Gift for nursing school grad?

April 23, 2005 9:15 AM

Giftfilter: My best friend graduates this week from nursing school, and I want to get her something relatively inexpensive, clever, life-changing, useful and/or meaningful.

I only have up to $40 or so to spend, but I can't think of anything very interesting. She's going to work in the oncology unit. She already has tote bags, scrubs, clogs, and a fancy stethescope, and I'm unsure what the jewelry policy is there so I don't want to get anything she can't wear at work. Thanks!

posted by gatorae to shopping (5 comments total)

Giant Microbes! I gave these to a friend in med school, and they became the hit of the class.
posted by fionab at 9:27 AM on April 23, 2005

As I always say, gifts should be given to satisfy someone's frivolous wants, not their everyday needs. I.e. buy her something that she would feel guilty buying herself, not something that she might eventually get anyway. Consequently, the gift will have to be tailored to your friend's specific personality, and only you can know what that is. If she's your best friend, it shouldn't be that difficult.
posted by randomstriker at 9:45 AM on April 23, 2005

Nursing school is stressful... how about a gift certificate to a day at the spa?
posted by bamassippi at 10:15 AM on April 23, 2005

If you or a friend has a digital camcorder and is handy with creating a DVD, why not help her memoralize her student days? Besides videotaping (and editing down) the graduation ceremony, there might be an interview session (some of her friends, and her, discussing what they liked most and least about school, for example), a campus tour (her narration, or a friend's narration), perhaps a snippet or two of her favorite teachers, etc.).

And if she's shy about being videotaped, you can keep the DVD focused on other people, places, and things, with just a few minutes of her.
posted by WestCoaster at 6:23 PM on April 23, 2005

You can get her a nice engraved leather journal for about that price or a touch more. Try this one for example.
posted by gd779 at 9:48 AM on April 24, 2005