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Accepting Gifts from Patients



Is it ever okay to accept a gift from a patient or their family?  Well, there really is no simple answer.  Some hospitals have rules that prevent any employee from accepting gifts from a patient.  If no such rule exists with your employer, it is generally up to your discretion on accepting a token of gratitude.  To be on the safe side, verify with your immediate supervisor that it's okay to accept a small token, as this practice may not be appreciated by some supervisors. 

When is it Okay to Accept Gifts from Patients?


So you go to work one day at the hospital, and a patient you have cared for presents you with a gift.  Do you accept it or not?  There is no yes or no answer, because it depends on a number of factors.




The Infatuated Patient


As a nurse, you know it's not that uncommon to have a patient develop an attachment you.  If the attachment has a romantic feel in any way at all, it is essential that you put a stop to it.  In a case such as this, the answer is pretty much “no”, it's not ok to accept a gift from this patient.  You know there is an unhealthy attachment, and accepting a gift is somewhat like validating their feelings.  The best way to handle a situation such as a gift from a patient that has an inappropriate attachment to you is to very casually say something like, thank you for thinking of me, but I am not permitted to accept gifts from patients.  Don’t dwell on it, just give a short response, essentially saying no thank you, and then let it go.  Hopefully that will send the message that you are not interested, and do not want to be presented with another gift from them.

A Debt of Gratitude Patient


Its fine for a patient to be pleased with your care, however sometimes it goes overboard and some patients may feel like they “owe” you for their care.  Suppose you know that this patient has a very limited income, and they have mentioned they don’t have many means of support.  Yet, they have one of their visitors stop to buy you a box of candy.  It may not be totally inappropriate to accept the gift, depending on hospital policy, however, it is not a great idea to accept it either.  Again, explain you appreciate the thought, but you are encouraged not to accept gifts from patients.  Suggest they keep it for themselves, and share it with their visitors, maybe even take one piece to lighten the feel of not accepting it.  Make sure the patient understands, you are just doing your job when you care for them, and you do not expect compensation directly from them. 

A small token of Appreciation


Suppose you have a patient that knits or crochets as a hobby.  When you walk into her room one day, she presents you with a small crocheted scarf that she made for you.  First and foremost, make sure you know hospital policy on accepting patient’s gifts.  Your facility may have a strict policy against this, in which case you cannot accept a gift under any circumstances.  If there is no such policy in place, this would be a case that it's probably ok to accept one small gift, as a token of appreciation.  A homemade gift is generally inexpensive, and provides the patient with something to do as they make it.  Thank the patient for their kindness, but don’t elaborate on their generosity for a prolonged period of time, you don’t want them feeling pressured to do it again.






There is actually no clear cut answer on accepting a gift from a patient, unless your hospital has a “no gift” rule in place.  Use your own judgment, and consider whether or not the acceptance of the gift is appropriate.  If you have any doubts at all, politely decline, and be sure to pay close attention to the boundaries with this particular patient, they may be trying to break down professional barriers that need to remain in place.  If the situation where a patient offers you a gift makes you feel at all uneasy, decline, better safe than sorry, you never want to put your job in jeopardy.  








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