The holiday season is one of the happiest and busiest times of the year. It is also the perfect time to show your nursing staff how much they mean to you. Below are some nursing staff appreciation ideas that you can use to thank your staff for their hard work during the holidays. 

1. Give your employees a chance to spoil themselves 

During the holidays, your staff members probably spend most of their time buying gifts for other people. One excellent way to show your employees that you care is to give them an indulgent gift that they can use to do something for themselves, such as a gift card to a coffee shop or restaurant they love. 

2. Give a holiday bonus

Preparing for the holidays is always expensive. Since your staff members are probably strapped for cash, help them out with a holiday bonus. Rather than waiting until right before Christmas, consider giving the bonus a little early so that they can use it to buy Christmas presents. 

3. Throw a party

Throw your staff members a party to allow them to blow off some steam off the hospital campus. If your budget allows, decorate tastefully, hire a caterer and plan some fun activities for the team to enjoy. 

4. Host a decorating contest

Allow teams of nurses to decorate their stations. Ask everyone to vote on the decorations and present prizes to the teams that get the most votes. Not only is this fun for your staff, but it also makes the hospital more inviting and festive for patients and their visitors. 

5. Give them an afternoon off

If your scheduling demands allow, give your nurses an extra day off around the holidays so that they can spend extra time to spend with their families. If you are finding yourself short-staffed during the holidays, consider hiring some extra help from Fastaff. 

6. Send holiday cards with personal notes

Many employers send their employees holiday cards during the holidays. Make your cards a little more special this year by including a personal note to each nurse. Use the note to thank the nurse for all of his or her contributions during the year. 

7. Have a potluck lunch

If you don't have the time or money to throw a party for all of your nurses, consider hosting a potluck lunch instead. Have everyone sign up to bring a dish that can be enjoyed during lunch. Keep in mind that, because nurses work shifts and everyone won't be present at the same time, you may need to schedule several different lunches so that everyone can participate. 

These are just a few of the ways that you can show appreciation to your staff. Whatever you choose to do, be sure that you take a moment to tell your staff "thank you" in person.