Graduation gifts that keep on giving

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Let’s be honest: The nursing school graduation gifts you receive from distant relatives are either a) cash or b) destined for the garage-sale pile. Of course, no one ever declines extra spending cash, but most likely that money is going straight toward paying off outstanding student loans. And option b is also appreciated (it’s the thought that counts, after all), but wouldn’t it be great to receive graduation gifts that you will be able to use for years after graduation?

To help you create a wish list that will inspire your loved ones to choose only the most useful presents, we asked the nurses on the Scrubs Magazine Facebook page to tell us the gifts they received for graduation that have stood the test of time. Here’s what they had to say:

• “I just graduated five days ago, but I got an iPad mini that I plan on taking to work with me to use as my organizer and for research!” —Ashley C.
• “Getting a friend of mine an insulated lunch bag with dishes.” —Sarah V.
• “I graduated valedictorian of my class and was given a Littmann stethoscope that I still use.” —Helen C.
• “Scissors with my name [engraved] in them from my aunt, who was also a nurse. I graduated in 1969. Long ago….” —Joetta F.
• “I received three stethoscopes and use them all. I switch out each week. I also received scrubs that I wear all the time.” —Anna RN
• “My nurse’s watch was a gift from my parents in 1979. It’s engraved with my name on the front and ‘with love Mum and Dad’ on the back….” —Ruth S.
• “TCS compression socks, stethoscopes, pulse ox, scissors…scrubs…I could go on. Loved my gear, handpicked most of it because I knew the quality I wanted, and friends and family got together.” —Liz J.
• “I was given an awesome badge holder with my first name and RN with some cute charms by a sweet classmate. Each time someone comments on it, I think of her.” —Beverly C.
• “My sister got me a personalized blinged-out badge holder! I use it every day even though I’m not in CA and am now an LPN, not LVN. I don’t care because it is very special to me.” —Kim J.
• “Ice cream scoop!” —Paul G.

Okay, that last one may not seem super relevant to the nursing profession, but it will surely come in handy after those particularly tough shifts.

Any gifts we missed that should be added to the list?