As you may know, February is American Heart Month. Why is this important? Because heart disease kills more men and women than any other cause, including cancer. Even breast cancer.

The thing is, we often overlook risk factors for heart disease and we do things that are not really nice to our hearts. As busy professionals, nurses often do things like eat foods that are not healthy but convenient. We don't always have the time to exercise, and sometimes we feel to exhausted to even think about it. Even though we know better, some of us smoke, or drink more alcohol than we should. And probably almost all of us are living with high stress levels that we are ignoring. I know I am no picture of health. Up until the last few months I ate fast food...a lot. About the only workout I get is when I go up and down the stairs in my house. And Lord knows I have a lot of stress eating away at me. And the thing that makes it even worse is that I have a family history of heart disease.

So what do we do to protect ourselves from this nasty killer of women and men? Eat right by getting at least 9 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Limit your red meat and unhealthy fats, choosing healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week. Quit smoking if you currently are doing so. Limit your alcohol intake to 1 drink per day or less...although red wine does seem to have some protective heart benefits. And this will be the hard one. Learn to de-stress. My doctor is on me all the time about that one. He's even recommended I try something called HeartMath-although I am sure there are similar programs that work just as well. Even a few minutes a day of meditation or guided imagery may help.

Secondly, arm yourself with knowledge of the symptoms of a heart attack, and know when to seek medical attention for any health concerns. Heart attack symptoms are different in women than men, you can check out this website at the American Heart Association to learn more about them.

So this February, don't forget to wear your red scrubs in honor of Heart Awareness month. Although the National Go Red For Women day has passed, that still doesn't mean we can't raise knowledge of the problem. And love your heart-it's the only one you've got!

Grey's Anatomy by Barco: When it comes down to it, we’re here to make a difference. In the industry we love. And in the lives of the people who wear our products. To make their work easier. More productive. More rewarding. And a little less like, well, work.

Grey's Anatomy by Barco Junior Fit V-Neck Scrub Top is hands down one of our top scrub tops! And it's just just one of the lovely pieces offered in this line of medical uniforms.

This top features a junior fit with a mock wrap, two large pockets, set-in sleeves, side slits, button back detail and is made with Dura-Tech 77% polyester/23% rayon with mechanical stretch and moisture wicking and is 25 1/2" long.

Medgear’s message to their customers: Style, price and comfort lead the praises that we are hearing… Times are still tough out there but these new prints and styles at great prices will put some bounce back in your step.

When you are looking for scrubs for less, a top choice is the contrast trim items that offer versatility and comfort. Medgear’s Contrast Crossover Scrub Top, only $9.99, has a simple crossover neckline with a touch of contrasting color; it's an easy way to freshen up your work style and liven up your medical uniform. With of all these color combinations there is something for everyone!

This top features set-in sleeves, side slits, two pockets and it is 25" long. Made with 65% polyester/35% cotton.

Here’s a review from our customer Nickie in MO:

Great Top!

These shirts are great: I love how the pockets are not like most, they are of perfect proportions (I get XS, and I'm short, and I have a hard time getting tops that would be short enough, and this one's perfect), and they get softer as you wash them.

It is that time of year to go back to school! Excited?! Feeling a bit overwhelmed? We know it can be hectic during the first few weeks of school. The stress of figuring out your new schedule,  late nights of studying, and of course getting all of your books, medical scrubs and supplies without breaking your budget. Well Lydia's is here to help!

I have put together seven essential items you will need for school for LESS than $100.
Check out what I picked out!

1)  Lydia's Red Tag V-neck Unisex Scrub Top Price: Get two for $9.98

This unisex nursing scrubs top has one divided chest pocket for pencil, set-in sleeves and a 28" length.

2)  Lydia's Red Tag Unisex Drawstring Pant Price: Get two for 11.98

This unisex scrub pant has one back pocket and a matching drawcord with a 30 1/2" inseam.

3) Clinical I Stethoscope Price: $39.99

This stethoscope has a a stainless steel chestpiece and stainless steel binaurals that incorporates the most effective sound conducting metal available. It includes two sizes of soft color matched eartips that seal out extraneous noise.

4) Adult Nylon Sphygmomanometer Price: $24.99

This spygmomanometer features a durable nylon cuff with index and Range markings. Also included is heavy duty vulcanized bladder, standard inflation blub and a precision calibrated manometer gauge.

