Category Archives: nurse lifestyle

We Heart Nurses!

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While Nurses Day has been observed by the government since 1982, nurses nationwide have celebrated since 1953. Nurses have one of the most thankless jobs out there today. Sometimes patients don’t realize just how much goes into caring for them on a daily basis.

Nurses work longer and harder hours than many “outsiders” would ever realize. Nurses are dedicated, passionate people who want to help make as many people as possible feel better. Nurses week is a fantastic way for all the nurses to get together and appreciate what each other does on a daily basis and with a smile on their faces (most of the time). It is also a great public awareness event that reminds everyone about the nurses they have interacted with in the past and to show appreciation for them.

Scrubs 123 is proud to be a supporter of nurses everywhere. Our focus is to make the process of getting nursing scrubs easy and a little bit fun so you can stay focused on your patients and yourself. As a token of our gratitude please enjoy 20% off your purchase using the coupon code: NURSEWEEK20. Offer expires at 11:59 on Friday May 11, 2012.

The Pocket Dilemma

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With scrubs you can have as many or as few pockets as you can dream of. The standards are usually 1-4 pockets on a scrub top. For pants, it can go up to 7 pockets! How do you know which garment to pick? Some nursing professions need all the different pockets while others have hardly anything they need to carry on them at all times.

If you are dentist or dental hygienist chest pockets on your tops are not necessary. Since there is so much bending required, it would be almost dangerous to carry many things because something could fall onto the patient. A great option for tops would be the 8800 series. It has many different print designs as well as solid colors. It has two pockets near the waist to hold something temporarily like tissues or a cell phone.

For a nurse working with children, you may need some more pockets to hold all your equipment. Something like the 4256s V-neck would be ideal to keep the pens, cell phone, lollipops & medical equipment organized and easily accessible.

Prefer to have your pockets on your pants? There are plenty of places to have those as well! Again, each profession will require a different placement. You can get pants on the back, the sides and the front of the scrubs.

Side pocket:

ComfortEase 9351	AngelStat 896	ComfortEase 8854

Front Pockets

AngelStat 894	ComfortEase 8850

Back Pocket

PerforMAX 800	ComfortEase 900	AngelStat 600

Ways to keep your back from being in pain all day

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Did you know that as a nurse, you have a higher chance of having back issues? Then when you think about it, this makes sense. With all the bending over to get stats on the patient and checking their IV pumps, etc. as well as the moving of patients for the various reasons. Here are some tips we have heard over the years on best ways to avoid major back issues.

When a patient needs to be lifted or moved, don’t do it alone. Two nurses are better than one in this sort of situation. Also, if there is a mechanical lift, take advantage of it!

If you must do it alone make sure you follow these tips: Keep your back straight, try not to bend & twist at the same time and to carry the weight in your thighs & calf muscles rather than your lower back.

To strengthen your back muscles, take up some yoga! Doing some of the traditional positions can stretch and strengthen your back muscles. If you are feeling a bit sore, do one of these positions and it can bring you relief pretty quickly!

Bridge Pose: Lie on your back and bring your feet close to your bottom (knees will be at a 45 degree angle). With your arms at your side flex your butt muscles and lift your butt into the air to make a straight line from your knees to your chest.
Child’s Pose: Kneel on the ground and sit on your heels. Align your knees to be should width apart. Extend your arms in front of your head. Lean forward until your head touches the ground (or as far as you are comfortable going). Your chest will be right above your legs. Stretch for about 20-30 seconds then slowly go back up to the sitting position.

Myths About Sleep

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March 5-11 is National Sleep Awareness Week™. This is around the time that the clocks are changed to an hour ahead and many people will lose an hour of sleep. The goal of the National Sleep Foundation is to spread awareness on the importance of sleep and how to make time in our busy lives to get the necessary amount of sleep. In honor of National Sleep Awareness Week, here are two myths & facts about sleep that we can easily relate to associate as nurses!

