Pursuing any career path as a college student can be incredibly demanding. You spend all day in classes and are asked to gain practical experience when you aren’t sitting in a lecture. One of the hardest courses of study is a practical nursing program. If someone you love is in nursing school, you already know how hard they work and how dedicated they must be to their program. It’s only natural to want to help support them in any way you can.
Student nurses are busy learning about all the elements of medicine in class and then administering that to patients while in the clinic. A practical nurse needs practical experience before working successfully in the field; it’s right in the name. Throughout the school year, they’ll have several occupations and training to get ready for life as a vocational nurse. Perhaps you want to show a young adult studying nursing how much you support them. Consider these gift ideas as you’re looking for new purchases to help your nursing student get through their first year or their last semester.
1. Give the gift of financial freedom and understanding.
College and higher education are expensive ventures. Even with a great GPA and scholarships, your student may be stressed about every balance transfer or late fee. A great way to help is to offer the gift of financial freedom and understanding. Of course, you need to stay within your means, as well. Every little bit helps, and if you can’t offer or gift some money, maybe you can offer advice or assistance in other financial areas.
Many college students don’t understand much about building credit or how to handle a billing cycle. Becoming a cardholder and getting a student credit card is a great opportunity for these young people to learn about their credit scores and plan for monthly payments. Check out the best student credit cards to find a great card to help them start to build an independent income and learn about their own credit limits. A card with perks that offers a welcome bonus is also a great option to help your future nurse start their journey toward financial freedom.
2. Offer practical advice and tools to help with their studies.
While it may not be the most fun or exciting gift in the world, it is always nice and thoughtful to give a practical gift that will help your student thrive. Maybe you can give a resource outlining practical nursing career opportunities so they can research what they want to do after college. Maybe you can buy a fun new set of scrubs or invest in comfy insoles for their shoes. A great graduation gift maybe a monogrammed stethoscope or another tool they’ll use every day. This gives you the opportunity to invest in a gift they’ll truly appreciate while adding a personalized flair.
3. You can never go wrong with a lot of “treat yourself” presents.
As we’ve established, nursing school is tough. It’s long hours and a lot of hard work. For this reason, sometimes the best gifts are the little treats to remind your nursing student that they can take a break. Offer to pay for a massage or a day at the spa. Give them a huge block of chocolate or a special bottle of wine. Or buy that comfy sweatshirt and fuzzy socks. Help remind them that their mental health is important, and they deserve to take some time just for them. Even little gifts like this serve such an important purpose and help the nursing student in your life stay sane.