14 Awesome Gifts for Nurses Under $20

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Nurses hold a special place in this world right now. They are working tirelessly to contain this COVID-19 outbreak and deserve all the love and more.

I have a lot of friends who are nurses and the job is one of the most intense I’ve ever heard. Long hours, crushing workloads, impossible care standards, it’s a wonder we have any nurses. At all!

I felt compelled to make this gift guide for nurses because there’s a lack of gift guides with gifts for nurses that truly encompass and comfort the work of being a nurse. But there’s no shortage of gifts.

While I’m not a nurse myself I treated nurses in my acupuncture practice on an almost daily basis and I feel their pain. I also hear about it from my friends. Basically, if your patients don’t rate you a 10 in every category on their satisfaction survey, they might as well be giving you 0’s across the board.

That’s pretty insane.

So ladies and gents (because there are some bad ass male nurses out there) this one’s for you. And for those of you who love, know, or met a nurse once. They deserve all your good gifts. More than any other profession. You can quote me on that.

Also, this gift guide for nurses is part five in my 5-part gift guide series for millennials who are cheap and busy. Check out my others if you like this one!

• Part 1: Best Gifts for Grandma Under $35
• Part 2: Best Gifts for Sisters Under $17
• Part 3: Best Gifts for Gamers Under $15
• Part 4: Best Gifts for Runners Under $20

Gifts for Nurses

Coloring Books

Sometimes you just need to veg out in the break room with some colored pencils and a coloring book that tells it like it is. And you don’t have to look any further for that coloring book.

I love this snarky adult coloring book with 33 sayings to help you laugh to keep from crying. Or for night shifts nurses, 40 pages of sweary midnight coloring will get you ready to go back out there and own the night.

Highlighters

Whether shopping for a nursing student, teacher, or a nurse you really like, they’re going to love these highlighters. My nurse friends love doing funny things with syringes (two words: jello shots) so I saw these and cracked up.

Compression Socks

Standing on your feet for 12 hours causes varicose veins. Compression socks help blood circulate in the legs minimizing their development. Save someone you love from those horrid little things in classic nurse style.

Nurse Gifts

Funny Shirts

Let your shirt say it so you don’t have to. And if you can’t wear personal sayings, wear it under scrubs so you know it’s there. This first shirt, while Christmas themed, is really appropriate all the time for nurses. And it’s punny (drugs that end in -olol are beta blockers.)

This other shirt is just a gentle reminder that your nurse decides what size catheter and needle you get.

Watch

These little watches are so helpful but they die all the time so you can never have too many. Also, you should probably have them in a bunch of colors because then you can coordinate them with your scrubs. Very on trend.

Quick & Healthy Meals

With 12-hour shifts, a crazy stressful workload, and patients that sometimes make you wonder why you thought this was a good career path (because I’m assuming we have the same patients) eating becomes an afterthought.

But food is so important!

Which is why giving a cookbook filled with meal plans AND instruction on how to prep them is pure gold. Sure you can spend time scouring Pinterest to find this stuff but to have a guide you can hold in your hands showing you the way is priceless.

Nurses Week Gifts

Badge Clip

You can always show a little sass with your class. Nurses should always remind their patients that they can’t have outside food with this cute pizza badge clip. And if you don’t want to answer any more questions about the hospital just remind people you don’t have all the answers.

Funny Mug

Most nurses run on coffee. While there’s no shortage of funny nurse mugs out there, this mug is my favorite. The phrase “I will stab you” embodies every nurse.

Clipboard

This is another essential that can get worn over time and no nurse wants to spend their hard earned money on a clipboard. But they’d love this souped-up clippy with a chart on the back! Everyone loves charts.

Christmas Gifts For Nurse

Car Sticker

For the nurse who has everything but still wants to be a little sassier, enter car sticker. This pretty will fit nicely inside a Christmas or birthday cards and is weatherproof to remind all those CPR practice dummies on the road who they’re driving with.

New Tote

You can totes never have enough totes. (I’m sorry.) As a nurse, you need a lot of different things over those long shifts and it won’t all fit in your purse or pocket. This tote is highly rated on Amazon and super cheap.

Gift Cards

If none of those seem right (and that should only be the case if your nurse already owns that penguin mug) then it’s always safe to go with a gift card. But don’t just buy one for face value, get a discount! Gift Card Granny has gifts cards for restaurants, clothes, travel, and groceries for up to 54% off.

Nurses are some of the nicest people in the world. You should definitely get a nurse you know something good this year.