Veterans Day is Sunday and was established on November 11^th, 1918 to remember and commemorate those who have served for our country. Here are some of the ways you can do your part to honor our veterans any day of the year:

Coming Home Project: This program helps assists veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan by improving the psychological, emotional, spiritual, and relationship challenges they face.

Disabled American Veterans: Volunteers provide free rides to and from veterans’ medical facilities.

Soldiers' Angels: Volunteers can "adopt" a deployed service member and send supplies and letters to them.

Hire A Hero: A job resource site to help employ our veterans.

If you are interested in finding other ways to help you can also check out the Case Foundation website for more great ways you can help our Veterans.

 

All of the staff here at Lydia's would like to thank those who have served and still serve our country. We support and appreciate everything you have done for our all of us!

Like many other students I am trying to enjoy my last few days of summer before starting a new school year. It is back to reality when you start the task of purchasing school supplies. Everything from calculators, text books, backpacks, notebooks, etc, it all adds up fast!

I imagine medical students need even more school supplies! Some need to purchase scrubs and other medical equipment as well. This can be expensive and time consuming to shop around for the best price. That is why Lydia’s has made it extremely easy for students to find the color/size scrubs and medical supplies they are looking for, while still staying within their budget.

Lydia’s has a section made only for Budget Scrubs which includes 3 pages of everything from Tops,  and Bottoms to Lab Coats and Support Socks. These are name brand items such as the Cherokee Unisex Pant available in 30 different colors and 22 different sizes including tall, petite, and plus sizes and starts at $12.99. We also carry the Littman Select Stethoscope in a 3 colors for $42.99! We also carry fun Bling Lanyards to spice up Student IDs.

Lydia’s is a great one-stop shop for all students in the Medical, Dental, and Veterinary field. Hurry on over to Lydia’s and enjoy our Free shipping offer on orders over $99. Click here to activate: http://tinyurl.com/PWFB9912

 

*Free standard shipping on any $99 or more order. Use coupon PWFB9912 in your cart. Offer cannot be combined with any other coupon or promotions and ends 8/26/12 at midnight EST. Applied to U.S. orders only.

You have probably seen those memes on the internet with a series of pictures that say "My friends think I do this, My boss thinks I do this, etc." Most of them are pretty lame, but one of my friends posted one about nurses that was spot on.

 The image says "Registered Nurse" at the top, and the photo of "What my friends think I do" has a nurse wearing a surgical mask and holding up a big wad of cash. In all fairness, nurses do make decent money, but I think we all know that the work we put in to the job is greater than the money we get in return. But nevertheless, our friends outside of nursing think we are rolling in dough.

"What my boss thinks I do" shows a huge amount of cash being flushed down the toilet. How often are we told in staff meetings to let more nurses go home if our census is down, even if our patient acuity is through the roof? Or that we need to charge our patients more for the supplies that we use? Or that we need to use less supplies? Even though we are doing what is best for our patients in that moment.

"What Hollywood thinks I do" is an image of a flirtation between a handsome doctor and a nurse dressed very provocatively. I just saw a movie on TV yesterday where a nurse in a children's hospital was wearing a tight, white dress with a cap. Yeah, that's an accurate portrayal. And the part about the nurse/doctor relationship is all wrong. Each year, I get all these young female students on the lookout for cute interns or young physicians. Honey, it ain't happening! Hollywood tricked you!

"What society thinks I do" shows a nurse holding a food tray, smiling. I really don't think that the majority of people who have not been hospitalized realize that nurses do things like provide lifesaving interventions, and not just empty bedpans.

"What I think I do" shows a blurry image of a nurse running alongside a gurney, rushing a patient off to the OR, or the trauma suite. Not what I personally think I do, but lots of my nurse friends would agree with this portrayal.

"What I really do" shows a nurse looking frustrated and overwhelmed amidst a pile of paper charts stacked up to the roof. Although pretty much no place uses paper charting anymore, ain't that the truth, folks?

So kudos to the creator of this meme. It is seriously the best, most accurate one of these I've ever seen. Thanks for understanding me, and all nurses. And for making me laugh.

 

Dickies Gen Flex Scrubs: The functionality to work your best and the style to look your best. We call it "Youtility," You just might call it "Perfect." 

