Why don't we tip medical workers?

PLL · 30-07-2015 08:58PM #1

Honestly? They save your life. The good nurses put you at ease and try and keep your mind off things when we shítting ourselves inside.

Why is it automatic to tip other types of service, that often aren't that hard work, and we do it often. Yet we could frequent a hospital a few times over a decade, with them potentially saving our life or preventing further complications. Then we just say thanks and walk out.

byhookorbycrook · 30-07-2015 09:01PM

I always leave a cake or a nice box of chocolates at the nurses' station when I leave hospital. I attend a hospital once a month for treatment as a day patient and make sure to get each of the nurses and the consultant a nice gift at Christmas.

Sheep Lover · 30-07-2015 09:02PM

I tipped a nurse once.

Actually no, that was cow tipping not a nurse.

Miss Demeanour · 30-07-2015 09:03PM

I always give my doctor a tip.
Last time it was "looks like rain.....don't forget your umbrella".........

roadrunner16 · 30-07-2015 09:04PM

PLL wrote: »

Honestly? They save your life. The good nurses put you at ease and try and keep your mind off things when we shítting ourselves inside.

Why is it automatic to tip other types of service, that often aren't that hard work, and we do it often. Yet we could frequent a hospital a few times over a decade, with them potentially saving our life or preventing further complications. Then we just say thanks and walk out.

service jobs that normally get tipped aren't hard work ? the voice of someone who has never worked in service/retail ! , why do we tip at all ? if someone is getting paid then they shouldn't need to be tipped !

NachoBusiness · 30-07-2015 09:08PM

Cause they'd think we were weird.

BoJack Horseman · 30-07-2015 09:09PM

When my wife was giving birth in Holles Street, we had a load of fivers with us for the meal staff.

You want the "good" scrambled eggs.

No lizard eggs for my wife!

bisounours · 30-07-2015 09:17PM

I'd hate the dedication of my medical treatment to be dependant on the size of my tip.

We lived in a country where a brown envelope was handed over to the doctor who would then find you a spot on his operating schedule. Hmmm.

30-07-2015 09:17PM

Bought big boxes of chocolates for the nursing staff on my wife's ward and in neonatal at CUMH when my wife and baby were coming home. They were excellent.

Justice4Adolf · 30-07-2015 09:18PM

If you were in the Mater Private chatting with a consultant it
would be the height of bad manners to just say goodbye and leave
at the end of it. Show of appreciation. Stick a crisp ten euro note in the breast pocket of his jacket, tap your hand on his cheek a couple of times
and say 'well done' / 'good lad'

reklamos · 30-07-2015 09:26PM

Are you serious people?
Obviously you have not seen the healthcare system in eastern Europe or Russia where your health depends on amount you tip. Oh and you have to tip before the treatment starts and your treatment will depend a lot on the amount of your tip. So if a patient next door overbids you than expect to get less.
Why to encourage such a sick behavior? People do get greedy with time and we all felt how it ended in 2007.
I do understand giving a box of chocolate but that is about it.

Victor · 30-07-2015 09:30PM

PLL wrote: »

Why is it automatic to tip other types of service, that often aren't that hard work

1. My mother does give them chocolates, etc.
2. Does a doctor on €150,000 a year need the money?

Victor · 30-07-2015 09:35PM

reklamos wrote: »

Are you serious people?
Obviously you have not seen the healthcare system in eastern Europe or Russia where your health depends on amount you tip.

At best, this is 'grease', at worst, its a bribe.

Fox_In_Socks · 30-07-2015 10:01PM

Victor wrote: »

At best, this is 'grease', at worst, its a bribe.

*Slips a cool twenty into Victor's breast-pocket*

Bit less of that talk and I'll make it worth your while.

*Winks*

30-07-2015 10:02PM

reklamos wrote: »

Are you serious people?
Obviously you have not seen the healthcare system in eastern Europe or Russia

You sound surprised?

Spanish Eyes · 30-07-2015 10:14PM

Tips should be banned, and a decent wage for your talents introduced. Stat.

America be dammed. They don't pay their wait staff and expect the punter to fill the gap.

That's capitalism for ya.

Ruu · 30-07-2015 10:18PM

Sanitary reasons, who knows where those filthy euros have been handed around!

Boom_Bap · 30-07-2015 10:21PM

My father spent a good few months in hospital, we made sure to leave a big envelope there for the nurses because they were brilliant.
I'd never think to do it for my GP or the X-Ray tech, but definitely those that there is a rapport with.

One eyed Jack · 30-07-2015 10:21PM

I'd usually buy the nurses a box of chocolates, I never tip because I don't have any money on me in hospital.

Seems a bizarre thing to be doing really, I know they don't get paid enough for what they do, but a fiver here or there just wouldn't make that much difference, they'd probably be insulted I'd say.

01-08-2015 03:20AM

Because on the extreme end of the scale, care would depend on it.. I live in a country on that extreme end but thankfully have decent insurance for an international hospital if I need it.

efb · 01-08-2015 03:27AM

I gave my GP a great tip on his phone bill- he thanked me the next time I was in!

