Gift for Nurse Student: Gifts for student nurses that they'll love!

Best gifts for nursing school students: Nursing school is HORRIBLE. These are some of the very best gifts for a nursing student. Either way, getting a gift for a nurse student that they will love is a HUGE boon to what can be a REALLY hard time!

FYI, his is part of my Gift Ideas for Families Series << that post has TONS of gift ideas for everyone on your list!

Hi, I’m Hilary — I’ve been a nurse since 1997 and have worked with TONS of nurses and student nurses. Today I want to share what are some of the BEST things to give someone in nursing school.

I make no secret of the fact that I thought nursing school was one of the darkest periods of my life. It is an insane degree that can really make ladies suffer. Buying someone you love who’s in nursing is a great a way to show you care.

Here are some ideas for the perfect gift for a nursing school student.

Before you get a gift for a nurse student:

Double-check what they can wear and use. Some schools have strict dress codes, or supplies students have to use. Just something to be mindful of. 🙂 Even “real nurses” often have pretty specific things they can and can not wear as medical professionals. Even different colors of scrubs are sometimes banned.

Nursing Student Gift Guide:

Shoes for a student nurse

I am a HUGE fan of Dansko Clogs. They are what I’ve worn the last few years. But, recently I felt like I needed a little more cushioning for my 12-hour shifts, so I am now wearing Sanitas. Remember student nurses have REALLY long shifts on their feet. Shoes are SUPER important, and because good ones are often pricey they are a GREAT gift for a health care worker.

I also used to wear Nurse Mates and loved them. So, they may need to try a few styles before they find their favorite.

A lot of nurses also love compression socks like these (those are the ones I wore as a nurse), to help with leg pain during work.

**A note on shoe finishing: A lot of clogs come in a “patent” finish. I find that tears away pretty easily and doesn’t wear as well as I’d hoped. I like the look, but I steer clear of it anymore. A gift that lasts is a thoughtful gift. 🙂

Here’s a few more nursing posts in case you’re interested:

Clothes for Nursing Students

**Before you buy — make sure that you check what they are able to wear, and if they have to wear special patches (we did). Hence, I only had 2 pairs because the patches were pretty pricey as well as the scrubs. BUT, that being said, these are probably the most popular kind.

Supplies for Nursing Students:

The #1 tool a nurse always has around her neck is a stethoscope, so it’s an ideal gift. I have used a Littmann stethoscope my entire career. My littmann stethoscope has held up well and I think they do a good job, and are high quality. They’re used for checking heart rate, lungs and even reflexes! A stethascope is one of those essential tools for a nurse. Also a great gift for a new nurse (if they don’t already have a good one). Don’t forget a stethoscope ID tag, it’s a great way to keep the doctors from stealing it (“inadvertantly”).

Good nurses (aka, not me anymore) carry around a hemostat and scissors. They are incredibly helpful to have on your person, both would be practical gifts. I used to carry them until a doctor stole them one day. Yup, I’m still mad. I like that the ones I linked to aren’t going to get sent to sterile processing with the other stainless steel — they’ll remember they are yours. 🙂 A very useful gift.

Depending on their department, they may also like a nice pen light (important in Neuro).

Or, you could get a cute badge reel if you want something cute. Sometimes something fun during those long hours makes a different for your favorite nurse.

Snarky Pens can be a fun way to show your funny side without getting in trouble. A light-hearted gift. I love those! They can keep those long after they become a registered nurse. 🙂

While I don’t wear one of these, you can guess that it comes in handy (and I see most ICU and ER nurses have them on). It’s not like you can a haul a tote bag into each of your patient’s rooms.

Having a closed water bottle is key for nurses as they chart. Hospitals don’t want open water bottles at the nurses station, so make sure it seals well (in case it tips).

Christmas nurse gifts for nursing students:

Ink Cartridges: You spend SO much time printing and working on papers, it is insane. Ink is always welcome. 🙂 If, they have to print things out frequently (probably didn’t as much as “back in the day”).

Gift Cards: It can be hard to find time to work when you’re in nursing school (ours recommended you not work, although I ignored it).

A fun activity on a break: You cling to school breaks like an oasis in nursing school. For me, I didn’t have many finals, so I had a good 3 weeks off between semesters, which was always awesome.

Massage: Nursing is hard work — hard, physical work. A massage would be a very kind gesture. You could even package it with some essential oils or a set of bath salt to help them relax. A great gift for the special nurse in your life.

Blackout Drapes: If your student is on night shift during their clinical rotations, blackout curtains could be a very kind gift for them.

A photo of a happy family living in a bright, colorful, clean, tidy home. The family is sitting on a couch in the living room. The father is wearing a blue shirt and has short, dark hair. The mother is wearing a red shirt and has long, dark hair. The son is wearing a blue shirt and has short, dark hair. The daughter is wearing a red shirt and has long, dark hair. The background contains a plant, a lamp, and a wall with multiple shelves. There is a "clutter-free living" sign above the couch. Below the sign, there is a text saying "Tips for making this easy". At the bottom right corner, there is a "learn more here" button with an arrow.

Ideas for a Nurse Graduate Gift / Graduation Gift Ideas:

A trip. A vacation is what I did. In fact, I booked a Disneyland trip with Get Away Today! 🙂

Some of the best gift ideas come from helping them remember who they are APART from nursing out of nursing school. Maybe something they used to enjoy as a hobby before school took over. Nursing school graduates often flounder to remember who the heck they are NOW? This personal touch would make a beautiful gift. not sure, maybe try an adult coloring book — this one is funny!

NCLEX study tools. Even if they’re done with nursing school, it doesn’t meant that studying is over. They now have to take their boards to license. Maybe some reference cards, or a study resource may help. Whole this isn’t the most fun nursing graduation gift, I bet it would be appreciated.

The best graduation gifts acknowledge how much they’ve done to get where they are. 🙂

Best Gift for Nursing Students

Just feel for them. It is a rough, rough degree. Offer to bring them dinner as they head into finals, or give them a gift card to eat on campus (or at the hospital cafeteria).

Even text messages of encouragement can be an AMAZING gift when it is seeming long and hard.

And just acknowledge it will be worth it in the end!

Either way, words of encouragement that they can do it and that it will be worth it are priceless to a future nurse.

Be sure to check out my post all about nursing school to see what they’re going through!

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Gift for Nurse Student: Gifts for student nurses that they’ll love!

Before you get a gift for a nurse student: