The gifts nurses really want this #NationalNursesWeek

Each year, National Nurses Week is celebrated from May 6 through May 12 – ending on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who is considered the founder of modern nursing. These hardworking professionals are certainly deserving of a gift to celebrate their dedication, but it can be challenging for family, friends and coworkers to choose the right present.

» RELATED: National Nurses Week 2019: Your go-to guide to freebies, deals

So who better to ask than nurses themselves about what they'd like to receive for National Nurses Week? We reached out to a couple for suggestions:

Nurses would appreciate receiving a day off to spend with their families, Chris Boyd, a nurse at WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, said.

And when asked what he'd like to receive if family and friends are shopping for a National Nurses Week gift, Boyd came up with an idea that combines the practical with the luxurious.

"We want massages," he said. His wife usually gives him a gift card from a massage place that they use, and there are a lot of good local establishments to choose from, he added.

David Tharp, executive director for critical care and emergency services at WellStar Atlanta Medical Center, took an informal poll among his co-workers to ask what they'd like to receive for National Nurses Week.

» RELATED: Unwind and treat yourself at Georgia Nurses Association's 'Self-Care Extravaganza' event

Suggestions included an insulated mug, possibly including a graphic or inspirational quote related to the history of nursing or accomplishments of the profession.

Other nurses polled by Tharp mentioned badge reels, perhaps with a design like the Florence Nightingale lamp. Along the same lines, similar pins were also mentioned.

For more ideas, check out women.com, which has practical but nice suggestions such as compression socks (which can be more stylish than you might think), a tote bag designed for nurses and a portable massager like a plantar fasciitis ball roller.

And locally, you can always treat a metro Atlanta nurse to a ticket to Restoring & Renewing: A Self-Care Extravaganza. Presented by Nurses 4 Ever Fit and Georgia Nurses Association, this event features plenty of perks included with admission, including massages, a group yoga session, an organic cold pressed juice sampling and a self-care discussion. Tickets are $23, and the event will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, May 11 at GNA Headquarters, 3032 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta.

» RELATED: Aaaahhh: How massage therapy can help nurses reduce stress

Nurse.com asked several nurses what they'd like to receive from management. Although they appreciated the gesture, respondents were pretty much over receiving pens and other trinkets.

" … I want education and professional development. Bring in a guest speaker, and highlight the profession of nursing," Susie Artis, a nurse educator in Denver, suggested.

Nursing departments interviewed by Nurse.com focused on this type of gift, including ones that gave nurses funding for professional conferences and business cards so patients could identify them and their credentials. Another department started a program that would pay for nurses to take specialty certification exams.