If you receive the Lydia’s Uniforms’ catalog you might have already discovered your new copy in the mailbox. The new winter catalog is filled with all your favorites, but also has many new items that were carefully selected by our merchandising team. They did a great job creating a wide selection of medical uniforms and hospital scrubs for you to choose from.

If you look at the catalog you’ll notice that many of the new items are made with your comfort in mind. For instance, the new Cherokee Touch is my absolute favorite collection and its name says it all. These scrub tops and pants are made from polyester and rayon and they’re super soft; I can only imagine how nice it would be to work in them. The comfort level combined with the stylish solid color combos and prints are what put them at the top of my list.

When flipping through the pages you’ll also come across new Dickies Performance Stretch scrubs and White Cross Bamboo medical uniforms. Of course that’s not all you’ll see, but those are just a few noteworthy collections that I would recommend checking out.

So if you haven’t opened the new catalog from Lydia’s Uniforms yet now is your chance. Browse it online here or order your own copy if you would like to receive one in the mail.

That’s all for today; I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year. Be safe and have fun as you celebrate the beginning of 2009!

P.S. Today's your last chance to enter December's Editor @ Large Contest. Click here to enter now!



What do you think about the new catalog? Leave a comment here.

Sometimes you can’t help but get a little dirty at work and for certain professions in the medical field; it’s just part of the job. My job isn’t all that dirty; so I can only imagine the complications of keeping a white lab coat white, or what it takes to keep your favorite well worn hospital scrubs looking clean and professional. But what I imagine is that it’s probably not easy.

So since you probably don’t want to buy a new lab coat every time you get a stain, and since I can’t do your laundry for you, I’m going to do the next best thing; I’m going to give you tips on how to remove some tough stains from your medical scrubs. For those of you who have been wearing medical scrubs for a long time, you probably know all these tricks and more, but for those of you who are new to hospital uniforms, lab coats or scrubs; read on.

I decided to focus on a three stains that are fairly common in general and even more widespread in the medical profession: iodine, blood and ink. I’ve used all the stain removal methods below and I can definitely say that they’re effective.

Iodine Stains
1. The first thing to know about iodine stains is that you should not wash them out with any detergent containing oxygen bleach or chlorine. These can set in the stain, which will make it even more difficult to remove.
2. Use a detergent without either of these ingredients and rub it directly on the stain.
3. Wash as usual.
4. If the stain persists, mix one tablespoon of sodium thiosulfate with warm water.
5. Blot the stain.
6. Wash again.

Blood & Ink Stains
1. If the stain has dried, first soak in water for 10-20 minutes.
2. Apply hydrogen peroxide to the stain. When it reacts with the blood or ink it will begin to bubble.
3. Let it sit for a few minutes.
4. Rub away the stain.
5. Rinse with cold water.
6. Repeat as necessary.
7. Wash as usual.

I hope that these tips help you keep your lab coats and scrubs from Lydia's looking clean, new and professional. If you have additional tips on how to keep scrubs in their best shape, leave a comment and share them with everyone! Or if you have any questions about keeping your medical uniform as clean as you can, feel free to ask.

I had intentions of writing a blog post about the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy, but somehow that time came and went and now it just seems to be too late. I’m not sure how I could have forgotten considering I absolutely loved the last episode, but somehow I managed to push it out of my mind; I guess we’ll just move on.

 

What subject are we moving on to? The subject is hospital scrubs in your television (very similar to Grey’s Anatomy, I know). Scrubs are everywhere! Hospital dramas have been around for awhile and I doubt that they’ll be going out of style any time soon. M.A.S.H. has been on since the 1970s and I’m almost positive that my dad is still watching it (and trying to make me watch it when I go home and visit). And who can forget about Doogie Howser, teenage genius? Clearly not me; the image of him donning hospital scrubs, lab coat and clipboard in hand is still fresh in my memory.

 

Now almost four decades after M.A.S.H. we have our pick of hospital television. Grey’s Anatomy, General Hospital, ER, House and Scrubs are all in full swing and I’m probably still forgetting a few. On television doctors and nurses are substantially more interesting than the rest of us and it seems as if they never go to bed. Lives are lived inside the hospital and the witty banter never seems to cease. If real life medical professionals are anything like they are on television I would never survive!

 

So what do you think about these shows. How do they measure up when it comes to portraying reality? Which show is the most realistic? Are there scenes or situations that occur on these shows that have you fuming about how untrue they are?

 

And how about their hospital uniforms, how do those compare? On Scrubs, Grey’s Anatomy, ER and General Hospital we see the basic v-neck scrub tops and matching pants. House characters outfit themselves in professional attire underneath the long white lab coats. Since they’re all wearing similar medical clothing uniforms, which cast as a whole do you think wears it best? We all know what I would say, so tell me what you think!

 

In case your memory needs refreshing, or you’re just in need of some entertainment, here are a few video clips from the shows.

 

To continue the Nurses Week festivities, I went on a quest to learn more about the Nursing profession. I picked a few of my favorite facts to share with you.

