• Shortage of doctors could damage healthcare reform
• New York State Senate Passes Nursing Care Quality Protection Act
• The 'problem with nurses' is a problem with healthcare
• Docs, nurses use and recommend diet supplements
• Nurses Call On Rep. Miller To Support Amendment Allowing States To Enact Single-Payer Health Reform

• New Hope for Fixing Broken Hearts
• Poll Still Finds Public Support for Health-Care Reform
• Parental Stress Boosts Kids’ Asthma Risk
• Kids’ lower IQ scores linked to prenatal pollution
• FDA Urges Consumers Not to Purchase or Use Certain Gel-Filled Teethers
•  

• International Nurses Day Chance To Improve Conditions For Health Workers In Developing Countries, Opinion Piece Says
• One Doctor's Quest to Cut Unneeded Treatments
• In patients' hunt for care, doctor database a place to start
• Nurses in Washington Fight for Medicare
• Virtual Doctor Visits Satisfactory for both Patients and Physicians

• Senators open to compromise on healthcare revamp
• New Study Data Indicates Long-Term Defibrillator
• Ginger may help chemo patients with nausea
• US now has 4700 cases of new swine flu- CDC

• National Nurses Week Ends- What Now?
• Calling out the near miss

Congratulations to Mary, the winner of January’s Editor @ Large Contest. When I contacted Mary to tell her about her win she shared a little bit about herself and her job. Keep reading to find out more about her.

Mary earned her M.D. and is now doing her residency, working towards a specialty in Emergency Medicine. She’s employed at one of the largest public inner city hospitals in the country and she described her position in detail,
“I am blessed to get the opportunity to care for a variety of people that have very few options with little to no access to routine healthcare including:  individuals who are indigent, homeless, incarcerated, low income and undocumented.  This special population of people due to factors such as substance abuse, mental health issues, little to no previous medical care, environmental factors, cultural beliefs and lack of knowledge   present with a multitude of disease processes not commonly seen in any other setting.  The care of this population brings with it a need for a unique and exceptional learning experience that when my training is complete will allow me to work anywhere and be adequately prepared. In 5 short months my training will be complete and I will assume a role in a yet to be determined location as your run of the mill ‘ER doctor’ yet my training and residency experiences have taken me to a level that makes me not so run of the mill.”

For the contest, we asked you, our customers, to describe the colors required by your work dress code and here’s Mary’s winning comment:

“I am a senior resident in the Emergency Department of a large urban public hospital. We have no specified dress code, yet most of my colleagues have adhered to an unspoken tradition of wearing either the scrubs provided to us from the hospital or solid navy or black traditional unisex scrubs almost always embroidered with their title. The amusing thing is that the hospital scrubs are color-coded depending on size. Therefore, when these are worn everyone knows exactly what size you are wearing. The XL scrubs, the size many of the males wear, are pink. Despite my adherence to said tradition and often adding a lab coat, I had a difficult time conveying my role as the physician to patients. It is clear that my sex will always foreshadow any other role-identifying label including nametag, lab coat and uniform. Having recognized this fact, I have chosen to break tradition and become much more creative with my uniforms. I have now started wearing styles that are more fashionable and fun. The amazing thing is I now connect better with patients and gain their trust much more easily despite the new scrubs.”

As our winner she’ll be receiving a $50 gift certificate which she can use towards hospital scrubs, medical coats or whatever else she’s had her eye on at Lydia’s Uniforms. Mary mentioned that Dickies Everyday scrubs are her favorite, so maybe a new pair will be going into her shopping cart soon.

If you want to be our next winner, click here to enter.

If you’re responsible for buying medical scrubs for your office, or if you want to get a group of co-workers and friends together to place your order, Lydia’s Uniforms has some options to make the job a little bit easier for you. We don’t want you to get stressed out about something as simple as buying scrubs so we’ve done everything we can to make the process as effortless as possible.

So here’s how it works: When ordering for a large office or group you’ll be speaking with someone from our team of Customer Service Representatives who will handle your order. All of our Customer Service Reps have tons of knowledge about our products and the group ordering process so they'll be very helpful and able to answer any of your questions. If you would like a custom logo embroidered onto your medical coats and apparel scrubs they’ll help you arrange that and Lydia’s will even waive the $95 set-up fee if you’re placing an order of $495 or more. I personally think logos are a great addition to a lab coat or scrub top, but some people prefer their uniform without; it’s all up to you whether you want one or not! Plus, if you’re placing an order over $500 we do offer group discounts so you’ll be able to save a little money when you order for everyone at once. If you want to order discount medical uniforms for everyone in the office it will be easy to arrange or if everyone will be picking out their own stylish medical scrubs that’s not a problem either. So in short, Lydia's will make the process simple and save you some money in the process, which sounds good to me and hopefully to you as well.