You can “cheat” the amount of sleep you get

I know we all think we can do this. We will just substitute sleep with sugary foods & caffeine galore! However no matter how much energy you pump into your body, you will still crash after the sugar/caffeine high. If you don’t get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep you will go into sleep deprivation and that could lead to health problems. As nurses, sometimes we are asked to do overtime and take on extra shifts. While our patients are our #1 priority at work, we have to make sure we are giving ourselves enough time to get sleep and recharge the battery. A nurse with little to no sleep is no good for patients who require our complete attention to the details!

Ways to stay awake while driving

We have all heard the tips: crack the window, turn on the AC or pump up the music will help you stay awake on those late night drives back home. However, most of these seem to be ineffective. If you are tired there are two options. 1.) Get to a rest area and take a 15-30 minute nap to re-charge your battery or 2.) Get a caffeinated drink to help you stay awake for a little while. The only downside with the caffeinated drink is that you will have to wait about thirty minutes before you will feel the effects of the caffeine. If you have to drive at night after a long shift plan ahead: either take a quick nap after your shift at the hospital then drive home, or drink an energy drink of some kind a half an hour before your shift ends. Ideally you would avoid driving at all while you are tired, but understandably you can’t avoid it all the time.

Try to remember to take care of yourself and get the necessary amount of sleep so you can be 100% on your shift. As nurses you know it’s imperative that you stay on top of your game and for some, mistakes can lead to big problems. Sleep well and be rested for your next shift. If you need help, check out the National Sleep Foundation’s website for tips as well as sleep professionals in your area.

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National Nutrition Month!

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March is National Nutrition Month. “Get your plate in shape” is the theme of this year’s nutrition month focusing on eating the correct portions of the recommended food categories. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is bringing awareness of eating healthy to America and how easy it is to eat healthy. We are all guilty of choosing the candy bar or greasy burger over the healthier options at least once in the past year. I am guilty of doing this more than once! For the month of March challenge yourself to eat healthier every day!

As many of us know, the obesity rate in America is alarmingly high (as of 2008, 33% of Adults in America were considered obese according to the CDC). Over the last few years this has leveled off which gives some experts hope that people are becoming more aware of what obesity is and how dangerous it is. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics among other organizations are making a big push to try and get people to now do something about their obesity. Even if someone is not obese, eating healthy is still very important. While weight loss might not be a goal for all, eating healthy is something everyone should do because it helps keep the body stronger and feeling great!

The Academy has lots of resources and recipes to help you achieve that goal. Try to add vegetables and fruits to all your meals. For example, in the morning make a strawberry banana smoothie with your breakfast instead of coffee, then for lunch have some carrots with your favorite low fat salad dressing. Then for dinner go grilling! Make kebabs with your favorite meats and add chunks of vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, zucchini or mushroom. If you like to cook, check out the recipe ideas on the Academy’s website for some delicious new meal ideas as well as different ways to make not so healthy meals healthy!

If you continue to switch out the fatty and sugary foods with more fruits and vegetables you will start feeling great! Celebrate that feeling with a new pair of scrubs from www.scrubs123.com!

Valentine’s Day at the Office!

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Looking to spice up the office for Valentine’s Day? We have some quick and easy decorating ideas as well as a fun game that will help you bond with the other nurses!

1.) Bring construction paper to create hearts and snowflakes in the shape of hearts. These can be hung, taped onto walls or laying on a table in the waiting room/front desk area. This is a great way to bring some color and creativity to the bland waiting room.
2.) Flip out your regular clip boards with pink ones!
3.) We all know that the best part of Valentine’s Day is the candy! So, have every nurse bring in their favorite kind of candy to share with the group. For the pre-wrapped candies, you can put them in jars or clear cups as another decoration.
4.) A fun game would be to have every nurse write a fact about themselves that most people wouldn’t know, and then each nurse would pick a fact and have to figure out who the fact belongs to. If they figure it out before the end of their shift they get a prize!
What ways do you brighten up the office? Tell us on FaceBook!
Want holiday inspired embroidery on your next pair of scrubs? Check out the St. Patrick’s Day emblems we have!

