30 Nurses Week Nurse Ideas & Gifts for 2025
If you’re looking for a way to show your appreciation to a special nurse in your life this Nurses Week, we’ve rounded up the best Nurses Week gifts and celebration ideas. (And no, it doesn’t include gifting them rocks, which is an actual, real thing that some hospitals did for nurses, and this is why nurses need raises y'all.)Â
What is Nurses Week?
Nurses Week is celebrated every year from May 6th to May 12th. May 6th is National Nurses Day, and May 12th is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Both are milestones for the nursing profession.Â
The Best Nurses Week Appreciation Ideas & Gifts
 Gifts
1. Give a gift (they actually want!)
Gifts, large and small, are always appreciated during Nurses Week (as long as it's not a rock!)
Small gestures can make a big impact on nurses, and bedside nurses can appreciate small gifts that actually make a difference. For instance, small gift bags filled with Chapstick, hand lotion, or coffee gift cards would be things nurses could actually use.Â
2. Drop off a unit gift basket
Along the same lines, if you don’t have the time or resources to whip up individual gift baggies (understandable!), consider simply dropping off or ordering a giant unit gift basket. It can be filled with goodies that you want, think things like coffee pods, compression socks, individually-wrapped cookies, or lotions - or you can pre-order one from a local shop or Amazon.
3. Deliver a gift card bouquet
Sure, flowers are great, but a gift card bouquet could be even greater. Get together with friends, family, or even local businesses to put together a variety of gift cards to deliver to a unit. Then, nurses can pluck their favorite card, so it’s freshly picked and ready, just for them.
Again, this is a great opportunity to approach local businesses and let them know you’re supporting Nurses Week and your local nurses, and try to get some gift card donations. You never know how many gift cards you’ll be able to solicit!Â
4. Sponsor a unit luncheonÂ
Food is always the way to a nurse’s heart (I mean, isn’t it the way to all of our hearts??), and there’s no better treat to an overworked, understaffed unit than hearing the words: “Hey, there’s food in the break room!”Â
If you let the restaurant know you’re ordering for Nurses Week, they may even offer you a discount, so don’t be shy.Â
5. Send an E-gift card
Speaking of e-cards, there are a lot of options for sending gift cards via email these days, too. My go-to is always Starbucks because I can do it right from the app, it racks up points for my own account (hey, I like coffee too), and it takes seconds. Other vendors that allow e-gift cards include GrubHub, Amazon, Visa, Apple, and, of course, Visa and Mastercard.Â
6. Do one big gift giveaway
Another option for nurse managers or those in charge of coming up with nurse week ideas is to skip the small gifts and instead offer one large gift giveaway.
Even if all of the nurses can’t take home the grand prize, they may appreciate a larger gesture. For instance, give away something useful like a grocery giveaway, car detailing, a night away at a hotel, or a spa gift card.Â
7. Set up a spa station for nurses
Set up a mini manicure and pedicure station for nurses to use during their shift. Also, consider having chair massages to help relieve the aches and pains of the shift. Set the mood with dim lighting, candles, and soothing aromatherapy to make the space even more inviting.
8. Trivia for Prizes
Why not set up a hospital-wide trivia contest? You can set up individual challenges or even have units compete against each other. Prizes can vary, but it may be fun to see how much nursing trivia the nurses know while also having a little competition amongst the staff.
9. Gift a new set of scrubs
Skip the printed t-shirts that no one wants, especially nurses who work at healthcare systems that require colored uniform scrubs. Nurses can always use scrubs. But give options. Don’t just assume sizes and styles.Â
10. Gift compression socks
Compression socks are a must for nurses working long hours. Standing on their feet for 8 and 12-hour shifts can lead to shin splints, varicose veins, and potentially blood clots, so compression socks are an excellent option to help celebrate nurses.Â
Events/Activities
1. Get involved in community events
Make your presence known at hospital-sponsored events or events that the hospital is involved in. Just getting involved more can help support the hospital or facility where nurses work, therefore improving their working conditions.Â
2. Volunteer (if appropriate)
Obviously, not every unit will allow or even appreciate volunteers (ICU, we’re looking at you), but if the hospital offers any volunteer opportunities, take them to ease some of the burdens off nurses’ shoulders right now.
Volunteer opportunities could include anything from stocking linens to visiting patients to prepping supplies, such as new parent gift bags. Check with your hospital’s HR for volunteer opportunities.Â
3. Drop off a donation
Check with your hospital’s unit or manager before making any donations, but some units may appreciate them!
For instance, a long-term care facility might appreciate activities like puzzles or craft supplies. A pediatric unit might benefit from crayons or Legos. Some units may even let you donate gently used books that nurses can take home for their own relaxation and rest.Â
Show Gratitude
1. Book a brunch
One great food gift idea is to sponsor a brunch that can hit both night and day shifts—call up a local coffee shop and see if you can get a discount for a spread that includes coffee, bagels, pastries, and more. Just maybe leave the mimosas out of this brunch, sorry!
2. Send a thank-you card
It might not be possible to send an individual thank you card to every nurse that you’ve encountered who has helped you, nor do you always remember their names, but it’s still possible to show your gratitude.
