20 Best Medical Promotional Items for Healthcare Workers

Are you a hospital, doctor’s office, or medical center that needs gifts for nurses, doctors, and other staff members? Go with medical themed promotional items like face masks, cute syringe pens, and other gear printed with your logo or name.

Your team can use these branded products both on the job and during those precious days off! Here are 20 of the best, most useful giveaway ideas that healthcare workers are sure to love.  

#1: Reusable Face Masks

Shop:  Custom Face Masks

The COVID-19 pandemic has made soft, cotton face masks a must for medical professionals. Some hospitals are even implementing a “universal mask” policy that will continue after the crisis. Your staff wears scrubs in bright colors or printed with interesting patterns, right? Feel free to have the same fun with your face masks! As long as they filter out germs and cover both the nose and mouth, choose masks that are a bit more interesting!

#2: Hand Sanitizer

Shop: Personalized Hand Sanitizer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical workers have to wash their hands as many as 100 times during a 12-hour shift. Your nurses and doctors will appreciate a handy bottle of sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol that they can use before and after their shifts, or when it’s difficult to make it to the sink quickly. 

#3: Syringe Pens

Shop: Novelty Pens

It can be intimidating to visit the doctor’s office, but only 3% of people actually have a fear of going. The main culprit is anxiety and worry about the unknown. Help ease patient worry and bring a smile to everyone’s face with something as simple as a cute syringe-shaped pen for your staff to use while they take notes or write out prescriptions.

#4: Coloring Books

Shop: Custom Coloring Books

COVID-19 put a ton of pressure on frontline workers as they worked longer hours and were forced to stay quarantined from their loved ones. It’s no surprise 76% of healthcare workers reported feeling exhausted and burned out during the pandemic. A coloring book is a therapeutic way to relieve stress, and you can even find one with a medical theme.

#5: Healthcare Stress Balls

Shop: Healthcare Stress Balls

73% of people experience stress that affects their physical health. Stress relievers, especially those with a fun medical theme, are a great way to help ease some of that anxiety. You can find a ton of fun novelty options like doctors, pills, and everyone’s favorite, brain stress balls! Keep these toys on the desk in your reception area for your nurses, or offer them for free in the waiting room for your patients to use.

#6: Clipboards

Shop: Personalized Clipboards

With vital signs to check and release papers to keep track of, it’s important for your frontline workers to have durable clipboards. Need more proof? Just look at an article in Mims Today which reports that organization is important for healthcare workers as it leads to better “delivery of health care, work-life balance, and an overall impression on patients.” Clipboards are a step in the right direction and happen to make excellent appreciation gifts!

#7: Tri Highlighters

Shop: Multi-Color Highlighters

Less is more when it comes to carrying things around on the hospital floors, especially since healthcare professionals do a ton of walking. In fact, a study published in MEDSURG Nursing found that nurses walk an average of 4 to 5 miles during a 12-hour shift. Tri highlighters are some of the best promotional items for medical workers as they can put them in the pocket of their scrubs and use them as they go from room to room.

#8: Portable Drinkware

Shop: Insulated Water Bottles, Tumblers, Travel Mugs

Medical workers are busy and always on the go, which has alarmingly caused a toll on their own health. Case in point, a study found that 45% of clinical workers are dehydrated at the end of their shift. You can make it easier for your medical staff to drink enough water with portable travel mugs, tumblers, and stainless steel water bottles.

#9: Door Opener Keychains

Shop: Door Opener Keychains

Hospitals take sanitation and cleanliness very seriously, but there is still the chance for germs to be lurking in random areas like by the bathrooms and on the door handles. The American Journal of Infection Control also reports that curtains, stethoscopes, tabletops, and linens are also hotbeds for bacteria. Cut down on any contamination by handing out door opener keychains to your staff.

#10: Stylus Pens

Shop: Custom Stylus Pens

During breaks and lunches, it’s not uncommon for medical workers to unwind by playing a game on their phones, or maybe giving their loved ones a call. Not to mention, more than half of clinical personnel actually use their phones or tablets while on the job. It’s easier to use those devices and avoid harmful cross-contamination with a handy stylus pen.

#11: Infrared (Forehead) Thermometers

Shop: Bulk Thermometers

It might seem like you’re in the waiting room forever, but for half of the world’s population, a visit with a primary care doctor lasts for less than 5 minutes. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, infrared or forehead thermometers are an easy way to make sure patients are healthy enough for a visit. Keep these thermometers in your reception area, and check for a fever before the patient is called in to see the doctor.

#12: Jotter Pads

Shop: Jotter Pads

Make it easier for your healthcare workers to keep track of important info with jotter pads that they can slip in the front pocket of their scrubs. A journal called Community Eye Health notes: “It is nearly impossible to remember everything you did and everything that happened on a shift. Without clear and accurate nursing records for each patient, our handover to the next team of nurses will be incomplete.” Jotter pads make note-taking way easier.

#13: Bandages

Shop: Custom Bandages

Red Cross employees and phlebotomists take note! 20% of the population is somewhat afraid of needles or injections, but you can ease some of that fear with custom printed bandages. Print a fun design that patients can’t help but enjoy seeing on their arms. You can even hand out extras to the kids since they always love a goodie bag!

#14: Hot & Cold Packs

Shop: Hot & Cold Packs

Physical therapists, surgeons, and primary care physicians can get a ton of use from hot and cold packs. They’re great giveaways for patients after a visit since they will always have a reminder of how great your care was for them. This trust is important to build as 43% of U.S. adults do not believe their doctors have their best interests in mind. Change that number with these useful promotional items. 

