10 Best Gifts for Nurses They Will Love (2020 Review)
Gift giving is sometimes a tricky task because you’re trying to balance so many things: originality, usefulness, price and trying to guess whether or not the person receiving the gift will actually use and appreciate it.
When it comes to shopping for something that a nurse will appreciate, the sky is the limit!
While too many choices can make it difficult to decide, our list of the top ten gifts for nurses will certainly make your shopping experience a whole lot easier.
Here we go!
Before You Purchase…
Here are a few important questions you should ask yourself before purchasing a gift.
- Still a Student? Is the nurse you’re shopping for still studying? If so, you might think about investing in some decent gear that they can use with them on into their professional nursing career. Many students opt for low quality items such as stethoscopes or trauma shears due to budget, so they would definitely appreciate a higher quality piece of gear to replace their current one.
- What Do They Already Have? Avoid duplicates by finding out what they already have!
- Budget. The good news about our list of the best gifts for nurses is that there is something for every budget. You can be original and meaningful at any price range, so set your limit and stick to it in order to find something you can feel comfortable about giving.
Top 10 Gifts for Nurses Table
Picture | Name | Type | Price | Rating (1-5) |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 1. 3M Littmann Classic III Stethoscope, Copper-Finish Chestpiece, Chocolate Tube, 27 inch, 5809 | Stethoscope | $$$$ | 4.7 |
![]() | 2. National Etching Good Day - Bad Day - Don't Even Ask Wine Glass | Wine Glass | $$ | 4.7 |
![]() | 3. I Wasn't Strong Like This When I Started Out: True Stories of Becoming a Nurse | Book | $$ | 4.6 |
![]() | 4. Nespresso Inissia Espresso Maker, Black | Espresso Machine | $$$$ | 4.5 |
![]() | 5. Make Em Laugh Shot Glass - Nurses Need Shots Too | Shot Glass | $ | 4.5 |
![]() | 6. EatRite Nurses Insulated Neoprene Lunch Tote Bag Insulation EatRite Stylish Lunch Boxes | Lunch Tote | $$ | 4.5 |
![]() | 7. JINSHI Women's Adjustable Surgical Hat Scrub Cap with Sweatband for Ponytail | Women’s Scrub Cap | $$ | 4.4 |
![]() | 8. 399 Games, Puzzles & Trivia Challenges Specially Designed to Keep Your Brain Young | Puzzle/Trivia Book | $ | 4.4 |
![]() | 9. Key-Bak Mini-Bak Retractable Reel with 36-Inch Nylon Cord, Swivel Bulldog Clip and Vinyl ID Strap | Retractable ID Clip | $$ | 4.4 |
![]() | 10. Nurse Mates - Womens - Ultimate Nursing Bag | Nursing Bag | $$$ | 4.3 |
The Most Important Rule to Gift Shopping Is…
…to avoid shopping blindly.
When you rely solely on guesswork and “I think they’d like this,” you risk getting them something that they won’t use, won’t need or might not appreciate.
Let’s face it, the act of giving a gift in itself should be enough, but for some people, it isn’t!
If you just do a little extra detective work in order to find out what they like, you can ensure that you’re getting the right gift.
A Few Ideas
- If They’re a Wine/Spirits Drinker. Get number 2 (the wine glass) from our table. It’s humorous and inexpensive, and great for anyone who wants to sip on a nice glass of merlot after a long, stressful shift!
Alternatively, you could opt for number 5 (the shot glass) if they enjoy hard liqueurs or spirits.
- If They Like Reading. A book or some mind puzzles are great for the nurse who wants to take their mind off things during break time or before calling it a night (or day!)
- Practical Gifts. If you want to give them something practical, then the stethoscope or surgical scrub cap would be a great idea.
Top 3 Best Gifts for Nurses Reviews
Are these the absolute best gifts for nurses on the planet? Well, that depends on the nurse who will be receiving the gift!
Everyone has different tastes, preferences and interests, so while we’ll be focusing on the top three contenders here, remember that there are seven other great alternatives in our table if these don’t fit the bill.
1. 3M Littmann Classic III Stethoscope

One of the most important things a doctor and nurse can have on hand throughout their shift is undoubtedly a stethoscope and this model from 3M Littmann is one of the best.
We’ll start with the tubing: a highly resistant material that does not contain any rubber latex or phthalates and that is quite resistant to alcohol and oil from the skin. That means a stain-free tube that won’t irritate the skin of sensitive patients!
Nurses will greatly appreciate the turntable diaphragms on both sides of the chestpiece (there is a larger side for adults and a smaller side for smaller or thin patients) and the smaller side can also convert into an open bell. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry, because the nurse will and they will love the feature!
The eartips are also comfortable since they conform to the shape of the ear and allow for precise sound detection thanks to the firm fit on the end of the ear tubes.
If you don’t think the nurse you’re shopping for will like the color of the example in our table, there are plenty of other colors available!
Should this fall into your price range and should it be something that the nurse needs, we would definitely recommend that you purchase it.
2. National Etching Good Day – Bad Day – Don’t Even Ask

As we mentioned earlier, this humorous glass is great for the wine loving nurse who needs to relax after a really, really long day.
Etched into the side are three different fill levels – one for a good day (the least amount of wine), one for a bad day (fill er’ up half way!) and one that is near the top of the glass for the days that are so stressful that it is better to drink than try to explain what happened.
While this is designed with wine in mind, it could be a fun glass even for the nurse who drinks juice or a healthy smoothie and just needs something funny to help them relax.
If this isn’t the right match, we still have one more great suggestion for you!
3. I Wasn’t Strong Like This When I Started Out

There were plenty of nursing books we could have included, but this one seems to be a favorite.
A book is one of the best gifts for nurses who like to read, and when they can find text and stories that are easy for them to relate to, sometimes it helps relieve tension and remind them that they’re not alone in the difficulties they face.
The nice thing about this book is that it is a collection of stories from different nurses and all of them are at different stages of their career.
They’re bound to find something they can relate to in a great book like this!