Staying Active at the Nurse’s Station

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The nurse profession is one of the busiest professions one can go into. For many, their lifestyles are so busy between work and their social lives that exercising is usually one of the first “to-do’s” to be dropped off the list. Understandably so, you can’t tell a patient “No, I cannot help you with your broken arm situation because its time for my daily workout”. Energy and activities pretty much go hand in hand. When you exercise, you get energy that you normally wouldn’t have. While drinking coffee, soda and eating lots of sugary treats is the easy way to stay energized (if you ignore the sugar crash you get later in the day). However, this is not the healthiest option. So here are some pretty simple activities to do that can help keep you energized for your entire shift.

1.) The infamous chair exercises! While some may be very dorky and awkward to do at work, there are some that are more subtle and can do wonders to keeping your body loose and the blood well circulated! For example, if you lift one leg up at a time and flex your thigh muscles for about 10 seconds; you will quickly feel the burn! Google “Chair exercises” to find hundreds of different exercises you can do!

2.) If you are in a position where you are sitting most of the day, every half hour or so you should get up and walk around a little bit. Even if it is from one end of your desk to the other, standing up will help increase blood circulation to your lower body.

3.) Don’t lose sleep! While this one seems to be nearly impossible, try to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep. This will not only keep you energized during the day, it may boost your immune system as well!

For more tips on staying active check out our blog post- “5 Tips for Keeping Energy Up”

Doing well on your New Year’s Resolution of becoming healthy or losing weight? Update your wardrobe with Scrubs123!

Different ways to Further your Education!

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Here at Scrubs123 we think that continuing your education in the healthcare field is incredibly important for you and your patients. Not only will you have the latest information and ability to help more, you will become more valuable to your employer if you show that you continue to learn about new things.

Maybe a full time school schedule on top of work and all your other responsibilities is not an option right now. That’s ok- you go when you know you have the time and energy (not to mention money) to do it successfully. Until then, there is a great tool offered by Medline Industries. Medline University offers a number of FREE courses, webinars and speakers from the industry. As a bonus, many of these courses count for continuing education credits (see specific courses for more information)! Not only does it offer education on different aspects of the healthcare industry, there are also product videos to show you how to properly use specific products on patients. This is a great place to refresh your memory if you haven’t had to perform a certain procedure on someone in a while!

If you are at a point in your life where you are ready to get an advanced degree in your field, but need help determining what degree, and what your best options are, go to the American Nurses Association’s Continuing Professional Development Page for some great resources!

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New Year, New Wardrobe… Sort Of

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With the New Year comes new ambitions and new wants. One of which for many of us ladies is for a new wardrobe. Yes, we know there is nothing wrong with our current scrubs, but who doesn’t love to get new ones?!

New Year’s Traditions Around the World

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Ever wonder how other cultures celebrate New Year’s? In almost every culture they do an act that is supposed to bring good luck/health/or wealth to people. In the US we share a kiss at midnight that will “purify” us for the upcoming year. Here are some other ways people believe bring good luck:

Austria : The suckling pig is the symbol for good luck for the new year. It’s served on a table decorated with tiny edible pigs. Dessert often consists of green peppermint ice cream in the shape of a four leaf clover.

England: The British place their fortunes for the coming year in the hands of their first guest. They believe the first visitor of each year should be male and bearing gifts. Traditional gifts are coal for the fire, a loaf for the table and a drink for the master. For good luck, the guest should enter through the front door and leave through the back. Guests who are empty handed or unwanted are not allowed to enter first.

Spain :  In Spain, when the clock strikes midnight, the Spanish eat 12 grapes, one with every toll, to bring good luck for the 12 months ahead.

Sicily : An old Sicilian tradition says good luck will come to those who eat lasagna on New Year’s Day, but woe if you dine on macaroni, for any other noodle will bring bad luck.

Norway : Norwegians make rice pudding at New Year’s and hide one whole almond within. Guaranteed wealth goes to the person whose serving holds the lucky almond.

For more traditions around the world and how the New Year’s Celebration began, check out History of New Year’s Resolutions

Is your New Year’s Resolution to budget better and save money? Check out our clearance section on S123.