Why don't we tip medical workers?

ALiasEX · 01-08-2015 03:14PM

Christmas is never far away when you are a doctor. Patients and drug reps giving you presents.

Mr_Muffin · 01-08-2015 03:15PM

They get paid enough as it is.

01-08-2015 04:32PM

I oppose tipping in all its forms, just as I resent the state effectively subsidising employers by having to pay in-work benefits that allow employees to survive.

Here's an original idea. Pay your staff appropriately yourself, don't guilt members of the public into doing it for you through tips or general taxation.

Wabbit Ears · 01-08-2015 08:59PM

Wouldn't tip a healthcare professional ( generally you don't tip people who are in jobs that require the amount of training and professional education as healthcare people) but we did send some really good chocolates to the midwife after our children were born. That's not tipping, it's just good manners.

byhookorbycrook · 01-08-2015 09:01PM

i would not agree with financial "tips" but I do think a card , box of chocs as a "thank you" is nice, an acknowledgement of someone going the extra mile.

jobeenfitz · 01-08-2015 09:05PM

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.

PLL thats a fukn brilliant question. We should. Specially the nurses who are under-payed for the work they do.

QuinDixie · 01-08-2015 09:25PM

plumbers need and should receive tips. Do it.

jobeenfitz · 01-08-2015 09:30PM

QuinDixie wrote: »

plumbers need and should receive tips. Do it.

Don't forget the clampers. Hardly anyone loves the poor clampers.

01-08-2015 09:34PM

We should stop tipping completely. All staff in this country get a decent wage by law, not like in the US. People who expect tips, like taximen, dont deserve them; its just a racket and no wonder services like Uber with no tipping are doing well.....

QuinDixie · 01-08-2015 09:35PM

jobeenfitz wrote: »

Don't forget the clampers. Hardly anyone loves the poor clampers.

Plumbers are a great bunch of lads and charge very little.
Tips for plumbers, Yes we deserve it.

ToddyDoody · 01-08-2015 11:00PM

A doctor took a 2 euro coin out of my rectum and I allowed him keep it

01-08-2015 11:06PM

QuinDixie wrote: »

Plumbers are a great bunch of lads and charge very little.
Tips for plumbers, Yes we deserve it.

Actually, I've never met an unsound plumber. Nurses can be bitches (oh come on, you all know it's true!) but the plumbing profession is synonymous with decent sorts doing honest-to-God, hard work.

I suppose this opinion is coloured by the the sense of natural guilt that they've had to fix your most embarrassing flushing disasters...

goz83 · 01-08-2015 11:07PM

Boom_Bap wrote: »

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.

You left them a big envelope. Greedy besterd. Why not leave them a few quid instead?

cyning · 01-08-2015 11:24PM

My local children's ward has a box up for people to donate to Jack and Jill and asking people to donate if they wish instead of boxes of chocolates etc. I think its a great idea. Couldn't imagine tipping a doctor to be honest just seems very strange to me.

Victor · 02-08-2015 02:18AM

Deleted User wrote: »

All staff in this country get a decent wage by law, not like in the US.

While €11 an hour sounds reasonable, it's barely head above water when you work part-time

rubadub · 02-08-2015 12:51PM

Deleted User wrote: »

All staff in this country get a decent wage by law, not like in the US.

This is not the case in most of the US anymore. I think in most, if not all states, there are laws where the employer can pay less than regular minimum wage but if the employee does not get enough tips to put them over the regular minimum wage limit then the employer must pay them the shortfall. So they all effectively the same min wage, be it in a normal restaurant or a traditionally non-tipping one like mcdonalds.

I would like to see tipping made illegal, just like in some countries its illegal to tip government officials. Its a form of tax dodging, just tell me what I have to pay. In the US some restaurants have banned tipping.

the_syco · 02-08-2015 01:53PM

Deleted User wrote: »

All staff in this country get a decent wage by law

The hours some doctors and nurses work in hospitals would be illegal in most other industries. It wouldn't surprise me if they weren't getting paid for all those hours.

02-08-2015 03:20PM

rubadub wrote: »

This is not the case in most of the US anymore. I think in most, if not all states, there are laws where the employer can pay less than regular minimum wage but if the employee does not get enough tips to put them over the regular minimum wage limit then the employer must pay them the shortfall.

Not so, at least in the states I know. There are two minimum rates, the normal one, either the federal level or in some states a higher state level quite a bit below the irish one, and the tip wage rate at about $2 an hour.
If the employer had to make up poorly performing tip workers wages to the standard minimum rate it would defeat the whole purpose of tip wages....

rubadub · 02-08-2015 03:51PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Not so, at least in the states I know.

Which states are these?

Are you certain it does not exist? or just not common. I would not expect it to be common at all for employers to have to cough up the shortfall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratuity#United_States

The Fair Labor Standards Act defines tippable employees as individuals who customarily and regularly receive tips of $30 or more per month. Federal law permits employers to include tips towards satisfying the difference between employees' hourly wage and minimum wage, although some states and territories provide more generous provisions for tipped employees. For example, laws in Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Guam specify that employees must be paid the full minimum wage of that state/territory (which is equal or higher than the federal minimum wage in these instances) before tips are considered.

Deleted User wrote: »

If the employer had to make up poorly performing tip workers wages to the standard minimum rate it would defeat the whole purpose of tip wages..

Not sure what you are getting at there. I would have thought the idea of lower min wage on tippable jobs is to ensure employers can afford to employ people. People going into restaurants in the US would factor in the pretty much obligatory tip, so if they had to pay the same min wage as a mcdonalds they could not compete as easily.

The tip worker could be the best worker in the world and might not get tips for many reasons, e.g. major lack of customers.

Mint Sauce · 02-08-2015 04:02PM

As already pointed out, medical staff, nurses, and care assistants are not allowed to accept monetary gifts, and any offers are to be declined, with maybe a suggestion if of it being placed in the hospital or care home donation box, should they insist.

darkpagandeath · 02-08-2015 04:34PM

Is the €50-80 not a tip enough to see the doctor ?

Neyite · 02-08-2015 04:46PM

Lucyfur wrote: »

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.

A nurse I spoke to in a hospice role said that often nurses are swimming in chocolates or edible gifts from grateful families which puts the spokes in any diets they try as you can imagine, so she suggested some nice mugs for them. In nearly every workplace the nice mugs get nicked and ones you bring in from home go walkies and hospitals and clinics are no exception.

So we did that when we wanted to thank a ward staff - we got the names of all the nurses and got them printed on their own mugs - it really didn't cost much. Handed them over with some nice biscuits and they were a big hit with the nurses, and a bit more friendly on the waistline too.

The idea of a spa voucher is really lovely too.

Lucyfur · 02-08-2015 04:50PM

Neyite wrote: »

A nurse I spoke to in a hospice role said that often nurses are swimming in chocolates or edible gifts from grateful families which puts the spokes in any diets they try as you can imagine, so she suggested some nice mugs for them. In nearly every workplace the nice mugs get nicked and ones you bring in from home go walkies and hospitals and clinics are no exception.

So we did that when we wanted to thank a ward staff - we got the names of all the nurses and got them printed on their own mugs - it really didn't cost much. Handed them over with some nice biscuits and they were a big hit with the nurses, and a bit more friendly on the waistline too.

The idea of a spa voucher is really lovely too.

I definitely don't want to get chocolates. The nurses are part of the diabetes specialists team :pac:

Neyite · 02-08-2015 05:37PM

Lucyfur wrote: »

I definitely don't want to get chocolates. The nurses are part of the diabetes specialists team :pac:

:pac: I should have remembered!

That's probably wise to avoid chocolate so. spa voucher or mug it is then!

rubadub · 02-08-2015 07:05PM

RichardCeann wrote: »

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.

Yeah, in recent news it seems some prefer the idea of a €500 dundrum gift voucher, or a €5000+ family holiday to florida. Just some small token, sure it's the thought that counts. :pac:

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 02-08-2015 11:56PM

rubadub wrote: »

Yeah, in recent news it seems some prefer the idea of a €500 dundrum gift voucher, or a €5000+ family holiday to florida. Just some small token, sure it's the thought that counts. :pac:

Well sometimes it is the thought, when a complete stranger can make the hardest experience of your life even just a little bit more bearable. Personally, I wouldn't put a price on kindness

K4t · 03-08-2015 12:00AM

rubadub wrote: »

I would like to see tipping made illegal, just like in some countries its illegal to tip government officials. Its a form of tax dodging, just tell me what I have to pay. In the US some restaurants have banned tipping.

What a load of rubbish. Since when did a waitress or a barman equate to a government official? Also, it's not tax dodging as it's not income, hence the term tip. Yes, F**kwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in Dublin also have a no tipping policy which tells you all you need to know about the kind of places that implement bans on tipping - basically c**ts.

branie2 · 03-08-2015 12:19AM

Ever see Michael Moore's documentary, Sicko?

_Whimsical_ · 03-08-2015 12:34AM

I'd personally feel pretty embarrassed to tip someone in this situation, I'd think it would come across a little condescending, like "good girl, get yourself an icecream". Do we, or indeed does any country, tip well paid professionals? In situations where you understand that tipping is traditionally part of the person's income like hairdressers, wait staff etc, then it's different.

Anyway , where would it end? Why not tip teachers, they often spend more time with your kids than you do , or lawyers , or engineers ??

the_syco · 03-08-2015 11:37AM

Bribe; before the service.
Tipping; immediate after service.
Thanks; few days after the service.

Thus thanking someone is different from tipping imo.

Neyite wrote: »

So we did that when we wanted to thank a ward staff - we got the names of all the nurses and got them printed on their own mugs - it really didn't cost much. Handed them over with some nice biscuits and they were a big hit with the nurses, and a bit more friendly on the waistline too.

That's actually a cool idea!

Why don't we tip medical workers?

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