The Dickies Youtility 9 Pocket Scrub Pant is perfect for the nurse on the go! This pant is a junior fit utility pant that features an all around elastic waistband with wide belt loops, drawstring waist, two back pockets, front shaped pockets with additional sectional pockets and ID bungee loop, multi-needle contrast topstitching, two cargo pockets, motion knee darts and a straight leg. Inseam: regular -30 1/2", petite - 28", tall - 32".

Here's a review from our customer StephRN79 in PA:

Comvenient AND Comfy!!

These pants are awesome! They are so comfortable and have many pockets for all of my supplies! I work 12 hour shifts at a hospital and they still feel and look good at the end of my shift! The color seems like it will stay vibrant for awhile. I am very pleased with this new line of scrubs from Dickies!

We have plenty of Dickies Uniforms options just for you! Below are the different collections available:

• Dickies Everyday Scrubs
• Dickies Generation Flex Scrubs
• Dickies Hip Flip Scrubs
• Dickies Enzyme Washed Scrubs
• Dickies Soft Works Scrubs
• Dickies New Blue Denim Scrubs
• AND more!

Now is a perfect time to try them for yourself! During Nurse's Week all Dickies Nursing Uniforms are an additional 20% off PLUS get a free Messenger Tote Bag with a $50 purchase PLUS $5 ships ANY size order! Click here or on the sale banner below to activate!

*OFFER EXPIRED*

This week at www.LydiasUniforms.com take $10 OFF your order of $75 or more and save on new scrubs, lab coats, nursing shoes and medical supplies.

Plus, all clearance scrubs are currently an additional 20% OFF! Prices are as low as $3.19, but hurry- color and sizes are limited for these cheap medical scrubs.

Cherokee: We are dedicated to bringing the fashion, comfort and quality of the ready-to-wear market to the functional apparel worn by healthcare professionals. You may have already noticed how Cherokee products bring a little more style and personality to uniforms without sacrificing the functionality you need to do your job.

Cherokee scrubs is one of the top brands for nursing uniforms. They have many different styles that make it easy to find what you need, including cardigans, 2 pocket tops, print tops, lab coats, flare pants, cargo pants and LOTS more! They also carry many men's/unisex items as well. Cherokee items come in a large assortment of colors so you are sure to find the style and color you need to comply with your medical uniform dress code while still wearing the fit and style you love! And don't forget our many web only Cherokee uniform items, click here to view them all!

One popular Cherokee uniform item is the Cardigan Scrub Jacket. This jacket features features three-button closure, comfortable rib knit cuffs and two large pockets with a third pager/cell phone pocket. 29 1/4" long, made with 65% polyester/35% cotton.


Here is a review from our customer Beth in CA:

Comfy and stylish

this jacket is comfortable but still looks great. I like how the style looks more like a cardigan than a jacket and the big pockets are helpful because when I'm wearing it I can keep all my supplies in my outer layer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• FREE SHIPPING! For one day only ship any size order for free! Stock up on uniforms, medical supplies, nursing shoes and more. Visit www.LydiasUniforms.com now to access your Free Shipping Coupon. *Offer valid on standard shipping in the U.S. only.


• 30% Off Dickies Best-Sellers Customer favorites are now as low as $9.99. Click Here to Shop.

• 20% Off All Gift Cards Gift cards are on sale just in time for the holiday season, grab one for a co-worker, friend, family member or employee. You can't go wrong with 20% off and free shipping! View all gift cards.

When it comes to cute Hello Kitty cannot be beat. And this cartoon kitten is everywhere, from school supplies to musical instruments and, best of all, on your character scrubs!

The Cherokee 100% Cotton Green Hello Kitty Square Neck Scrub Top, shown to the left, features a "Go Green!" message and a fashionable square neck style. It looks awesome with almost any color scrub pants, so it's an easy addition to your uniform wardrobe. Click here to shop this look. Or if you're gearing up for Halloween, we also have a Hello Kitty Halloween Contrast Mock Wrap Scrub Top available now that's the perfect mix of scary and cute!

So what do you think of Hello Kitty cartoon scrubs? Do you love wearing fun prints like this to work or do you like to stick to more traditional styles or solid scrubs?