Another awesome feature that we have for large groups is that we can create a custom e-store for you. We’ll fill the store with the scrubs that you choose, in your colors. Just by logging in you’ll have access to a store that’s customized to your employees’ specific needs.

So if you’re responsible for all the ordering at your office, let us help you out a bit. If the custom e-store sounds like a good plan to you click here to sign-up! Otherwise the best way to get started with your order is by calling 1.800.293.7721. You’ll talk to a Lydia’s employee who can answer all your questions and in the future ordering for your group will be a breeze.

Have something to say? Leave a comment here.

In the latest Lydia’s catalog we introduced a new line of lab coats: MedCouture Lab Coats by Peaches. These new products have a set of unique attributes that set them apart from your standard medical coat, so I thought I would share a little bit about them with you. One cool thing about these lab coats is that they feature anti-bacterial surfaces. A new technology called BioSmart binds Chlorine to them, which then destroys bacteria and viruses (including Salmonella, E. coli, Staph and Hepatitis A) on contact.

In addition to the innovative technology of BioSmart these medical coats are also stylish; they come in very sleek, professional and tailored looks for men and women. Plus there are different styles to choose from so you’ll definitely be able to find one that suits your personal taste.   

So if you’ve been looking for a new lab coat to top off your medical uniform MedCouture could be the brand to try. If you do purchase one, leave a comment and share your opinion of it. Or if you already own one I would love to hear what you think about it.

Earlier this month Lydia’s employees worked together to give back to the community by making a large donation of food and personal care items to a local organization. I was extremely impressed with everyone’s response and the huge collection of items that were donated. Giving is as much a part of the holiday season as receiving and it’s great to see Lydia’s employees doing their part.

I talked with my co-worker Natacha who was largely responsible for organizing the holiday food drive; she told me more about what was donated and who the donations will go to:

What organization was the food drive for/ who will benefit from the goods that were donated?
We donated to Mel Trotter Ministries.  Mel Trotter provides shelter, food, clothing, education, biblical studies, computer-based learning, and work training and experience for men and women in need throughout our community. To help those with drug and alcohol addictions, they also offer a state-licensed substance abuse recovery program. Last year thanks to local donations they were able to provide:

• Over 289,000 meals
• More than 950 holiday food boxes
• 6,192 daily food boxes containing over 130,000 meals
• 13,699 daily food bags
• Over 1,500 Thanksgiving dinners for the homeless and working poor

What types of goods were donated by Lydia’s employees?
All non perishable foods were donated, mostly canned fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, pasta/sauce, macaroni and cheese, crackers, peanut butter, tuna, rice and mashed potatoes.  Also many personal care items were donated, such as shampoo, conditioner, hair accessories, deodorant, and toothpaste.  Many people also brought in gently used coats, clothes, and shoes as well as toys. As a company we were also able to donate thousands of new shirts, pants, jackets.
   
Was there a positive response to the drive/ approximately how much was donated?
There was an amazing response! I was so impressed by everyone’s support and willingness to give. I know how hard the economy has been on everyone this year and the fact that people gave so much, even though they have very little, really showed me how generous our co-workers are!! They continued to impress me throughout the 2 weeks the food drive ran. We were able to send around 20 boxes of food and countless boxes of clothes and personal care items.  When Mel trotter came here to pick it up, our donation filled their entire truck!

Does Lydia’s do an annual food drive or was this the beginning of a new tradition?
We donate clothing throughout the year to other charities, but this year was our first food drive. I hope to continue it for years to come!

Did you and your co-workers do anything special to give back this holiday season? If so I would love to hear what you did. Leave a comment here and share your story.

The holiday season is here and we want to wish you Happy Holidays by offering you two chances to win free medical clothing uniforms from Lydia’s. Tons of new designer medical scrubs, lab coats and medical supplies will be available soon in our new catalog and on the web site so now is the perfect time to win a Lydia's gift certificate.

Enter our Holiday 2008 Photo Contest and you could win a $100 gift certificate or enter our Editor @ Large Contest and you could win a $50 gift certificate; enter both and double your chances of winning free scrubs!

To enter our Holiday 2008 Photo Contest all you have to do is click here and send us a picture of you in your holiday medical scrubs. I’m excited to see all of your photos so I hope you take the time to enter. The contest ends on January 7th, 2009 so get your camera out this week at work.

To enter the December Editor @ Large Contest just share a funny work story. Visit my blog post here to read all the details and enter now.

Good luck to all who enter; I can’t wait to see your pictures and read your stories.