#15: Lunch Totes

Shop: Personalized Lunch Totes

You would assume that medical workers are actively bringing healthy lunches to work every day, but think again! Surprisingly, almost half of nurses report eating fast food one to two times a week. Encourage your staff to eat better with custom lunch totes. You can even sell them in your hospital cafeteria to patients!

#16: Retractable Badge Holders

Shop: Custom Badge Holders

Hospitals often require ID badges to access certain floors or rooms. Medical workers need to react quickly to crises, especially in emergency rooms where they see more than 139 million patients every single year. It’ll be way easier to move around and work swiftly and efficiently with clip-on badge holders.

#17: Wireless Earbuds

Shop: Wireless Earbuds

It can be mentally taxing to work with patients day in and day out. Wireless earbuds can be used in the breakroom as a bit of a distraction. Hospitals have started to offer nurses at least three 15-minute breaks during a 12-hour shift. They can take a load off, tune into a podcast, audiobook, or playlist, and get into the zone before they go back on the floor.

#18: Pocket Planners

Shop: Pocket Planners

Medical work is just like any other profession. It can be tough to maintain a work-life balance, especially for physicians who can work between 40 and 80 hours every single week. Many of these folks have family and other responsibilities, which is why pocket planners are sure to be useful promotional items.

#19: Sweatshirts

Shop: Custom Sweatshirts

Keep your staff cozy by handing out sweatshirts with your hospital’s logo or name printed across the front. This casual apparel may also help your patients feel more at ease during their visit. Case in point, a study published by Mayo Clinic found that patients go as far as feeling like “hostages to health care” when they go to the doctor. Their visit will feel less intimidating if your reception staff wears soft pullovers or jackets.

#20: Coffee Mugs

Shop: Personalized Coffee Mugs

Your healthcare team can’t start the day without a good cup of coffee! Need proof? 85% of nurses drink 3 or more cups of coffee every single day. Doctors double that with about 7 cups during their shifts. Coffee mugs will be used day in and day out, so choose one with a stylish look, and most importantly, a handle and a lid!

The best part about all of these gift ideas is they can be customized with your medical center’s logo or name. Your clinical staff can take pride in where they work every time they use these items!

Plus, your patients get to see your team as a united front. They can trust that your medical staff will work together when it comes to their health and well-being. And isn’t that the message you want to send, especially during tough times like these?

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020, February 25). Clean Hands Count for Safe Healthcare. Retrieved from, https://www.cdc.gov/patientsafety/features/clean-hands-count.html

Gould, W. (2017, August 25). The Real Reason That Going to the Doctor Gives You Anxiety. Retrieved from, https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/real-reason-going-doctor-gives-you-anxiety-ncna795566

Goldberg, C. (2020, March 25). Some Hospitals Move to ‘Universal Mask’ Policy. Should Everyone Wear Masks in Public? Retrieved from, https://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2020/03/25/universal-mask-do-masks-work

Lagasse, J. COVID-19 Pandemic is Taking a Toll on the Mental Health of Frontline Healthcare Workers. Retrieved from, https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/covid-19-pandemic-taking-toll-mental-health-frontline-healthcare-workers

Patterson, E. (2020, November 6). Stress Facts and Statistics. Retrieved from, https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/stress/related/stress-statistics/

Hanis, T. (2016, October 23). Why is There a Need for Doctors to Be Organized? Retrieved from, https://today.mims.com/

Krischke, M. The 4-Mile Shift: Why Nurses Walk So Much. Retrieved from, https://www.travelnursing.com/mobile/pages/resourceDetails.aspx/?articleId=2897

Oliver, D. (2020, January 8). Staff Hydration Matters More Than Keeping Up Appearances. Retrieved from, https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.l7088

Saleh, N. (2018, November 13). Don’t Touch That! Five Surprisingly Germ-Covered Hospital Surfaces. Retrieved from, https://www.mdlinx.com/article/don-t-touch-that-five-surprisingly-germ-covered-hospital-surfaces/lfc-2974

Kiney, M. (2019, January 11). If Your Smartphone Is Covered With Germs, So Is Your Doctor’s. Retrieved from, https://slate.com/technology/2019/01/health-care-workers-germs-smartphones-infections.html

Stevens, S. Pickering, D. (2010, December 23). Keeping Good Nurse Records: A Guide. Retrieved from, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3033612/

Malcolm, X. (2016, June 7). Trypanophobia – A Fear of Needles. Retrieved from, https://jamaicahospital.org/newsletter/trypanophobia-a-fear-of-needles/

Murphy, J. (2019, September 3). Are Americans Losing Trust in Doctors? Retrieved from, https://www.mdlinx.com/article/are-americans-losing-trust-in-doctors/lfc-4348

Healthy Nurse, Healthy Nation. (2017, August 31). One Bite at a Time: Better Nutrition for Nurses. Retrieved from, https://engage.healthynursehealthynation.org/blogs/4/471

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020, November 10). Emergency Department Visits. Retrieved from, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/emergency-department.htm

Patricelli, V. (2016, September 23). Why Can’t Nurses Get a Break? Retrieved from, https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/23/nurses-break-patient-care/

American Medical Association (AMA). (2015, January 6). How Many Hours Are in the Average Physician Workweek? Retrieved from, https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/how-many-hours-are-average-physician-workweek

Leonard, B. et. al. (2017, August 23). When Patients and Their Families Feel Like Hostages to Health Care. Retrieved from, https://misuse.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/error/abuse.shtml

Tortorice, J. (2016, September 29). How Coffee Helps (and Harms) Nurses. Retrieved from, https://ceufast.com/blog/how-coffee-helps-and-harms-nurses

Newman, C. (2016, March 2). 5 Facts Surgeons Should Know About Their Coffee Consumption. Retrieved from, https://blog.transonic.com/clinical-trends/facts-surgeons-should-know-about-their-coffee-consumption