So who's heading back to school this fall? Will you be a returning student or is it your first year? Either way, the new semester is approaching quickly and it's time to start gathering up all your back to school supplies. To make your shopping as easy as possible, we've taken 20% off over 125 items including lab coats, discount medical supplies, nursing shoes and more! Looking for a tote bag for all your books? We've got you covered. Need a new pair of comfy shoes for clinicals? We have over 50 pairs on sale now! So what are you waiting for? Start your shopping now and gear up to go back to school!

Click Here to View All Back to School Sale Items

By now, you've probably heard of the tragedy last Saturday at the Indiana State Fair. Five people were killed and forty-five others were injured when one of the concert stages collapsed during a high wind in a storm. This tragedy struck me pretty close to home, not only because I reside in Indiana, because two days prior I had been there with my four year old daughter at a sold out Big Time Rush concert. Even though our seats were about as far away as you can possibly get from the stage, I would never have wanted her to witness such a sight first hand...but as healthcare workers, we know that these things do happen and no one is immune from experiencing such horrible events.

Maybe you've seen the footage of the stage going down, at least on our local news channels they've played it many times. As disturbing as the images of a huge structure falling down into a huge crowd of people was, the footage of what happened afterward is what really brings tears to my eyes.

Instead of running away in terror, nurses, doctors, paramedics, and many other emergency personnel rushed to the scene of the accident. Footage of nurses off the clock triaging the victims and firemen and policemen carrying off the wounded on makeshift stretchers also were posted on the internet. Stories of people with lacerations, compound fractures, and other injuries were told on the news. My mind was absolutely blown when I think about how these people jumped in and started caring for strangers, with virtually no supplies or equipment. In the middle of a severe storm.

It stories like these, although tragic, that make me proud to be a nurse. Although I've mostly worked with patients with DNR status, healthy moms and children, and most recently in academia, I still consider myself capable of these kind of actions. What a gift.

When this happened, one of my friends had asked if I'd ever been in emergency situation such as this, but outside of work. Thankfully, no. It's never come up. But do you have stories? Please share your experiences of jumping in and helping when tragedy struck. Let everyone know how nurses, EMTs, techs, paramedics, respiratory therapists and anyone else I may not be thinking of at this second are the real heroes in life- not overpaid athletes or bad boy or bad girl recording artists.

Thank you for all you do.  And also, my thoughts, prayers, and condolences for everyone who was at that Sugarland concert last week lost their loved ones in the accident.

Erin

This week's featured sale item is from our very own Lydia's Pro Series collection. The Lydia's Pro Series Ladies' Cosmos Solid Knit Trim Scrub Top is on sale now for only $12.99, marked down from its regular price of $19.99.

This uniform top is sleek, stylish and functional. It  features stretch side panels that provide tons of movement and flexibility, an empire waist that defines its shape, two inset pockets for all your supplies and cool contrasting colors.


Sizes and colors are limited and selling quickly, so if you love this look, get yours today!


P.S. Need a pair of coordinating scrub pants? Try the Lydia's Pro Series Daisy Drawstring Scrub Pants. They're on sale too so you can't go wrong!

                                                                                      Only $12.99- Get it while it's hot!

Urbane Scrubs tells us their story: Urbane Scrubs is one of the first companies to pioneer fashionable scrubs for nurses by nurses. Founded by two critical care nurses in Dallas, Texas—Traci and Angela—Urbane Scrubs was inspired by the lack of modern uniforms available in the marketplace for working professionals. Starting with a small group of local seamstresses, Traci and Angela took it upon themselves to supply uniforms for their friends and co-workers. The goal: to offer nurses uniforms that were both functional and flattering.

Almost a decade later, Urbane is still growing strong. We remain focused on our founding principles of creating stylish yet functional uniforms made for nurses by nurses. With an enthusiastic and loyal fan base as the genesis of our design inspiration, Urbane thrives on innovation and—most of all—on making our customers look and feel beautiful.


One of their designer lab coats is the Urbane Scrubs Women's Lab Jacket. This lab coat features innovative sleeve features hidden stockinette cuffs to keep sleeves out of the way, high collarless neckline, signature button closure, princess seams, set-in waistband, four lower pockets and back fitted darts and vent. It is made with 65% polyester/35% cotton and is 31” long.

Here’s a review from our customer Krissi in Peculiar, MO

Stylish and practical!

