Happy Friday everyone! Here’s the news from the week:

Healthcare Professionals in the News:

• When The Patient Can't Decide: Study Looks At Physician Perspectives On Surrogate Decision Making
• Possible Age Bias Among Emergency Medical Personnel
• Initiatives | Two Florida Universities Partner in Effort To Boost Minority Nursing Population
• 'Medical-Surgical Nurses Week' To Honor Nurses' Life-Saving Work
• New rules proposed to protect anti-abortion doctors

Health News:

• Genetic traits linked to bipolar disorder
• Blood protects against long-gone killer 1918 flu
• FDA Warns of Deaths by Diabetes Drugs
• Scientists make red blood cells from embryonic stem cells; may someday help transfusion supply
• Jump in US measles cases linked to vaccine fears

Press Releases:

• Healthcare Reformers Hold Reception for Congressional HR 676 Caucus at Democratic National Convention, Tues. Aug 26
• Largest gift in MSU College of Nursing history will fund building project

Blogs:

• Thoughts on routines and such
• The Heart as Electromagnet

And if you haven’t already created your wishlist at LydiasUniforms.com, don’t forget to do so! It’s your chance to win $250 worth of free nursing scrubs and medical supplies. One reader left a comment saying she wants to win the contest so that she can try a pair of the Earth Solar Shoes. What items are at the top of your wishlist?

If you haven’t already heard: the Lydia’s Win Your Wishlist Contest is back (I love being the bearer of good news)! Just in time for fall we’re giving you the chance to score $250 of stylish uniforms.  Entering is extremely simple. Whether you’re looking for men’s nursing scrubs, medical supplies or a new lab coat, just login to your Lydia’s Uniforms account, find your favorite items and add them to your wishlist. You have until August 31st to create your wishlist and I’ll be announcing the winner the following week.

                  

To read all the official rules and details of the contest click here. And if you happen to know where I can score my own free work clothes just by browsing an online store, let me know!

I love reading, but I hate getting excited to read a new book and then discovering three pages into it that it's not at all what I expected (in a bad way). So that’s what’s great about today’s post; today my post features an excerpt from a book titled Hot Nursing Careers for the 21st Century by Micheline Birger. Not only does it give you a sneak peek into the book, but there’s also a Q&A that I did with the author and the chance to read the first 20 pages of the book online!

The book consists of 111 questions and answers about virtually everything to do with nursing. After reading the intro about the author and her 36 years of experience in the field, doing everything from pediatric neurology to insurance reviews, I was a bit intrigued.

So if you’re a nurse, you’re in nursing school or you’re thinking about doing either, there’s a chance you might want to read this. Here’s an excerpt from Hot Nursing Careers for the 21st Century:

6. Suppose I don’t want to work in a hospital, what other places can I work in as a nurse?
That depends on the individual nurse and what their specific qualifications are. For example, suppose a nurse has a background in sales. He/she could be hired to market pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Usually the employers will put them through their own training program for the particular product that they are marketing/selling.

If the nurse has a background in the written word, they may be hired for medical editing or medical journalism. A nurse may have a computer background. They could be hired as consultants in planning medical information technology. A nurse may also work with lawyers or do chart reviews for insurance companies. Once again, usually this requires solid hospital experience.

Generally, if a new nurse wants to work in an alternative setting such as a clinic or doctor’s office, the one year of solid hospital experience generally applies. Again, this is a highly individual process. Each potential employer will evaluate the specific skills of the nurse.

8. What kind of money will I make as a nurse?
That’s a good question. It depends on location, location, location. Initially, in order to entice new graduates to hospitals, hospitals offer high starting salaries for new grads. If a nurse decides to stay in a particular facility then they would receive yearly increments or cost of living increases. Places like New York City and San Francisco pay nurses more but the cost of living is much higher than other areas of the USA.

Generally speaking (and this is subject to change in a heartbeat and a sneeze in health care), the Southern States pay less. The best way to find out is to look on the Internet and do a search under Career Builders or some other job search engine. But, no matter which way you cut, dice or splice it, you can make a living as a nurse. If you want to get rich as a nurse, write a best-selling book, win the lottery or have a relative who is a savvy investment whiz show you how to leverage your hard-earned money.

19. Suppose I don’t want to work nights and week-ends when I graduate. Will I be forced to do that once I am hired as a new graduate in a hospital?
Once again, that all depends on you and what you want to do once you graduate. In general, if the hospital needs a night nurse and you need the experience then one must do what one must do in order to get where one needs to go. Look at it as a win-win situation. You get a job, you get experience and the hospital gets a night-nurse. Usually there is no way around it unless you marry the Chairman of the Board or the Head of the Department.