You can pen a thank-you card to a nurse and mail it snail mail style to the hospital with as many details as you can remember, such as, “For the night shift nurse with brown hair who worked on December 12, 2024, and helped me with my pain medicine, thank you!” Address it to the unit, and chances are, someone will figure it out.Â
3. Email administrators about nurses doing a great job
On a related note, if you don’t want to send a thank you card in the mail, email managers or hospital administrators can go a long way toward recognizing nurses.
If there’s a nurse you love working with, one who has gone above and beyond, or just a nurse you want to thank, email their unit manager or even the hospital’s CEO to let them know. Nurses deserve recognition for doing an outstanding job!
4. Use the hospital’s nurse recognition program
Most hospitals have some sort of in-house recognition program for recognizing employees. There may be a form in the patient rooms or located around the hospital that you can fill out to recognize an employee doing a great job.
These in-house forms can make a big difference in nurses’ evaluations and come with rewards like gift cards or PTO, so if you see them, use `em.Â
5. Just say “thank you”
The next time you’re working a shift and encounter a nurse you love being with, or utilizing a healthcare service when you come into contact with a nurse who makes the process easier, just try offering your sincere thanks to your co-workers or the nurses taking care of you.
It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture to show gratitude, and we guarantee that saying thanks will make both you and the nurses around you happier. Because honoring nurses–who are the very backbone of healthcare—is a win for everyone.Â
6. Send a nurse our way
Know a nurse with a phenomenal story? One who created an incredible business? A nurse giving back in incredible ways? Let us recognize them! Email us at info@nurse.org and we might feature your nurse’s story!Â
7. Send an E-card
Remember cards? While they can be meaningful, they’re not always practical. But if you have two minutes and a phone or computer, you can make a nurses’ day with a free and easy e-card.Â
8. Nominate your favorite nurse for a Daisy Award
The Daisy Award recognizes both national and international nurses for their accomplishments. The Daisy Award recognizes direct care nurses, teams, nurse leaders, lifetime achievement, health equity, nursing ethics, nurse educators, and nursing students. Being nominated for a Daisy Award is a very large honor. Patients, administrators, other nurses, and even other healthcare providers can nominate a deserving nurse.Â
Unit/Hospital Incentives
1. Get involved in the nurses’ union
It might not be as fun as a gift basket, but getting involved in your local nurses’ unions can help boost nurses’ morale, improve working conditions, and get their voices heard. If you really want to help nurses, getting on the front lines is a great way to do it.Â
2. Flexible scheduling options
Want to really make a nurses day? Offer flexible shifts or a paid day off during Nurses Week to provide nurses with some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
3. Priority Parking
Having a first-level parking spot is essential, especially on cold winter days or just when you’re running a little late. Generally, hospital administrators get the best, reserved spots, but this would be a good incentive for nurses throughout the year.Â
4. Offer holiday incentives
Allow senior nurses a chance to pick the holiday and shift they want. Or turn it into a contest and the winners can pick from the list of pre-approved holidays.Â
5. Summer Vacations
Work with staff to give everyone the summer vacation they want! Some vacations need to be pre-booked WAY before PTO is approved, so make sure to work with staff to give everyone what they want and need. It might mean reaching out to per diem staff to cover shifts, but it will increase staff morale.Â
Other
1. Keep it simple
If you’re a nurse manager or someone tasked with creating the perfect Nurses’ Week gift, think simple. Cute tags and sayings might look pretty on Pinterest, but to the exhausted nurse coming off their 4th 12-hour shift in a row, it’s not going to be that cute. Just go straight to the gift card, and don’t worry about making it Pinterest-worthy. Take the money you would have spent and add it to the gift card!
2. Don’t forget the night shift
Night shift often gets forgotten during those unit luncheons, so if you can, work with a restaurant that will deliver or prep some food you can drop off for the night shift nurses. This might take some planning and creativity, but the night shift deserves some meal love, too!
3. Get outside during breaksÂ
A simple way to celebrate the favorite nurses in your life and celebrate yourself. Vitamin D is an excellent mood booster, and going outside even for a few minutes can help turn your mood around. Even if the weather is less than ideal!
4. Treat yourself to a meal from your favorite restaurant.Â
Maybe it is one you go to for your birthday or on special occasions, but it is the best way to celebrate yourself during Nurses Week. Hit purchase on that Door Dash order and have your favorite meal waiting for you when you get home from work.Â
Why We Celebrate Nurses Week?
Nurses Week is a celebration of nurses and their dedication to the profession and their patients. This specific week is a chance to show appreciation for nurses while highlighting the importance of nursing and recognizing the history of nursing.Â
Nurses should also celebrate one another during Nurses Week by recognizing their value and contributions to the profession. Plus, it’s always fun to get some freebies and discounts!
How to Celebrate Nurses Week
There are some easy and low-cost ways that employers and colleagues can show their appreciation for the important nurses in their lives. Consider sending a note of thanks, buying a cup of coffee, or treating a unit to lunch.Â
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Nurses Week