 

• In 2007 hospital staff nurses in the United States earned an average of $59,061.
• Nursing is one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States. Unfortunately there is a shortage of nurses and nurse educators.
• The average age of Registered Nurses has risen from 42.3 in 1996 to 46.8 in 2004.
• Research indicates that advanced practice registered nurses can provide 60 to 80 percent of primary care services as well as or better than physicians and at a lesser cost.
• Among professions in the United States, nurses rank first for their honesty and integrity, with 82 percent of Americans rating them "high" or "very high," according to a 2005 Gallup Poll. Nurses have consistently rated first every year but one after being added to the list in 1999.
• The first nursing school in history dates back to 250 B.C. and was located in India.
• There are more nurses than any other workers in the health care profession.
• Florence Nightingale, the most famous nurse in modern history, was only a nurse for three years of her life.
• Mary Eliza Mahoney became the first African-American nurse in 1879.
• According to a report released by the American Hospital Association in April 2006, U.S. hospitals need approximately 118,000 RNs to fill vacant positions nationwide.
• The earliest hospital uniforms for nurses were based on function and feminine virtue.

Does anyone else have any fun facts about things like nursing, hospital uniforms, scrubs or Nurses Week to share? I know that there’s a lot more than this to know about nursing and I would love for you to share your knowledge!

As you all know, I was patiently (ok, impatiently) waiting for the return of Grey’s Anatomy. And of course I forgot to watch it the first week it was on and then had other obligations the second week it was on, but thanks to the Internet and television online I’m all caught up…and also thoroughly annoyed with Rose for professing her love for Derek, but that’s a whole different blog post.

 

Since I’ve begun working at Lydia’s Uniforms, I can’t help but take notice of what everyone on the show is wearing. Now that I’ve seen all the different styles, colors and prints of scrubs that are available from Lydia’s it made me think that most of the characters don’t get too creative when they buy medical scrubs. Most of their hospital uniforms consist of the same blue scrubs and a lab coat. Of course, that might just be the dress code at Seattle Grace.

 

Now don’t get me wrong, I do think their blue scrubs look great on them and they all seem to fit really well. I just thought that for how stylish those doctors are outside of Seattle Grace Hospital that they would at least want to add a little something extra to their hospital uniforms. I guess between all the personal drama and hospital drama, there’s no time for deciding what to wear to work. And in that case, I think it’s best that they stick to scrubs that they know look good.  

 

So what I think they should do to spice up their uniforms is to stick with their blue scrubs and add new lab coats. The ladies could wear more fitted lab coats, like this one from Urbane. Or everyone at the hospital could have their lab coats embroidered. They could use the Seattle Grace Logo, or their names. Would it be too much if Mark’s lab coat said McSteamy? Probably. Maybe they could just stick to the hospital logo.

 

What do you think about the Grey’s Anatomy scrubs? Has anyone tried the Grey’s Anatomy line from Lydia’s? I love how this top has the subtle empire waist and the big front pockets. What do you think?

 

 

                                                                                        

If so, I want to hear about it!  Did you buy medical scrubs, only to have a seam come undone at the wrong time?  Did the button fall off your lab coat, only to reveal the stain on your shirt from lunch?  Were the only hospital uniforms left two sizes too small?

What's your most embarrassing scrubs malfunction?  Don't be shy. It's just between us :)

I have to say that the road test of our scrubs was a success- not just because of what Leesa and I found, but because of YOUR comments.  What we found was that you are looking for sizing options and comfortable fit (kind of like us!).  I agree that everyone should feel like they look their best, whether at work or not, in scrubs or out of them.  So, without further ado, here are my top suggestions for medical uniform brands to try based on body type.

 

If you are petite or slender, try…

Urbane Scrubs - These designer medical scrubs are junior fit and flatter petite types most.

Baby Phat Medical Uniforms – Choose Baby Phat scrubs for a fun and funky alternative in scrub fashion.

Dickies Hip Flip – Popular “hip flip” scrub pant styling, and you’ll love the color palette.

Grey’s Anatomy – More celebrity uniform style comes to you in the form of quotes from the show and super soft fabrics. Made by Barco medical scrubs.

Our Own Signature Collections – Our Lydia's Signature Scrubs as low as $5.99.  Starting at XS and featuring petite and tall options as well as a variety of fabrics and prints galore. Great option for offices and hospital teams!

 

If you are average, try…

Dickies Sandwashed Scrubs– This line is missy fit and is sized like the misses section of your favorite department store. Lots of cute options!

Cherokee Authentic Workwear – The “hip flip” styling on their pants makes for a comfy fit and avoids “baggage”.

Katherine Heigl Medical Uniforms – She created this line after working in scrubs on “Grey’s Anatomy”, and trust us, she knows what you need in a stylish medical scrub!

Koi Nursing Scrubs – Youthful tailoring and girly details make everyone feel great.

Cherokee Flex-i-bles – This yoga-inspired line keeps you ready for action.

LA Rose – Cool basics & prints with extra detail in the styling.

White Cross – Your own style expressed in artistic designs.

Our Own Signature Collections – Our Lydia's Signature Scrubs as low as $5.99.  Looking for options?  Check here first!  Our hospital uniforms feature the most color choices you’ll find anywhere.

 

If you are curvaceous, try…

Dickies W – These scrubs are designed to fit all of your curves. 

Cherokee Basic Uniforms – One of the world’s most recognizable brands features specializes in super soft fabric. 

Landau Medical Scrubs – Top notch comfort with lots of options up to size 5X.

Our Own Signature Collections – Our Lydia's Signature Scrubs as low as $5.99. As always, our own line has options for EVERYONE up to 5X.

 

If you are tall, click here to see our full selection of uniform pants for tall sizes.