10 Gift Ideas for Healthcare Professionals and Nurses

Travel nurses and healthcare professionals are on the move a lot. With assignments lasting anywhere from 4-13+ weeks, they can spend a lot of time in the airport. While it might seem simple, having the right luggage can make or break the travel experience.

So, a four-wheel carry-on suitcase can be one of the best gift ideas for healthcare professionals who travel. These bags are the best option for frequent travelers because they’re easy to roll across the airport without having to constantly adjust the bag so it doesn’t fall over. Since they’re carry-ons, they fit in most overhead bins, meaning nurses and healthcare professionals can save a little money by not checking a bag. And who doesn’t love cute new luggage? 

If there’s one thing that nurses and healthcare professionals love, it’s convenience. And nothing is more convenient than a pair of Bluetooth headphones. For the busy nurse or healthcare professional on the go, Bluetooth headphones are the perfect gift.

They’re compact (which makes them easy to pop into a work bag to use during a lunch break), durable, and won’t get tangled like wired headphones. With a wide range of Bluetooth headphone options, from over-the-ear to in-ear, it’s easy to find a pair that will check all the boxes for the nurse or healthcare professional in your life. 

Working in healthcare is an active career, meaning nurses and healthcare professionals are on their feet for a large portion of the workday. And if they don’t have the correct footwear, long 12-hour shifts can lead to a lot of problems, like foot pain, back pain, blisters, etc.

While a good pair of shoes runs a little pricey ($100+), it can be one of the most thoughtful gift ideas for healthcare professionals. And because of the holidays, you can probably snag some good deals! Before buying a pair of shoes, do a little bit of sleuthing to find out what brand of shoe they wear, their size, and if their facility requires a certain shoe color. It might be a little bit of work, but when their feet don’t hurt after a 12-hour shift, they’ll thank you! 

Every nurse or healthcare professional has to wear socks. Why not add some health benefits to wearing them? Compression socks are a fantastic gift because they help increase circulation in the legs, which is great for nurses and healthcare professionals who are on their feet all day. Plus, they look cute underneath scrubs, so you can pick out a personalized pair in their favorite color or pattern to add a little bit of joy to their day. 

Since nurses and healthcare professionals are so limited in what they can wear, it can often leave little room for individuality. While some facilities allow them to wear different colored scrubs, some facilities require that they wear a certain color, so something like a cute badge reel can be a great way to help nurses and healthcare professionals subtly express themselves at work. With lots of options available, you can get one that’s related to their specialty, like a cute heart or a stethoscope, or you can get them a badge reel that’s more personal to them, like a cute dog or a coffee mug. No matter what it is, they’ll appreciate the gesture. 

A pair of blackout curtains can be a lifesaver (and a sleep saver) for night shift nurses and healthcare professionals. Sleeping during the day poses some challenges due to light seeping through regular curtains. But blackout curtains can block all the light from outside and help night shift nurses and healthcare professionals get a quality night (or day) of sleep. 

For night shift nurses and healthcare professionals who are travelers, a good quality sleep mask can be a great alternative since they might not be able to put up blackout curtains in a rental house or apartment. Sleep masks are a fantastic portable option to block out the light. Plus, they feel nice and cozy on the eyes!

Nurses and healthcare professionals are busy, and unfortunately, this can mean that they’re not staying properly hydrated at work. So this holiday season, give them a water bottle that’s easy to carry and easy to use throughout the day. Whether they prefer a smaller water bottle that can fit in their bag or a larger one that requires fewer fill-ups, having a reusable water bottle can help remove one of the barriers to staying hydrated at work.

To make the gift of a water bottle even more personalized, find some cute stickers for them to decorate their water bottle with. Not only will it be a fun activity for them to decorate their water bottle, but it’s also a great way to add some personal touches to their workday to hopefully spark a little bit of joy. 

Facilities can vary in temperature, and since most scrubs have short sleeves, this can leave nurses and healthcare professionals feeling chilly, especially during the winter months. So a warm, light jacket should be on the list of gift ideas for healthcare professionals. Having something easy to layer over scrubs while charting can ensure that nurses and healthcare professionals are warm, comfortable, and ready to do their jobs without having to warm up first. A jacket with a zipper is easier to take on and off in case of an emergency, but there are plenty of brands that have an assortment of colors, fabrics, and styles of jackets available.