The Ultimate Gift Guide for Health Care Workers

Health care workers often operate on a tight schedule and have countless places to be as they devote their time, knowledge and depleting energy to care for the health and well-being of vulnerable patients. 

As we continue to reel from the after-shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global event highlighted just how essential doctors, nurses, hospital staffers, mental health experts, social workers and pharmacists are. 

Browsing online or planning a trip to the mall to shop for the holidays? From comfy kicks to lip balms as stocking stuffers, here’s a look at some handy and useful gifts to show your appreciation to the health care worker in your life.

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Gales

Gales laceless, chic-looking footwear was specifically designed with health care workers in mind. The slip-on orthopedic shoes reduce the impact on the knees, back and other joints during 12-hour long shifts that nurses and doctors often clock in. 

Plus, unlike other shoes that track dirt and infectious germs from the hospital or clinic floor, Gales footwear is antimicrobial, fluid-resistant and bleach-friendly, making it quick and easy to clean.

“The constant bending and standing is usually the source for all the pain so finding a lightweight and cushiony shoe was so helpful,” Lynn. P, BSN, RN, a neonatal intensive care unit nurse, tells The Messenger. 

Works best for: Health care workers who are constantly on their feet and on the go. 

Cost: Prices range from $90 to $120. 

Smith’s Rosebud Salve

Whether talking face-to-face with a patient, taking their medical history, or communicating with family members over the phone, chapped, dry lips are an ongoing issue for health care workers. 

As a mental health expert, Briana L. Severine, MS, LPC, a therapist at Sanare Psychosocial Rehabilitation in Denver, Colorado, is accustomed to talking with her clients for long hours during focused sessions. Besides donning comfy shoes or chugging caffeine, she tells The Messenger that lip care is essential, too. 

“Sitting, sipping, and talking all day make my Smith's Rosebud Salve one of my favorite things in my office,” Severine says. 

Works best for: This cult-classic lip balm is available in a tin or a tube and is perfect for anyone with chapped lips.

Cost: $8 for an 0.8oz tin

Nidra Sleep Mask

Getting some uninterrupted rest is crucial for a healthcare worker. But if you or your loved one is a shift worker pulling all-nighters, the Nidra Sleep Mask can help block out the morning sunlight as you get ready to hit the sack. 

The lightweight blackout mask’s contoured design helps it fit snugly around the hollows of your eyes and lull you into a much-needed slumber after a long day of work. 

“While working a night shift, switching to a night schedule for sleeping is always a challenge,” Angelica Trilleras Gomez, M.D., a nephrology fellow at Los Angeles General Medical Center, tells The Messenger. “Having a quiet, cool and dark environment usually helps the process.”

Works best for: Shift workers who need to sleep during the day.

Cost: $25

Bombas Compression Socks

The snug-fitting knee-high socks are designed to gently squeeze a person’s legs, improve blood flow, and lessen leg pain and swelling around the ankles. The socks are available in a variety of patterns and colors. Plus, Edie Willis, PA, a physician assistant at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, says it’s an item “many medical providers don’t typically buy for themselves,” which makes for a thoughtful and much-needed gift. 

Works best for: It’s an especially useful gift for health care workers who need to take “long walks in the hospital and are standing on their feet for long hours,” Gomez says. 

Cost: $36

The North Face Women’s Maggy Sweater Fleece

This cozy, durable fleece sweater is made from 53% recycled material and is perfect to layer up when walking the freezing temperature-controlled hallways in a hospital. The zip-up sweater with pockets comes in a variety of colors and is an ideal gift for a friend or family member to stay warm as they care for others. 

Works best for: All health care workers who need an extra layer to stay cozy as they go about their day. 

Cost: $125

Takeya Actives Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle with Straw Lid

Staying hydrated is essential when you’re on-the-go as a health care worker. Takeya’s double-walled stainless steel bottle with a straw lid makes it easy to quickly take a sip of chilled water with a simple flip. The product is available in a number of eye-catching colors.

The bottles are also a great way to “avoid polluting with plastic bottles,” Gomez points out. 

Works best for: Nurses, doctors, health techs and medical students who are always on the go.

Cost: $28

FIGS Scrubs

Unlike generic scrubs on the market, The FIGS scrubs can add style, comfort and suave for a health care worker. FIGS is available in many colors and styles and also offers custom engraving for an additional price. If you’re unsure about the sizes, a gift card to the popular company is a great alternative, too. 

“You can never have too many scrubs, especially when you have to work on the weekends and laundry may take longer than usual,” Gomez says. 

Works best for: The trendy, well-fitting scrub tops and bottoms that look less like pajamas are a perfect gift for the nurse or doctor in your life who wears scrubs all day, every day. 

Cost: FIGS tops start at $48; FIGS pants start at $58.

Hatch Restore 2

For the sleep-deprived healthcare worker, the Hatch Restrore 2 can act as a 

bedside lamp, sound machine, alarm clock, and content library all by the bedside. The all-in-one gadget can help sleep deeply with background noises such as white noise, pink noise, brown noise and other sleep sounds inspired by nature and backed by science. 

Plus, as you drift to sleep, you can command darkness by simply touching the clock. And the in-built sunrise alarm clock wakes you gently, unlike other alarm clocks that jar you awake. It also has a companion phone app with additional content and controls. 

Works best for: Shift workers, medical students and health care workers in training.

Cost: $200

The Work Wellness Deck

Being a health care worker can at times, be physically and emotionally overwhelming. This east-to-carry deck of cards offers quick and simple tactics such as breathing and stretches to destress and refocus while at work. It’s great to do it by yourself or share it with co-workers. The cards are also available in a digital format on Kindle. 

“Cards like this encourage healthcare workers to take the bite-sized break they need throughout the day to stay in the field that is so meaningful to them,” 

Natalie Moore, LMFT tells The Messenger. 

Works best for: Health care workers in a high-stress environment such as an emergency room. 

Cost: $20 for physical cards; $9 for Kindle. 

Insight Timer

Insight Timer is a meditation app that features guided music or talks, therapy-style meditations and sleep exercises to bust stress and anxiety and help you take deep, calming breaths. It’s available in multiple languages, such as French and Spanish. A gift card to the version with extended features could be a perfect gift for the health care worker in your life. 

“One thing all healthcare workers need is a physical and mental break from their demanding jobs. What better way to do that than to gift them with a premium subscription to a meditation app,” Moore says. 

Works best for: The app is good for beginners looking to learn about meditation and those dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety.

Cost: Free. A membership offering offline listening and additional features is also available for $60 annually or $10 monthly.

Teleties 

Long hair can get in the way of patient care. These strong spiral hair coils and clips can help keep a bun or pony tightly in place, especially under a surgical cap and out of the face when performing key health care duties.

“I highlight my hair so it gets damaged easily, especially with the standard hair ties. But these things don't damage hair and neither do the clips,” Hannah M., a former radiology tech, tells The Messenger.  “If I were still in the clinic when my hair had to be up most of the time, I'd be in a clip every single day.”

Works best for: Health care workers with long hair.

Cost: Hair ties cost $10; Hair clips cost $16. 

Beats Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earbuds 

The wireless high-performing headphones are designed to fit perfectly around your ears and stay there no matter your movements, which is essential for a health care worker performing multiple physical tasks. 

“I love these. I refer to them as my secretary,” Robin Geiger, DNP, senior vice president of Clinician Advocacy, Ingenovis Health, tells The Messenger 

Works best for: The stylish earbuds, available in several colors, are a great way to be hands-free while still receiving updates on texts and emails.. 

Cost: $140

Meta Quest 2 Advanced All-In-One Virtual Reality Headset

This futuristic wireless device can instantly transport you to a new reality in seconds and melt away any the stress and anxiety that often plague health care workers. The gadget from Meta allows you to fully immerse yourself in a world alone or explore a virtual space with others or play games from over 500 different entertainment options. 

“You can use these to escape with a travel app, to relax with a meditation app, or try gaming to unwind after work,” Geiger says. 

Works best for: Busy health care workers who need to detach from work-related worries after they clock out. 

Cost: $250

InnoView Portable Monitor

For traveling nurses and doctors, having an extra screen to jot down medical notes while they multitask between different patients can be handy. This portable monitor can simplify and sort out the overflow of alerts and incoming patient information. 

Plus, the 15.6-inch device can be an additional screen to watch TV shows and movies in a hotel room or hop on a conference call.. 

“It sounds like a lot, but when you have to travel and work from a different location for a while, this is a great option,” Geiger explains. 

Works best for: Travel nurses and doctors. 

Cost: $129

Reaks Heated Mattress Pad 

For the best night's rest, many sleep experts recommend keeping the bedroom temperature cool — around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. But for many health care workers dreaming of a good night’s sleep, a cold bed can feel unwelcoming. 

Reaks electric heated mattress pad made from soft and breathable materials can warm up your bed and keep it cozy, and the built-in auto-shut-off timer control can lower the temperature later at night. From a twin to a California king, the mattress pad is available in varying sizes to fit snugly on your bed. 

“Personally, I find climbing into a cold bed anything best restful! The heated mattress pad from Reaks seems to be an ideal solution,” Valerie Ulene, M.D., co-founder of Boom Home Medical, tells The Messenger. “Turn the pad on 10 or 15 minutes before you plan to go to sleep and things will be warm and cozy when you climb into bed; then, set the pad's automatic timer so that it turns off after an hour, and you can slumber at a cooler temperature the rest of the night.”

Works best for: All health care workers.

Cost: Queen $80; King $90; California King $105