This jacket is fantastic! Wish the pics showed more detail...there is the cutest hot pink and orange urbane print inside the neckline and pockets. It's slimming and comfortable. I'm an RN in an ICU and like that this is professional yet fresh and so practical! I always push up my sleeves (can't stand them around my wrists, plus they can get dirty) so the soft, hidden stockinette allows me to easily push up my sleeves and they stay in place! The pockets are large and deep...this is just all around wonderful! For reference: I'm 5'6" 115lbs and XS fits great (runs true to size...not large like some urbane scrub items).

WIN NEW SCRUBS!!
Snap a photo, win new scrubs

We have dedicated receptacles for aluminum cans on all our units. The hospital only supplies aluminum soda cans so being able to recycle these is a huge SAVING to the environment; especially since we are a level one trauma center and NICU center...that equates to a lot of soda per patient!

Submitted by Kim M.

Last week, the entire world watched in horror as an earthquake followed by a tsunami struck Japan. Each day, we've hear news about the death toll, those who are still missing, the extent of the damage, the danger of radiation leaks, and our hearts break for the Japanese people.

As nurses, we have all had "bad" days at work, but can you even imagine what things must be like for healthcare personnel who work in affected areas? Today, I read a story of a worker in a nursing home that was hit by the tsunami. This woman, who had to have feared for her own life, shared her account of caring for elderly with severe dementia in a facility filled with murky sea water on the lower floor. Even though there was no electricity or lighting, the staff helped to comfort the frightened patients and attended to their most basic needs. Luckily, the staff and residents were rescued by emergency crews over the weekend, and no one was hurt.

The story reminded me of hearing about nurses working in similar conditions after Hurricane Katrina. When I read news about the heroic actions of nurses and other healthcare professionals, I truly feel proud to be a nurse.

And as nurses, we want to help others. It's in our blood. As a student nurse in 2001, I wished I had the ability to care for the victims of the September 11 attack. In 2005, I wanted to rush down to the Gulf to help all the emergency workers care for those who were struck by Katrina. Now, traveling to Japan is not really practical for me. But I think that for those who want to help, the best thing we can do is give money.  The Red Cross is a reputable charity, who is providing help to the Japanese...and also helps Americans at home. In times like this, you may be wondering what else you can do to help others. Another suggestion would be to donate blood. Even if it will not affect tsunami victims, it will be sure to help people where you live, and blood is always in short supply.

Another thing you might think about is, what is your own disaster plan? I know I get into the mindset that disasters happen to other people, not me. Just last summer, we all ran to our basement during a tornado warning. We lost power, and do you think we had a single candle or flashlight in our basement? But a disaster plan is more than just having the supplies you need on hand in case the unthinkable happens. It's also a good idea to map out a plan so that family members can connect with each other should communications become difficult. You might consider checking out this site...sorry, it's from FEMA. I know they don't have the best reputation...but I'm sure this information is useful.

So for now, I hope that you stay safe, get prepared, and keep the disaster victims in your thoughts and prayers.

Peace,
Erin

The Dickies brand and Dickies Uniform division have been a favorite of past generations and will continue to be for generations to come! The variety of style options make it easy for anyone to find a fit and line they love. One much loved line is the Generation Flex. The Generation Flex line by Dickies is a line of items that are designed to move with you, hour after hour! 



A pant that serves you as hard as you work is the Dickies Youtility 11 Pocket Scrub Pant. These Generation Flex pants come in a junior fit and boast youthful style with mature functionality. A drawstring waist provides the fit you want; while endless pocket space and an ID loop keep your supplies in order.

The Dickies Youtility 11 Pocket Scrub Pant features multi-needle contrast top stitching, enhanced stitch wide leg, all around elastic and drawstring waist with wide belt loops, two front shaped pockets with sectional pocket and ID bungee loop, two cargo pockets with cell phone pocket and sectional pen pocket, two back pockets, motion knee darts, and straight legs. These pants have a 30 1/2" inseam for regulars and 28” for petites and are made with 52% cotton/45% polyester/3% spandex.


Here’s a review from our customer Steph in Pennsylvania:

Convenient AND Comfy!!

These pants are awesome! They are so comfortable and have many pockets for all of my supplies! I work 12 hour shifts at a hospital and they still feel and look good at the end of my shift! The color seems like it will stay vibrant for awhile. I am very pleased with this new line of scrubs from Dickies!

Did you hear the good news about ordering our Nursing Shoes?

