Is it appropriate to give a doctor....

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
mranum

mranum

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2009
Messages
191
Location
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Is it appropriate to give a doctor, more specifically a neurosurgeon a pen as a thank you? I know its his job, but he and his team just gave us back a future with my wife's father in it, to say we are grateful is an understatement. We would like to do something to show our gratitude and appreciation of their work other than just a card. This took place yesterday, 3/1/10.


There were 4 surgeons and we were thinking about sending all 4 of them a pen.

Thoughts? What type of pen? Should be something of class I would think like maybe a Majestic.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
I'd say yes, and PSI has a triangle box with a hole in the top that makes a perfect "desk pen"

I think were it me I'd do cigars, if you do a high end kit, I would keep it to rollerball as not everyone can operate or write with a FP and some don't want to learn......
 
I would make it a pen that they can use on a daily basis. MD's use pens all day long and a nice one makes something for them to be reminded of your caring and gratitude.
 
mranum said:
Is it appropriate to give a doctor, more specifically a neurosurgeon a pen as a thank you? I know its his job, but he and his team just gave us back a future with my wife's father in it, to say we are grateful is an understatement. We would like to do something to show our gratitude and appreciation of their work other than just a card. This took place yesterday, 3/1/10.


There were 4 surgeons and we were thinking about sending all 4 of them a pen.

Thoughts? What type of pen? Should be something of class I would think like maybe a Majestic.
Click to expand...
Here is what I gave to my surgeon who removed my brain Tumor in 2001.

I had to get permission from the University to use the hospitals logo but they gladly gave it to me as it was a gift not for sale.
 

Attachments

  • Gantz00003a.jpg
    Gantz00003a.jpg
    45.9 KB · Views: 271
  • Gantz 00005a.jpg
    Gantz 00005a.jpg
    40 KB · Views: 206
  • Gantz 00007a.jpg
    Gantz 00007a.jpg
    47.9 KB · Views: 277
Last edited:
Speaking from the medical profession, it would be a very touching gift. As someone earlier stated, a pen that is useful everyday would be wonderful. A cigar or a euro both have a touch of class and can be carried. Capped pens tend to be more difficult in the daily use when you are out and about in the units.
I friend who is a surgeon, request a large pen without a cap but with the rollerball feel. He now loves his Jr. Gent Twist with Superbowl refill. Whatever you decide, it will mean a lot to them and will be a wonderful sign of your gratitude.
 
hunter-27 said:
Here is what I gave to my surgeon who removed my brain Tumor in 2001.

I had to get permission from the University to use the hospitals logo but they gladly gave it to me as it was a gift not for sale.
Click to expand...

Thats beautiful! How did you go about the lettering?

This took place through the Veterans Administration in joint cooperation with the UW Hospital in Madison Wisconsin. The facilities are actually joined and seperated by hallways. Check in the VA, went through prep and got wheeled over to the UW for the surgery and then moved back over to the VA after recovery.
 
mranum said:
Is it appropriate to give a doctor, more specifically a neurosurgeon a pen as a thank you?
Click to expand...

Yes, absolutely apprepriate.

mranum said:
What type of pen? Should be something of class I would think like maybe a Majestic.
Click to expand...

Do you want your doctor to use your pen in daily basis or just for a showcase as in displaying it on their desk?

If for daily use, I recommend some sort of click pen (Sierra Click, and Long Click to name two). The main advantage of a click pen is that they don't have to use both hands to "open" the pen. If you notice most doctors and nurses use click pen when they write on charts, etc. The secondary advantage is that your doctor would use your pen is a conversation piece with whomever - i.e., he will brag about your "appreciation", hence free advertising.

As for showcase pen any high end kit would do nicely.
 
mranum said:
Thats beautiful! How did you go about the lettering?

This took place through the Veterans Administration in joint cooperation with the UW Hospital in Madison Wisconsin. The facilities are actually joined and seperated by hallways. Check in the VA, went through prep and got wheeled over to the UW for the surgery and then moved back over to the VA after recovery.
Click to expand...
PM sent
 
Penl8the said:
Yes, absolutely apprepriate.



Do you want your doctor to use your pen in daily basis or just for a showcase as in displaying it on their desk?

If for daily use, I recommend some sort of click pen (Sierra Click, and Long Click to name two). The main advantage of a click pen is that they don't have to use both hands to "open" the pen. If you notice most doctors and nurses use click pen when they write on charts, etc. The secondary advantage is that your doctor would use your pen is a conversation piece with whomever - i.e., he will brag about your "appreciation", hence free advertising.

As for showcase pen any high end kit would do nicely.
Click to expand...
Most(not all) neurosurgeons spend a bit more time doing desk work than some fields, so the capped pen is not all bad either but each has advantages. I'll bet it won't matter in how it will be appreciated.
 
I agree it would be deeply appreciated. I second the idea of a ballpoint or rollerball if it's for daily use, as so many of the forms that they have to fill out are NCR paper. As much as I would want to give something like an Emperor, the reality is that a pen with a postable cap is more convenient than a desk pen. While I agree that something that clicks or twists is convenient and can be operated one-handed, the visual "impressiveness" (is that a word?) of one of the "juniors" makes it more likely that it will be held on to covetously, whereas anything that clicks or twists is easily set down and absent-mindedly left behind.

