Michelle said,

> Personally as a professional, I am paid and paid very well to do what I do
> for people. The satisfaction is gift and thanks enough for me and that is
> how I have put it to patients and families who have wanted to show their
> gratitude in some way. I tell them a card expressing their thanks to me and
> a note to my supervisors are worth far more than anything of monetary value
> even if I was allowed to accept those sorts of things. I just tell them I
> am
> not allowed to take such things. I will NEVER turn down home baked goodies
> to be shared with the rest of the staff however!!!! I have a little box I
> tuck such cards and notes into and when I am having a "doubt myself day", I
> read them and remember that I DO make a difference!
>

I agree with this in the hospital setting.  however, Susan didn't indicate
whether or not she saw this person on her own time or on hospital time, or
whether or not she even got paid for doing what she did -- or whether the
patient had to pay for services received.  So we don't know the whole story.


Frankly, I think if someone does something on their own time that goes above
and beyond the call of duty, and the client wants to give a gift, that is
fine.  It is completely different from accepting a gift from a vendor....it
is a thank you for services rendered -- not a bribe to promote a product.

Now, if we are caring for patients that are part of our hospital system and
they want to give a small token of their appreciation, how do you determine
what is acceptable or not?  In this case, the denomination ($50) was right
out there.  If it had been $25, would that be OK?  What if the person took it
and then took another LC out to eat w/ the money -- so each of them had $25,
would that be OK?  What about the fact that the person went to a lot of
trouble to get a gift certificate, and it is refused?  How does that make the
mother feel?

I personally feel it's different than someone opening up their wallet and
handing me $50 -- this is a thoughtful gift.  What if it was a little pin?
Where do you draw the line?  What if she goes out and buys $50 worth of
goodies at Godiva chocolates -- why is that OK, and a gift certificate to a
restaurant that could be shared w/ someone else not?

I'm not trying to be defensive, but I want to get this discussion past the
similarity to taking gifts from vendors which can't exceed $25, and get it to
what it is -- a gift from a grateful mom & dad.

Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC, RLC
Lactation Education Consultants
www.lactationeducationconsultants.com

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