HardenendMan · 01-08-2015 03:34AM

Sure I give them a tip...here's a tip...stay in school. Oh wait...you stayed in school longer than most.

Seriously though...they do the job as a vocation...we can't tip them otherwise they would become less devoted to long hours for relatively poor wages.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 01-08-2015 03:51AM

Before my father passed away he was moved to the hospice room two days beforehand. That first night, this nurse was duty, came into me shortly after she started and introduced herself. The room led outside to the healing garden, and she brought me outside for some fresh air and stayed with me. She told me to get some sleep in the family room, that she'd be in and out to mind my dad. At first, I was a bit uneasy, I had barely left his side for days beforehand, and I was drifting in and out of sleeping but each time I woke up, she was either coming out or going into him and I felt a lot more at ease knowing she was doing as she said she would. Before she left that morning, she made sure I was fed. Had breakfast, before the assistants brought down two plates of sandwiches for throughout the day.

That night, she was back on again. She sat with me, gave me a hug and told me how brave I was. Again, she insisted I sleep, and that she would come get me if anything changed. Well, that night, it did change. She did come get me, and while I knew what was about to unfold, I was frozen to the spot. She got me in to him, and placed his hand in mine, and recited prayers, over and over, as he passed away. She sat with me, holding my hand until my brother arrived, and when he left again, and I was on my own, she insisted i leave to be with someone and get some rest, and again walked me out to the main door of the hospital and waited until the taxi came.

In those two nights, she was amazing. As well as taking care of her patient, she took care of me, and I've never witnessed anyone being so kind. Y'kno, it was only her job, she's probably seen hundreds of people die but that night, there was absolutely nothing cold or clinical about her.

So - bearing that in mind, and bearing in mind how she was the one who held my hand when I needed it most, and nobody else was there, i went into my favourite beauty salon, and I got her a gift voucher for a massage and a facial. I wrote her a thank you card and popped the voucher into the card.
I was so paranoid she would think I was weird, and debated that maybe chocolates would be more appropriate but still and all, I really hoped she found the time to go and that she enjoyed those two hours, because I couldn't think how else to express how grateful I was to her for being there that night.

Jesus Wept · 01-08-2015 05:26AM

Seems to be some serious fringe benefits to being a nurse, which is great obviously.

jay-me · 01-08-2015 05:50AM

My Dr gets a tip when something is amiss.. Otherwise it stays in my pants...

stoger · 01-08-2015 06:18AM

When the wife was having the last child I slipped the doc a 50 and told him to put an extra few stitches in

RichardCeann · 01-08-2015 06:33AM

Are they even allowed accept money from the public? I think most nurses and doctors would be taken aback and a bit offended if you tried to slip them a few bob. A gift or voucher would be a much better way to show your appreciation.

JuliusCaesar · 01-08-2015 11:52AM

tbs, it's unethical for any medical, paramedical, or nursing staff to accept money. We are only allowed accept gifts of small value. And that is how it should be.

Chocolates, sweets etc tend to be shared with the rest of the team. Most of us are paid decently, but as LexieOnRale described, most of us go beyond the bare call of duty - we are in our jobs because we love them (mostly).

Son Of A Vidic · 01-08-2015 12:27PM

RichardCeann wrote: »

Are they even allowed accept money from the public? I think most nurses and doctors would be taken aback and a bit offended if you tried to slip them a few bob. A gift or voucher would be a much better way to show your appreciation.

As someone from the medical business, we don't want nor expect anything from our patients. It has happened to me a number of times and I have found it embarrassing. Now I can appreciate the good intention behind it, but it's something people don't really need to do. Most people I've worked with were delighted with a simple thank you, a card and chocolates are always appreciated. Although in my experience, by the time I get to the chocolates, the nurses have them finished off

.

If anyone wants to give more than that, then forget about going to consultants and go to the ward sister or charge nurse. They run the show, are super organised and always come up with great uses for a patients gift. They'll usually put it into a unit education or research fund, Christmas party or towards a piece of equipment that is lacking ect. While it is unethical for us to accept individual gifts. Gifts that contribute toward the entire team, that can enhance the care delivered, raise morale and thus can benefit future patients are appreciated and reconcile with our ethics.

The important thing to remember is, doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff don't expect anything from their patients. There are easier, less stressful ways of making a living but we're in the business because it's in our DNA. A successful clinical outcome, a job well done and a patient leaving through the door they came in, gives us all we need tbh.

Lucyfur · 01-08-2015 01:35PM

My mum has 3 nurses looking after her at the moment. They are the most patient, kindest, loveliest people. When she's not in hospital, they ring her 3 times a day. Doesn't matter if it's their day off, or the end of their shift, if mum needs help, they're there. I'm really struggling to find a suitable gift to say thank you....I like Lexie's idea of a massage/beauty voucher of some kind. Definitely don't want to embarrass them. I just want to say thank you for the time they give her. They really, really have gone above and beyond their call of duty.

Samaris · 01-08-2015 02:02PM

Ah, that was a lovely story, Lexie, although my sympathies for your father. It's good to see though, when all the news we get is bad, how decent and kind people can be, and how they'll go above and beyond for others.

Why don't we tip medical workers?

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