My $0.02.

Doug
PS -- the biggest thing that any one of my patients gave me was a jar of homemade pickles. I guarantee they'll be grateful.
PPS -- the pickles weren't bad!
 
I think they would appreciate the pen as a gift. As you said, they were doing their jobs, so it's not a necessity, but it shows how much gratitude you have for what they did. My dad's an MD, and I give him pens each year for Christmas. This year, I'm going to give him a pen using Constant's doctor pen blank. I think he'll love it.
 
I've yet to meet a specialist who is not a total pen freak. They spend oodles of cash on Mont Blancs and the like.

Make them a pen with amboyna or another highly figured wood with some malachite trustone segments in it with a gold titanium baron or sedona and they'll swoon over it, show every other surgeon in the building the pen, feel privileged to own it, and you'll sell a half dozen more just like it in referral sales at no less than $150.00 each.
 
My neurosurgeons will be getting long clicks made from the antler of the moose that sent me to them . A nurse from the Philipines will get an amboyna one , and one from the Punjab will get a sissoo one .
 
As a medical professional myself, I think it's appropriate. While I work in mental health, where "gifts" or "presents" from "patients" are watched with more of a leery eye than the rest of the medical field, I've given my share of pens to various of my own doctors who I've seen over the years and all have seemed grateful. I had them all engraved with their names and also had the medical symbol put on some and they look really classy, whatever pen style you use.

That being said, the fact that you mentioned that this was done at the VA (where I also work) did give me pause. The federal government has some pretty strict regulations about gifts and taking things, which are more restrictive than when I've worked for private facilities. I just can't remember what if any guidelines there are about gifts from patients. I remember doing the training where things like gifts from outside vendors are discussed and limited, or gifts between employees, especially between "non-equal" employees, such as a supervisor-supervisee, are limited and watched closely. I wouldn't want your doctor to get in trouble for accepting a gift, and while many people might still accept it even if it is prohibited, I think it could be somewhat risky if in fact it'd be prohibited, because then they might be in the position of either having to turn down your gift, or possibly get in trouble.

I'll do some checking tomorrow or the next day at work and see if I can pull up the training that covers gifts and review it and let you know if I find out anything that might raise any concern.
 
I have given all of my Doctors a pen, most of them of them more than one. After all they went through to pick up the pieces and put me back together a pen is really not enough.

To angboy, as one of the recipients of medical care from the VA, thanks for what you do. I have never met a VA employee that was not a real professional.
 
I actually made 70 pens for the entire office where my cardiologist lives. They have been treating me for over 20 years for various heart problems.

For my doctor I made an El Grande of MOP from Arizona Silhouettes. He really liked it.

For his PA (whom I insulted the first time I met) I made a cigar out of lignum vitae.

Those two had their names engraved on them.

All of the pens had the logo engraved on the pen. I just took it off their website. As it was a gift (and only went to employees) I never bothered to get permission. No commercial exploitation.

Lee
 
This thread has created more discussion than I anticipated and a lot to consider and I'm glad to see that basically everyone thinks its very appropriate.

The primary Dr is actually an Assistant Professor in the UW and I thought if I were to send them to him then he would be able to distribute them to the team he had assembled since I don't remember all of their names. I would be interested in finding out what the policies are with the VA though regarding gifts.

As far as pen types, I do happen to have a couple black titanium cigars to work with but would have to find a couple others yet. I have some Maple & Walnut burls in my shop but I was also eyeballing a couple synthetics from exotics too.
 
I think this is a great idea. I am having back surgery tomorrow and in my recovery time will have to get to the shop and make one for my surgeon.
 
As a practicing surgen(ortho), I can promise you they'll be appreciative. Don't worry about VA rules... It's a federal job which means it's almost impossible to get fired. I can't imagine that it would be a problem at all.

I use a cigar pen or Sierra most days because I like the size of the pen, and they fit nicely into coat or scrub pockets. Some of the heavier pens are a bit heavy for scrub pockets. A twist or click pen is more practical in most medical situations than a cap pen.

The engraving is a great idea for several reasons. It will make the gift more personal. Perhaps more importantly, nice pens have a tendancy to walk away in a hospital(DAMHIKT).

I get gifts from patients occasionally, and I can promise you that it brigtens my day without exception. I applaud you for the idea... It's always nice to hear someone say thanks.
 
David Keller said:
As a practicing surgen(ortho), I can promise you they'll be appreciative. Don't worry about VA rules... It's a federal job which means it's almost impossible to get fired. I can't imagine that it would be a problem at all.

I use a cigar pen or Sierra most days because I like the size of the pen, and they fit nicely into coat or scrub pockets. Some of the heavier pens are a bit heavy for scrub pockets. A twist or click pen is more practical in most medical situations than a cap pen.

