Restaurant Gift Cards: Nurses and Clinicians definitely need to relax and unwind when they are done with their shifts. This is why movie and restaurant gift cards are ideal gifts that they can enjoy with loved ones. For example, Target offers plenty of movie theater gift card options.
“These kinds of gift cards are great because it’s something we can enjoy with friends and family,” said Amber Ramos, our senior solutions demonstration specialist and registered nurse.
6) Repairing Hand Cream: Clinicians and nurses need to wash their hands regularly and end up using large amounts of hand sanitizer throughout the day, which results in dry, cracked hands. L'Occitane Shea Butter Cream and Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream are excellent options.
“Without a doubt, frequent hand washing and sanitization dries out your skin. These options can go a long way in helping to restore dry hands,” said Mary Ruf, our product line manager and registered nurse.
5) Instacart, Shipt or a Kroger Membership: Working long hours can make it difficult to get any grocery shopping done between shifts. This is why Instacart, Shipt or Kroger memberships, which provide grocery delivery, can be major time-savers for clinicians and nurses this time of year.
“After a long day on your feet, running errands can feel daunting. A delivery service membership will be a great gift that keeps on giving all year long,” said Mary Ruf.
4) Frequently Filled Snack Carts: During long shifts, it’s often hard to find time to get some well-needed nourishment. Frequently filled carts with free snacks can be the answer, and can help fuel clinicians and nurses throughout their shifts.
“My first few years of nursing were spent without having lunch. A well-stocked snack cart would have been amazing. All you have to do is grab a bag of chips or a granola bar and go,” said Amber Ramos.
3) An Engraved Stethoscope: Keeping track of one’s stethoscope can be challenging. Personalized, engraved or name-plated stethoscopes can help a clinician or nurse to avoid time wasted searching for their stethoscope. Amazon and Etsy offer a wide-range of creative and personalized stethoscope ID tags.
“If you loaned out your stethoscope, or someone borrowed it, it was very hard to locate it because the most purchased and popular ones look the same. An engraved name or special nameplate would be a practical and nice gift for a nurse,” said Erin Goodman, our senior application analyst, registered nurse and certified pharmacy technician.
2) Spa and Massage Gift Cards: While some care facilities have offered 10-minute messages for staff on-site, going to a spa for a longer, one-hour massage can work wonders for relieving stress. SpaFinder actually offers gift cards especially for nurses.
“I have seen the 10-minute massages at the hospital for Nurses Week, but you are often in a crowded lunchroom, and it’s not enjoyable or relaxing. Being able to go to a spa, and have privacy, would be an amazing gift for any nurse,” said Amber Ramos.
“Nurses spend so much of their time giving care to others. They need pampering as well,” said Kerry Ann Brown, our product line manager and registered nurse.
1) Comfy Shoes and Compression Socks: Being on their feet during shifts can take a toll on clinicians and nurses. Comfortable shoes and compression socks can help ease foot pain, and enhance leg circulation. Dankso offers a line of clogs, sneakers and mules that are designed specifically for healthcare professionals. And Stockwell offers a wide-range of compression socks for nurses and clinicians.
“We spend so much time on our feet. Good fitting, supportive shoes can really make or break your day! Compression socks and stockings also help to reduce fatigue, improve circulation, and prevent varicosities,” said Kelly McGowan, our applications analyst and registered nurse.
We would like to thank our team for providing these wonderful holiday gift ideas for today’s healthcare workers! Juno Health wishes you all a healthy, happy, and safe holiday season!