5) Pocketlite Price: $4.99

This replaceable battery penlight is an essential to keep on hand.

6) Essential Tote Bag Price: $4.99

This tote features one main section with inside pockets and is great to carry your books and supplies. It also comes in fabulous color choices!

7) Bandage Scissors Price: $2.99

These 5.5 inch bandage scissors are stainless steel and are at an ubeatable price.

So..lets see what all of this adds up to!

• 2 scrub tops-$9.98
• 2 scrub bottoms-$11.98
• 1 Stethoscope-$39.99
• 1 Sphygmomanometer-$24.99
• 1 Pen Light-$4.99
• 1 bandage scissors-$2.99
• 1 essential tote bag-$4.99

Grand total: $99.91

Our team at Lydia's would like to wish you the best of luck going back to school!!

Don't forget to sign up for our email promotions to receive discounts on hospital scrubs and medical supplies as well as coupons to use throughout the school year!

• Give Nurses a Bigger Role in Improving Health Care
• California orders shorter wait times to see a doctor
• In Haiti, reporters who double as doctors face a new balancing act
• More Than 7000 Nurses Volunteer for Haiti Relief Efforts

• One-fifth of US teens have unhealthy cholesterol
• Big Benefits Are Seen From Eating Less Salt
• Blueberry Juice May Boost Memory
• Floating hospital USNS Comfort starts its healing mission
• Diagnosing PTSD using brain imaging

• The Globalization of Nursing
• How Can the Doctor Aid the Caregiver?
• Praise for Haiti Nurse Volunteers- And a Word of Caution

Happy Friday everyone. With only 8 days left in the month, time is running out to enter January’s Editor @ Large Contest. It only takes a minute to leave a comment and tell me about the colors of your dress code and that’s all you have to do to enter for your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Lydia’s Uniforms. Click here to enter now. The end of the month also means that Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching. We’re celebrating by offering you 20% off on all of our Valentine’s Day prints. This sale will last ‘til Monday so get your heartwarming nursing scrubs soon!

Now here’s the news from the week:

Healthcare Professionals in the News:

• What the Public Expects of the Modern Physician
• Shriners Staffers Sad, Angry at Plan to Close
• Doctor and Patient- Building a Healthy Community, One Child at a Time
• Hospital Cleaning Products And Disinfectants Boost Nurses' Asthma Risk

Health News:

• FDA OKs first Embryonic Stem Cell Trial
• Cleaner Air Extending Lives, Study Shows
• FDA Confirms Peanut Corp as Source of Salmonella
• Men vs. Women in the Weight Loss Game
• Trying a Pill to Prevent HIV
• US Heart Attacks Becoming Less Severe
• MRSA rising in kids' ear, nose, throat infections

Blog Posts:

• Where Should Money for Primary Care Come From?
• How Does Your Workplace Treat RN Travelers?
• Forced Overtime Outlawed in Pennsylvania
• Tele-Nursing Follow Up Valuable

Have something to say? Leave a comment here.

Are there any men who wear medical scrubs reading today? If there are, today’s post is for you- a post entirely devoted to men’s nursing scrubs.

Now, it’s true that men’s nursing uniforms don’t come in as many styles and patterns as women’s. For some of you that’s fine, it’s actually perfect. Less variety means that when you buy medical scrubs it doesn’t require as much thought. When you’re pulling a pair out of your dresser in the morning you don’t really have to choose what to wear, they’re all fairly similar. But then there are those of you who love variety. You don’t want to look the same at work every day and you would like if your men’s nursing scrubs were a little bit different from all the other scrubs at work. So if you’re in the latter group I’ve got a few tips on how you can add a touch of style and personalization to your medical uniforms. And if you have additional tips, leave a comment.

One easy trick is to use layers and colors to accentuate your style. Back in August Rachel posted about a medical professional who wore contrasting color tees under his medical scrubs. We both loved this idea. Check out her post to see a picture of him wearing chocolate and lime green. It’s a color combination that you might not think of, but it looks great when you see it! If you want more subtle contrast try different shades of the same color, like a ceil blue scrub top with a navy tee underneath. Mix and match colors from your closet and you might discover that an unexpected combination of colors actually works well.

