Should nurses be allowed to accept gifts from patients or their families?

Hi! Most organizations have policies that explicitly state staff are not to accept money, anything that can be perceived as monetary ( like gift cards, tickets for concerts, etc.). This should have been explained to you in orientation. It is unethical because as we render patient care their is no expectation of monetary reward from patients. However, some institutions allow small gifts - such as food for the entire unit. Prior to accepting anything from a patient or patient’s family consult with your supervisor and Ethics officer (sometimes they will have a different title). You will save yourself a lot of litigation, reprimand and possibly loss of your job. Also, let the patient/family know that accepting gifts is against policy.