Alegria states: '"Color Therapy' uses colors and affordable fashion-forward styling to enhance your mood, while its unique Rocker Outsole delivers full-body benefits by minimizing stress on muscles, joints and backs for all day energy. It is the Perfect Shoes for all ages and professions, such as nurses, doctors, chefs & cooks, servers, hosts, hair dressers, artists, etc, who walk and stand for long hours."

• Mild Rocker Outsole
• Perfect Fit Footbed
• Color Therapy
 

The Alegria Classic Shoe has received great reviews! This shoe features a rocker sole engineered to roll naturally which helps to tone leg muscles, improve posture, and reduce stress on muscles, joints, and back. Patented interlocking footbed system with arch support forms to the natural contours of your foot providing a customized fit. Also the soles are slip resistant. Everything you need in a great nursing shoe!


Here’s a review from our customer Megan from Tucson, AZ:

These shoes are made for nurses. The footbed molds to the shape of your foot for perfect support and the rocker sole takes stress off your legs when walking or standing. My back has never felt better! Not to mention, the patterns are very stylish. I will have a closet full of these shoes before long.

Treat your feet, treat yourself... to some "COLOR THERAPY" with Alegria!


*Check out our Medical Supply Store to find stethoscopes, totes, hosiery/socks, lanyards... Don't forget about out Medical Supply Store Clearance section!

Our winter catalog is in and I couldn't wait any longer to share it with you! We've introduced new brands (check out the Rampage collection for some stylish scrubs!), brought back your favorites (think Dickies and Cherokee) and filled it to the brim with scrub tops, pants, lab coats, medical supplies and nursing shoes that we know you will love!

Check your mailbox or visit our website to get a first look at the Lydia's Winter Catalog. You can browse the catalog online or shop all new styles now.

And don't forget to check back, leave a comment and tell me what you think.

I hope everyone is having a very merry Christmas. As our gift to you, today only, we're offering 25% off your order of nursing scrubs, medical supplies, lab coats and more at www.LydiasUniforms.com.

Happy shopping and happy holidays!

As always, we are very excited when new employees join our Call Center. Please welcome Liz and Shawna to our Lydia's Team. They have both been working very hard to learn all about our affordable medical scrubs and discount medical supplies. Feel free to give us a call and allow Liz, Shawna and the rest of our staff to serve you for all of your uniform needs!

                      

A study from the University of Maryland came out over the summer that found nurses who work several 12 hour shifts in a row can experience fatigue and increased errors in delivering patient care. I'm not sure how many dollars in grant money was provided to find that out, but I could have told someone that for free.

And for clarification purposes, I will call them 12 hour shifts, but in reality they are usually at least 12.5 hours long.

As a young nurse out of school, I begged my nurse manager to let me do 12's, but she said there were already enough nurses who were working them, as we actually had a combination of shift offerings at that hospital. Some nurses worked 8 hours, some 12, and a few even did 10 hour shifts.

Years later, I found myself in an awesome job, working 8 hour shifts and had holidays off. But then I had my daughter and felt like I was away from her for too long, working 5 days a week. I started working four days one week and three the next, which was a good fit, until my son came along and I knew it would be hard to be away from a new baby four days a week. So I had the bright idea to go back to the nursing floor working 12 hour shifts, because my logic was that I might be working more hours a day, but would have more days off. I will cite pregnancy brain as my reasoning for that...

When I started back on those long days, I found I was even more stressed, my house had become even more of a mess, and I made myself absolutely miserable worrying about the fact that I couldn't pump enough milk during the span of a work day. And if you've tried to be a nursing mom and a nurse, you know that's not a good thing for your milk supply.

I talk to some friends who say working three 12 hour shifts a week is no better than working the typical 5 day work week: you spend your last day off dreading the next three days, then while you're working the three 12's you are exhausted, and then the following day you are recovering. So you really are losing 5 days here. Or maybe you work a day and are off a day, and if you don't like working 12's, you're constantly depressed.

Other friends love the 12 hour shift. They say they can go to work and put in their time, and then have lots of time off to live their lives.

What's your opinion? Do you love 12's or hate them? Do you work at an institution that only has 12 hour shifts? Or are you one of the lucky ones with shift options? And most importantly, what is a good type of shoe for the job? Personally, I like 12 hour shifts when I'm off for eight days, but when I come home from work and my three year old daughter says "Mom, I don't want anybody to take you away again," that makes me think differently.