You can also play with colors without wearing layers. Why not wear a neutral shade of scrub pants like khaki with a maroon top? It’ll change up your look a bit, but you’ll still have a uniform style. Plus, mixing and matching means that you’ll multiply the number of looks you have.

A third way to add style is to personalize your look with embroidery. Embroidery is subtle, but it shows that you really care about your look. Add your name and an emblem that shows off your personality to your medical coat or scrub top and you’ll instantly have a one of a kind uniform. 

So how do you wear your men’s nursing scrubs? Do you keep it simple or do you mix it up with colors, layers and personalized touches? If you have more ways to add style to men’s nursing scrubs, leave a comment and share it with our readers!

Happy Friday! Is everyone looking forward to the weekend as much as I am? I’m excited to savor the last few days of nice weather (it’s been 80 degrees here in Michigan!) before the cool weather sets in. I hope everyone gets a chance to do the same. If your plan for the weekend includes shopping for scrubs, make sure you browse our Bargain Hunter’s Sale. Last week I told you about all our newest markdowns and this week there are even more, with 150 items for $9.99 or less. In addition to having some awesome sales, we’ve also been working on adding a couple of things to our web site. Check back next week and I’ll point you in the direction of our newest features.

In the meantime, here’s the news from the week:

Healthcare Professionals in the News:

• America Faces Critical Shortage of Veterinarians
• Drug maker plans to disclose payments to doctors
• Rush University Medical Center Nurse Receives March Of Dimes Health Leadership Award
• Gulf Coast Doctor, Artist Among Those to Receive Genius Grant
• National Nurses Movement Marches "The Bridge To Healthcare" Across Golden Gate, California Nurses Association
• Economic Fears Can Affect Dental Care

Health News:

• Senate passes Brownback’s Down Syndrome bill
• Flu Season Is Almost Here, Get Vaccinated, CDC Recommends
• Hewitt: Cincinnati worst in U.S. for health cost hikes
• Medicare 2009 Part B premiums unchanged
• Shorter Course of Radiation Effective in Breast Cancer

Blogs:

• Can your diagnosis be influenced by your physician’s personality traits?
• Study: Doctors Lack Empathy
• How to inform the waiting room

This weekend I was thinking about how I should start doing volunteer work. I’ve volunteered in the past, but recently my life has been extremely busy and volunteering was pushed to the back of my mind. Now my life is a little less hectic and I would love to start again.

While I was thinking about all of this it made me consider how many volunteer opportunities there are for medical professionals.  Of course anyone can volunteer, but it’s awesome if you have a specialized skill like nursing that you can use.So for today I looked through some sites and compiled a list of places that you can check out if you want to volunteer.

So if you wear medical scrubs and you have some time to spare, check out these sites:

International Health Volunteers
This site connect health care professionals who are looking to volunteer with organizations that are focused on improving health care, disaster relief or medical education in domestic and international locations. One opportunity that is currently listed at this site is for volunteer radiologists at Mount Kilimanjaro

Doctors Without Borders
This organization seeks physicians and other medical professionals to provide international care.

Nurse Job Shop
This site provides job listings for nurses and also has listings for volunteer opportunities. It provides links to organizations that offer domestic and international positions for volunteers.

If there are other organizations that you’re involved with or opportunities that you are aware of, feel free to leave a comment and share it with all of our readers.

And if you want to read about how some of our employees here at Lydia's give back, check out this blog post.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the stylish uniforms featured on our homepage. They’re all extremely fashionable and they made me realize that it’s a good thing I don’t wear scrubs because I would never be able to decide which ones to buy!

Any job that requires latex gloves or excessive hand washing can lead to extremely dry skin. If you wear medical scrubs it’s likely that your job requires both of those things. Fortunately for me, my job doesn’t require excessive hand washing or glove wearing. Nevertheless, my hands are consistently dry. It’s partially my own fault and probably can be attributed to the scalding hot water I use in the shower. But regardless, I know how terrible it is to constantly have dry hands.

When I was browsing through our samples of scrubs and medical clothing uniforms the other day I came across the Glove’n Care Hand Cream available from Lydia’s. I decided I would test it out, see if I liked it and share my thoughts with you

So here’s what I liked about it: The lotion was really creamy and rich, my skin seemed to absorb it quickly. My hands still felt moisturized for awhile after applying it so I didn’t need to reapply it frequently. Plus I only had to use a small amount when I did apply it. I also liked how my hands seemed less dry in general after I used it for a few days.

