Practical Gifts for Nursing Instructors

Written by

ChartFlow Team

Date published

November 3, 2023

For birthdays, Christmas, and graduation, these are the best gifts to give the Nursing Instructors who impacted your life.

We are not associated with or paid by any of the companies or products listed below.

Oftentimes students don’t know what to give their favorite instructor so they end up buying a Starbucks gift card or another mug for the “world’s greatest [nurse/instructor/teacher]”. Unless you have a Starbucks junkie teaching your class, there are far more practical things to give. Here are a few:

For the Whiteboard Writer - If your instructor prefers a whiteboard to a SMART board, a good set of colorful markers will always be appreciated. Not only do these constantly need to be replaced, but they tend to get carried away unintentionally by students and classroom guests. That’s why we suggest these magnetic low-order markers from U Brands. If your teacher is constantly misplacing their marker, the magnetic backing on these will make that impossible. Plus, if they like to use multiple colors, having a double sided marker makes a lecture far more efficient – less hands needed!

Magnetic Dry Erase Markers - Amazon

Pens, pens, and more pens. If you think dry erase markers have a habit of disappearing, take a moment to think about all the pens that go missing! If you’re gifting something to a classroom instructor, you probably know what color pens your teacher gravitates towards. Do they use red to grade papers? Pink to mark attendance? Or is it always blue? Here are our favorite options:

For the educator who changes their mind - Erasable pens (you can also buy ink refills if they love the environment). Erasable pens on Amazon

For your clinical preceptor - This pen has a pen light and and nifty tool to measure pupil size. It’s a really handy way to explain what you’re looking for during a neuro exam when new students are still figuring things out. Penlight with ruler on Amazon

Lotion to protect against over-sanitizing and washing - Gloves in a Bottle is a lotion designed for healthcare professionals (so you might want to get a multi-pack and save some for yourself). It’s special formula helps moisturize and protect even through multiple cycles of handwashing. Especially in the Sim Lab and/or clinical setting, your instructor has to wash their hands every time they’re demonstrating something for a student or touching a simulated or real patient. Because of this, her hands are probably dry x2. This lotion will be appreciated every day of work, rather than just being a cute gift the day you give it. Gloves In a Bottle Lotion on Amazon

A handwritten note - I know what you’re thinking, “this is one of those cop-out gifts kids give their moms when they forget their birthdays”. And yes, you’re right. But it’s also one of the most meaningful things you can give an instructor. We’re not talking about a card that says “thanks for the great year!” We’re talking about a handwritten letter. Teachers in every field around the country are underpaid and overworked. On top of it, nursing instructors are required to constantly adapt to changing NCLEX requirements and cram more and more content into an inflexible school day. They’re stressed. They’re tired. And if you acknowledge how much of a difference their efforts made in your life, they’ll also be deeply appreciative. Go into detail when you write one of these. What was a specific day or a specific phrase you’ll always remember that your instructor shared with you? Is there a problem or topic you struggled with that they helped you overcome? What is a single thing they did that stood out amongst all your other instructors? End it with a ‘thanks’, and this will go straight to the heart of every instructor.

No matter what you do, do something. Instructors are the people who make new nurses, and they deserve a little appreciation even if it’s only once a year. 👩‍🏫

-The ChartFlow Team