As if answering 111 questions for her book wasn’t enough; I asked the author a few questions of my own.

What prompted you to write Hot Nursing Careers for the 21st Century?
What prompted me to write the book was nurses themselves. I had worked a lot of travel nursing assignments nationally and the nurses that I would come into contact with were looking for alternatives to the traditional hospital setting. They were experienced but weren't quite clear about what their next step would be. They were looking for ideas. A lot of them didn't want to get their Masters and teach, they weren't interested in administration. They knew that they wanted to continue in the field but were unsure about what was available.
 
Another thing that prompted me was people who thought about nursing but didn't know the questions to ask or how to get started. Face it, the average person thinking about the field of nursing thinks of the shows ER ,General Hospital or MASH! It is/was my intention to educate, enlighten and entertain people about learning more about the nursing profession. I used to think there has to be a book out about that kind of thing that wasn't overly academic and so dry that would put me to sleep. Then I thought, well then, I guess I have to write it. It was an organic process. It just kind of unfolded. As I kept asking questions, I kept getting answers. I wish when I started out in nursing 100 years ago that I had this book.
 
What is astonishing to me is, even nurses that have been nurses for years didn't know about some of the directions and other disciplines in nursing. It was news to them! That is why I included on the cover - A Practical Guide for New or Seasoned Nurses. I also think with the general state of the economy as it stands now; people are worried about their futures and their families. Face it, without the nurse in society, medicine could not function. That is why it is specialized knowledge. People want to enter into something that pays decently and is respected in society. Also I wrote the book to help demystify all the questions that people want to ask but didn't know how to ask them.
 
What is the single most valuable tool that you've found for acquiring a nursing job?
I do believe that the single most valuable tool is being positive. Smile a lot. Answer the questions that the interviewer poses to the best of your ability. Depending on what type of nursing job do your homework about the facility itself and how you would be an asset to the organization. Other than the standards of dressing nice and being polite, be approachable and likable. Be classy.
 
 
What do you think the outlook for the nursing industry is for the future? 
Nursing/health care is one of the big growth industries for the 21st Century. We live in a specialized society and so any special/technical education will always be an asset. I do strongly emphasize that a new RN gets experience. Experience is paramount! Ask questions....do your homework. There is no substitute for a firm foundation and knowledge base.
 
 
Out of all the jobs you've had in this industry which one did you enjoy the most and why? 
Interesting question, each job that I have had in the industry has always been a learning situation. When I first got out of school in the 70's I worked in Adult Neurology and Neuro- surgery. At that time I thought it was fascinating to see how the brain controlled the body. I gained valuable experience in addition to critical thinking skills.

But to answer your question, which job did I enjoy the most and why I would say that anything that involved teaching or directing groups. I worked in one of the premier psychiatric facilities and ran groups in a Day Hospital. I loved teaching my seminars on laughter and health when I was on the West Coast. I taught nurse's aides for their certification. In all that I always had stories to give the students because I had such an abundance of experience.
 
 
If you had to give one piece of advice to someone starting a nursing career what would it be? 
Make it a priority to have fun in your life. Don't forget to laugh. Don't throw other ambitions by the wayside. Keep a well-balanced life.  Strive for excellence. Also, remember that the people that you serve are just that - just people. Treat them with respect. Treat yourself with respect. Another thing to remember is customer service. Always have good customer service skills.

Also, keep expanding your horizons.  Once one has the firm foundation of the education one has a solid basis in life.
 
In the introduction to your book, you stated you only went to nursing school because your mother wanted you to.  After 36 years in the profession, are you glad you did that?
Yes, I do believe that the knowledge I have gained throughout the years has been invaluable. More importantly is the insight one develops working with people on such an intimate level. One sees people at their worst most times, and that is where you truly learn about life.

When I watch the TV journalists conduct interviews about anything to do with health care I laugh. It all sounds so Madison Ave. Real healing, the kind that transforms life is a personal journey of insight/acceptance and self-love. I'm not talking a narcissistic love but a true acceptance of ones failures. Failures as well as successes. And more importantly the ability to forgive oneself or others. One must learn to take personal responsibility for their health/life.

So, to answer your question, yes. In today's oversaturated conflicting information boom I am glad that I have the knowledge about health care and what I can do to keep myself sane and healthy on an ongoing basis

So if you would like to read more, the first 20 pages of this book are available here. These pages really give you an idea of whether or not you want to continue reading the book. They contain an introduction about the author, a list of all 111 questions included in the book, and the first 27 questions and answers.