One more benefit is that the cream is water based. This doesn't mean much to me, but it should to anyone who wears latex gloves on the job.Other lotions are capable of breaking down latex, but water based, petroleum free lotions do not.

The only thing I didn’t like about it was the lack of fragrance. It did have a mild fragrance that smelled nice, but I like lotions with stronger scents. The mild fragrance is probably preferable for anyone who’s working with patients that might be sensitive to strong smells or anyone unlike me who doesn’t want a strong scent.

Overall, I would say this lotion is perfect for anyone in the medical profession, or anyone wearing latex gloves on the job. It was made just for you and it actually works really well!

Is there anyone else out there who has tried this hand cream? What do you think about it? Does it keep your hands moisturized during a long day wearing scrubs and working hard?

As a new employee at Lydia’s Uniforms I’ve met all sorts of people since I started just a week ago. It’s hard to remember all the new faces and especially all the new names, but I’m working on it! One thing that I noticed when visiting the different departments is that everyone at Lydia’s is involved with customer service. It seemed like there was someone from every department, whether it was the call center or the warehouse, who was trying to figure out how to best meet a customer’s needs or make a customer happy. The best part was, nobody was complaining about it! And as someone who has worked in customer service for the past seven years, it’s refreshing to see employees who are dedicated to the customer and willing to help (without complaining about it).

One particular employee that I met on my first day here, Jose Ortiz, is an expert in the field of customer service. As a Team Leader in the Customer Service Department, Jose’s job is to ensure that customer’s needs are met. Turns out, that is exactly what he was doing the first time I met him. When I approached Jose to introduce myself he was on the phone with a customer. I realized right away that Jose wasn’t trying to hurry the customer off the phone, but was instead trying to assist them with whatever they needed. I decided not to bother him and come back and introduce myself another time when he wasn’t as busy! I eventually found a time when we both had a free moment and I got the opportunity to meet him. Jose seemed extremely friendly and personable (perfect for a job in customer service).

              After meeting Jose and realizing what an important part of the Lydia’s team he was, I wanted to ask him a few questions about his job here. What better way to get to know more about the employees and the company than actually hearing what they have to say? This is what I found out from Jose:

What is your favorite thing about working for Lydia’s?

My favorite thing about working for Lydia’s is the diverse clientele we have on a daily basis.

What did you think when you saw Rachel & Leesa road-testing scrubs for the day?

I believe it is a good idea. It gives us the opportunity to try it before you buy it.

What’s your favorite scrub?

My favorite line of scrubs is the Urbane from Landau. The scrubs are trendy. I actually own a few pairs of the Urbane Boot Cut Pant 9502. It is very comfortable, and fits very loose.

(I guess you don’t have to work in the medical field to buy medical scrubs!)

He also shared his customer service philosophy with me. This is what he had to say: “As a Customer Service Specialist, I feel it is crucial that every individual receives the utmost care and dedication he/she deserves. I have worked in the Customer Service industry for over 11 years, and dealt with all types of situations. Some time ago, I had a customer who was unsure about ordering uniforms for sizing reasons. I suggested she sample the items, to make sure it was the color, style, and size she was looking for. Finally, the package was received and some of the items worked but a few didn’t. I instructed the customer to send what she didn’t like back at no charge. We shipped her requested items, and now all the items worked out perfectly.  Now the customer knows what color, size, and brand to order and we have her business for life. It’s not always about getting the customer off the phone, but getting them what they need. Our customers rely on us to get them their uniforms, and making their experience as smooth as possible.

          Working for Lydia’s Professional Uniforms has been a great experience for me, and I will continue to strive in giving the best customer service possible.”

After having many of my own terrible experiences with all kinds of customer service representatives, reading Jose’s philosophy helped me understand why he is such a valued employee. I cannot imagine Jose ever telling a customer, “that’s your problem, not mine,” which is something I personally have been told by a customer service representative of a company whose name I won’t mention. I wish every customer service representative that I spoke with had a motto like Jose’s. It would make life just a little less frustrating.