I’m excited to tell you about a new section of our web site. Just today we added a Lydia’s Uniforms Plus Size Scrub store. You can view medical clothing uniforms, scrubs and lab coats from all your favorite brands in sizes 2XL-5XL. Finding the right fit is one of the most important (and sometimes difficult!) things about shopping. I personally like shopping online just because I don’t have to sift through racks and piles of clothing trying to find the size I’m looking for. With our new plus size scrub store we want to make it easier for you to find exactly what you need.

To visit the main page of our new store, go here; click on the different homepage tabs to see our favorite trends, popular basics and featured Cherokee Scrubs.  Or click here and you’ll be taken to all of our plus size scrubs sorted by brand. Browse through them to find something you like or click on any of the brands and you’ll be able to view medical scrubs by size.

So next time your shopping, check out this new section of our site. If there’s something you love about it (or something you don’t), leave a comment here and let us know what you think.

Your medical scrubs and lab coats aren’t the only part of your look that your patients are paying attention to. Tattoos can be a significant part of one’s appearance, which makes it hard not to wonder what effect they have on patients’ perceptions of their caretakers. This article from NurseConnect.com looks at how tattoos relate to professionalism and what some hospitals are doing about it.

If you have an opinion on this topic, leave a comment when you’re done reading.

Do Tattoos Reflect Professionalism?
By Debra Wood, RN, contributor at NurseConnect.com

Art and beauty may lie in the eyes of the beholder, but some hospitals are requiring nurses to cover all tattoos and other body art in case patients don’t find them beautiful or professional.

“They are concerned about what consumers will think, and whether they want people to care for them with visible tattoos or body piercings,” said Myrna Armstrong, RN, EdD, FAAN, professor and RN-BSN director at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, whose research interest is body art: tattooing, body piercing and branding.

There is no current research that clearly identifies patients’ perceptions of nurses with body art, but there appears to be generational differences. General indications suggest that older adults frown on tattoos and young people are more supportive, Armstrong said. She added that 25 percent of 18 to 30 year olds have tattoos and 32 to 50 percent have body piercings, somewhere other than an earlobe.

Nurses are currently required to cover up their tattoos at many leading hospitals, such as St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City; Florida Hospital Memorial System in Ormond Beach, Florida; Children’s Health System in Birmingham, Alabama; and Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

“When you walk into a room as a stranger, you have to build rapport and a sense of trust,” says Nancy M. Albert, Ph.D., RN, director of nursing research and innovation at the Cleveland Clinic. “A tattoo or piercing is another sign of a cultural difference or being hip. The perception is not professional.”

Albert added that walking in with a tattoo gives the impression the nurse is not taking the position seriously. She said nurses at the clinic have not voiced opposition to the policy.

That’s not the case at the Seton Family of Hospitals in Austin, Texas, which is considering a dress code that requires nurses to cover body art. Some nurses object.

“We are moving to a policy that addresses professional appearance and demeanor,” said Yvonne VanDyke, RN, MSN, vice president for nursing education, nursing practice and research at Seton. “The core of what this is about is decreasing anxiety the patient or families might have in the patient?nurse interaction.”

VanDyke acknowledges that body art and piercings are popular, yet patients may not view it the same way as the person with the tattoo. Seton is discussing the proposed policies with staff and hopes to implement or phase in a policy starting in January 2009.

Armstrong said that many nurses have tattoos in locations that are not on display, but in some settings, such as working with adolescents or on a mental-health unit, a visible tattoo might help in establishing relationships with clients.

Nurses working in facilities that ban visible body art may wear long sleeves to cover tattoos. But if it is on the face or hands, they may need to wear a bandage. Armstrong expects nurses with visible tattoos likely would not be hired in the first place.

Although external, Armstrong said that people get body art for to feel special or unique. She said there is still a backlash?internal reasons toward women with tattoos.

“People who have them have made the decision for themselves,” Armstrong said.

In addition to requiring nurses to cover tattoos and piercings, the Seton system plans to introduce standard colored uniforms for nurses as part of the dress code, so that patients, visitors, physicians and staff can identify them more easily.
Which color is ultimately chosen might also rest on the public’s perception of which is more professional.

Albert has researched patients’ responses to different uniforms. Nurses at the Cleveland Clinic wear white and, Albert said, most are happy with it. Her research showed that patients age 45 and older thought white was more professional. Older patients, age 70 to 100 years, also believed that fitted, white uniforms reflected professionalism more than scrubs.

Seton officials have not made a decision yet about the proposed dress code.

“We want to make sure nurses’ ability to carry out their role is not compromised by a patients’ anxiety or lack of confidence in them,” VanDyke said. “This will help the nurse in many ways.” ■

Have something to say about this article? Leave a comment here.

To read more nurse related articles visit NurseConnect.com.

P.S. Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Lydia’s Uniforms! Click here to enter now, it only takes a minute.

Happy Friday everyone! Just a quick reminder to stop by LydiasUniforms.com and shop our Avalanche Clearance Sale. There are tons of markdowns on scrubs, medical coats and medical uniforms so there’s a good chance you’ll find something that’s your style. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and here’s the news from the week:

Healthcare Professionals in the News:

• Where Have All The Doctors Gone?
• National Council Of State Boards Of Nursing Inc.Celebrates 30th
  Anniversary, USA
• National Association Of School Nurses (NASN) Partners With Healthy Interactions To Advance Childhood Health Education
• Half-dose flu shots work in adults, study finds
• Preparing Nursing Students for the 21st Century
• Teaching Nurses the Value of Big, Red Noses

Health News:

• Fast Heart Rate Warns of Obesity, Diabetes
• Two asthma drugs risky but Advair OK
• Cancer could be world’s top killer by 2010
• Doctors call emergency care ‘national disgrace’
• Malaria Vaccine Effective in Latest Trials
• Glaucoma Drug Doubles as Eyelash Enhancer

Blogs:

• Who is the right union for RNs?
• Patients still rely on word of mouth for information when choosing a physician
• Nursing Jobs: How to Get One That Fits

Last week I received an e-mail from my mom inquiring about what I wanted for Christmas. After thinking about it for a week I realized that I have no idea.

If you’re in the same boat, I have one suggestion: make a wishlist, pass it on. Visit your favorite web sites, places where you normally purchase all the things you want and need and make wishlists on them. Share them with anyone who wants to know what you would like for Christmas. At Lydia’s, making a wishlist is simple. If you see a pair of hospital scrubs or a lab coat that you like, simply click on the Add Wishlist button (see picture below). Once your wishlist is complete you can e-mail it to anyone who might be wondering what you would like for Christmas. This is the perfect chance to score a pair of the designer nursing scrubs you’ve been eyeing, so go ahead and make your list.

If your wishlist is already made, but you’re still looking for gifts for others, don’t forget that we now offer gift certificates at Lydia’s Uniforms. They’re perfect for co-workers or other friends or family members who wear medical scrubs.

Visit our site to start making your wishlist now or click here to purchase a gift certificate for your favorite healthcare professional.


Have something to say? Leave a comment here.

Happy Friday everyone! I’ve decided that this weekend is a weekend for shopping. I personally am going to venture in the cold, rain and possibly even snow (yuck!) because I’m desperately in need of some new winter clothes. I have a feeling that boots are going to be must haves here in Michigan within the next day or two, so I better find some soon. You on the other hand can stay in and shop from the comfort of your home and this weekend is a great time to do it. If you’re searching for new stylish uniforms or designer nursing scrubs we have some awesome deals right now. We’re currently running a Designer Liquidation Sale, which features Katherine Heigl scrubs at their lowest prices ever, some as low as $8.99. This SoHo Contrast Print Scrub Top has always been one of my favorites and you can get it right now for only $12.99. If that’s not your style there are many more options including scrub tops, pants and medical coats. So go ahead, check it out.

Now, here’s the news from the week:

Healthcare Professionals in the News:

• New Mexico Department of Health Honors Award Winning Nurses
• The Importance Of Nurse Involvement In Policy Development Highlighted In Research Book
• Survey Gauges Healthcare Experts’ Views On Payment System Overhaul
• Nursing Excellence National Nurse of the Year Award Winners Earn the Vegas Spotlight
• EMU School of Nursing Injects Much Needed Help Into Nursing Shortage
• UC College of Nursing wins $1.3M grant
• Nurses Agree Collaboration With Hospital Support Service Functions Is Key To Patient Safety, Survey

Health News:

• Covidien Recalls Syringes Posing Risk to Diabetics
• Vitamins may cut cancer risk in some people
• Scientists Decode Set of Cancer Genes
• Drug ‘tricks body to lose weight’
• U.S. Reported 25,000 Cases of HPV-Related Cancers Annually
• Study: Counties with more rainfall have higher autism rates

Blogs:

• Do nurses have to be 100% healthy?
• Nightmare Nursing Job Interviews: 5 Tips from a Nurse Recruiter

P.S. Interested in a super-secret coupon code that you can use to save even more on your scrubs from Lydia’s? If so, then click here. And if you like what you see, sign up to receive Lydia’s e-mails and you’ll regularly find awesome deals like this one in your inbox.