If you have any other book recommendations for nurses or nurses to be, leave a comment and share your suggestions.

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you enjoyed reading about everything from spacious nurse uniforms to designer medical scrubs this week.  I love how there are so many new things for me to write about now that the stylish scrubs for fall have arrived. Who knows what I’ll find to write about next week.

Now, taking a break from medical uniforms (just for a minute), here are some news stories from the week that you might find interesting:

Healthcare Professionals in the News:

• New nurses need criminal record check
• Dental Care Shortages, Reimbursements Need To Be Addressed In Health Policy Debate, Experts Say
• GenVec receives funding for foot-and-mouth vaccine program
• Most Generalists Reluctant To Provide Primary Care For Young Adults With Chronic Illness
• Doctors’ opposition to home nursing riles midwives, moms
• As Doctors Cater to Looks, Skin Patients Wait

Health News:

• Experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows early promise
• Pre-pregnancy diabetes tied to more birth defects
• Artificial pancreas just years away, experts say
• Does Bush proposal threaten access to the pill?
• L.A.: No new fast-food outlets in poor area

Opinion Piece:

• PRICE: Transforming health care

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and if you’re planning on purchasing any apparel scrubs, lab coats or medical supplies in the next few days I suggest you keep an eye on your e-mail for an opportunity to save a little cash when you do.

If you’re a big purse person (you know who you are) and you wear medical scrubs, this post is for you. This post is for anyone who has everything from band-aids to books in their purse, hair brushes to hair spray. This post is for all of you who are consistently prepared, ready for anything and have the supplies to prove it. 

These pants are the perfect example of how function and fashion combine in medical uniforms. They offer a little bit of extra room in your medical uniform that other pants don’t. I know it’s not the equivalent of the storage space in your big purse, but you are at work, you don’t really need a book or hairspray in there.

Here’s a quick list of what makes these apparel scrubs unique.

The first and most obvious factor that differentiates these medical scrubs is the sling pocket. I like this because it reminds me of a more feminine version of the traditional cargo pocket (not that cargo pants can’t be feminine, see these cargo pants for a great example). What’s great about this pocket, besides its feminine appeal, is that it’s detachable. Wear it when you need it, remove it when you don’t.  Either way you’ll still be outfitted in a stylish medical uniform. When you are wearing it, there’s a button on the leg of the pants to secure it to. 

Second, the waist on these scrubs is extremely flattering. It’s has the appearance of a tailored look, but the barely there side zipper allows you to comfortably slip in and out of them, just like you would with any other apparel scrubs (another pair of scrubs with a similar waist is the Marissa Pant by Koi).

Third, the color options available are totally versatile. They’re all fairly neutral shades so you aren’t limited to what you can wear them with. You probably have designer nursing scrubs in your closet right now that would match a pair of these pants perfectly.

So if you’re a big purse person, you might want to consider trying out a pair of these Urbane pants. Select the most important items to get you through your workday, fill up your pockets and get your day started!

So what do you think about these scrubs? Is lots of pocket space important to you or could you get through your day with none? And do you like how Urbane combines fashion and function on these scrub uniforms or would you have done it differently?

If you’re anything like me (and I know I’m not alone here) you might have a mild addiction to social networking sites. Who knows how clean my house would be or how many books I could have read if they didn’t exist, but regardless, I still love them. If this sounds familiar, you’ll be happy to know that Lydia’s Uniforms has found its way onto MySpace, Facebook and Twitter. So why not increase your friends list (and ours!) and add us on whatever site you like best, or all three if you want. Need more convincing? Here’s my logic:

There are all sorts of benefits that come with being connected to Lydia’s Uniforms through these sites. For example, through Twitter you can find out via text message or IM the moment that we’re running a sale on a specific brand or style. Being one of the first to know, you have the opportunity to shop the sale immediately before sizes and colors disappear. We also constantly update our MySpace and Facebook friends on sales, promotions and contests and sometimes even have offers exclusively for our friends. Right now our MySpace and Facebook friends have the opportunity to receive a free messenger bag in the mail (there’s still a chance to get in on this offer if you friend us now!), just by explaining why they love Lydia’s.

So if you’re constantly visiting Facebook, MySpace or Twitter (like me), add Lydia’s as a friend and stay in the know on the latest in medical uniforms, medical supplies and more! And if these social networks aren’t for you, keep reading the blog because I’m not going anywhere.

Lydia's on Facebook
Lydia's on MySpace
Lydia's on Twitter

P.S. Check back tomorrow to see the web team’s favorite new scrubs for fall!