The engraving is a great idea for several reasons. It will make the gift more personal. Perhaps more importantly, nice pens have a tendancy to walk away in a hospital(DAMHIKT).

I get gifts from patients occasionally, and I can promise you that it brigtens my day without exception. I applaud you for the idea... It's always nice to hear someone say thanks.
Click to expand...


Thank you for the advice David! I talked to him tonight and his recovery is proceeding exceptionally fast, the Drs are pleasantly surprised with his progress. Given the circumstances I consider what they did amazing, especially compared to the first time this procedure was tried a couple years ago at a different facility. Lots of complications that time.
 
I'm just a beginner making Slimlines,and have been having fun buying the "Create-a-pen" kits from CSU,and matching the personalized clips and bands to the recipient,since I only make them as gifts to friends & family.

So I have 2 of the clips that have the medical symbol that I'm going to make for my Wife's doctors.I have been impressed with the fit and finish on these 10k kits,The end cap fits SUPER tight into the clips so there isn't any movement of the clip after it's installed,unlike the basic 7mm kits from Rockler that I've made.I like the feather band you can pick out for it,looks pretty sharp.Also like the 2 narrow ringed-band too.

I wish there were even more clip choices to choose from.I wish I could find a clip with a dog,or a cat,or a horse on it,for the animal lovers that I know.

Anyway,I hope my wife's doctors pens turn out nice,and they like them.

Steve
San Diego
 
Good Luck Grant!!!

mranum, I have given pens as gifts to My Dr.s, and Dentist as well as many others. It's a gift that they know you created just for them, with your own hands. The reactions that I have gotten have been priceless. It's a wonderful idea as a thank you.

Tom/oops99
 
Appropriate? Yes, IMHO.
But, there was a large team of nurses and technician involved as well.
I believe singling out the surgeons is disrespectful of the others.
That is probably one reason why professional ethics prohibit accepting gifts and tips.
 
David Keller said:
As a practicing surgen(ortho), I can promise you they'll be appreciative. Don't worry about VA rules... It's a federal job which means it's almost impossible to get fired. I can't imagine that it would be a problem at all.

I use a cigar pen or Sierra most days because I like the size of the pen, and they fit nicely into coat or scrub pockets. Some of the heavier pens are a bit heavy for scrub pockets. A twist or click pen is more practical in most medical situations than a cap pen.

The engraving is a great idea for several reasons. It will make the gift more personal. Perhaps more importantly, nice pens have a tendancy to walk away in a hospital(DAMHIKT).

I get gifts from patients occasionally, and I can promise you that it brigtens my day without exception. I applaud you for the idea... It's always nice to hear someone say thanks.
Click to expand...


David, please see my post #28 and comment.
 
Rifleman1776 said:
Appropriate? Yes, IMHO.
But, there was a large team of nurses and technician involved as well.
I believe singling out the surgeons is disrespectful of the others.
That is probably one reason why professional ethics prohibit accepting gifts and tips.
Click to expand...


So then its not appropriate, or maybe appropriate, but unethical?:bulgy-eyes:

I do realize there was a lot of people involved, however, its the individual surgeons that made what happened possible. Without those specific people it wouldn't have been possible.
 
It's a pen, not a week's vacation at a Caribbean resort. If you want to give him a pen as a gift, do it without giving it another second's thought. Let the recipient worry about whether it is appropriate.
 
Rifleman1776 said:
Appropriate? Yes, IMHO.
But, there was a large team of nurses and technician involved as well.
I believe singling out the surgeons is disrespectful of the others.
That is probably one reason why professional ethics prohibit accepting gifts and tips.
Click to expand...

There is really no limit to the number of people that make up the team, so it would be difficult to make pens for everyone... They would certainly be appreciative if you did! In the past, my wife and I have sent lunch or snack baskets to the nursing staff in the operating room or on the ward. Even a card is appreciated. I don't think you are expected to do anything for anyone providing his care, so anything you do I would consider to be above and beyond.

As for the ethics of receiving gifts, most of the rules and regulations are between physicians/providers and industry. There was apparently a time when drug companies would send someone on a vacation or buy them a television... Lavish gifts were given to those with the power to make choices about which equipment/drugs were used. That was all before my time. A gift from a patient or patient's family is way outside the realm of the type of gift that the rules are meant to restrict. I think it's a great gesture for anyone that provides you good service... physician or otherwise. I gave a pen to the guy that installed our windows and others to the guys that replaced our roof. I gave pens to the guys on the crew that took down a couple of huge oak trees in our yard... since then, I'm allowed to visit the wood lot anytime and take anything I want. Sometimes, a kind gesture comes back to you with dividends.
 
As a salesman, it is nonetheless possible a contact becomes a FRIEND. Sometimes they are employed by government and are discouraged from taking "things of value". So, when you present it, IF that comes up (and it has), simply point out that the vast majority of the value comes from YOUR time and expertise.

The VALUE of the components is virtually NOTHING, if you don't know how to use them. So, let's say YOUR pen has no intrinsic dollar value. But, if your friends want to buy one, well.................

That has always gotten my meaning across. They have always accepted the pen as my "labor of gratitude".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom