The Secret to Looking Your Best at Work

If you are required wear medical scrub at your job, there are several things that experts say you should do to keep yourself looking great in the workplace. Just because your fashion choices are restricted does not mean all is lost. In fact, you need not spend huge sums of money to look your best, but there are some solid, reliable guidelines to follow for that proper, professional look, most of which are related to cleanliness and hygiene. Unfortunately, many medical employees ignore these tips and end up with an appearance that is much less than appropriate.

Always wear a clean set of medical scrubs, and never wear faded or worn scrubs. This also applies to shoes and socks, which can make or break an otherwise positive demeanor. Stained, worn, and ill-fitting clothing is perhaps the greatest detriment to your overall look. Likewise, your hair, nails, and teeth speak volumes about your level of professionalism.

Experts on workplace etiquette point out that medical scrubs can look very good unless they are too large or too small, at which point they look simply awful. Shop carefully for scrubs that fit, and then purchase several sets of that size in your preferred colors. If you launder the scrubs regularly and repair or replace torn garments, you will never have to concern yourself with looking less than your very best.

Concerning hair, it is best to keep long hair tied back in a ponytail or braid, but never tuck a ponytail or braid into the back of your scrubs collar. Those who consult about workplace etiquette say this practice is one of the worst habits in medical settings.

By keeping your clothing and body clean and fresh, you will always have a bright, positive appearance while on the job in the medical industry. Clean medical scrubs can enhance your air of professionalism as well as give you confidence in yourself.

Tips for Washing Your Medical Scrubs

If you are in the medical field, chances are pretty high that you need to wear scrubs to work. With that being said, you should also wash your medical scrubs everyday as well. When you wash clothing on a daily basis, however, it will fade and look worn out as time goes on. Since you own fewer sets of scrubs that regular clothing wearing them out will happen much sooner than you expect.

Take a look at these tips that will help your medical clothing look newer a lot longer:

1.     Buy the highest quality scrubs on the market. Whenever you go to buy regular clothing, you probably buy the best on the market. The same should go for your medical attire. Never substitute quality for savings.

2.     Always wash your work clothes separate. Medical scrubs can carry a lot of things home with them but they can also bleed like regular clothing. So make sure the whites stay with the whites and darks with the darks.

3.     Wash your scrubs in cold water, always. Cold water has a habit of trapping the dye and keeping it in your scrubs.

4.     Try adding a single tablespoon of vinegar to your wash before adding detergent or any clothing. This helps stop any bleeding of fabrics.

5.     Always use the delicate cycle.

6.     Mild detergents are always the best. Make sure you let the suds foam up before putting your scrubs in.

7.     Never add softener. However, dryer sheets are okay.

8.     Line dry your scrubs. Never throw your scrubs in the dryer as they could shrink or stain.

Tips to Help Prepare for a Nursing Job Interview

If you are a nurse fresh out of college, then you are ready for your first job as a professional. The first thing you must remember is that the interview process is an important one and should not be taken lightly. Just because you have a nursing degree doesn’t necessarily mean you will get a job sooner or later. Professionalism is a must in this field and, if you follow the tips below, you should have no problem getting a career started quickly.

1. Like preparing for a test, getting yourself ready for a job interview primes a person to achieve. Ask for the basics the moment a job interview is planned. Ask who will be interviewing you and how to enunciate their name (if you are unsure). Confirm where the interview will be held and obtain directions. If the facility is large, examine the site for a detailed layout.
2. To assist you in getting ready for your job interview, search for articles regarding interviewing and types of questions usually asked. Consider how likely it is to answer all of them and write down a list of queries you'll request.
3. Before your interview, get everything together- maps or directions, notes considering the time as well as interviewer's name and telephone number, resume, your phone, along with a notebook together with your listing of questions.
4. Be sure you have your outfit together. Hang your garments so that they’ll be wrinkle free. Iron clothes if need be, and be sure you were something tasteful and conservative. Do not wear medical scrubs to the interview; be professional in your appearance.
5. Gather up information about the company. This step is crucial, as you will likely be asked why you want to work for that particularly company or organization. You will want to know what their specialty is (if any), what their mission is, and one or two things you like about the organization.

While an interview doesn’t always mean a job, every interview will get easier. Be confident in yourself and show respect, and you will do just fine.

The Top Paying Nursing Specialties

After a nurse finishes nursing school, he or she has to choose the right specialty, which soon becomes the chief focus for weeks or even months. There are so many different specialties that a nurse can choose from and that means many nurses are finding it extremely difficult when picking just one. However, when you have nearly every specialty that requires its candidates to turn around and pass a number of exams and then fulfill on-the-job training, it all seems like a race to the finish.

Pay shouldn’t be a nurse’s only concern when they consider a specialty however it can be a factor when looking at choosing between several specialties. There are other things to look at when choosing a specialty like what medical scrubs you can wear, is child care going to be a problem and so on. No matter what your choice is, the important thing is that you should be happy.

With that said, if you do have a degree and are looking to get into a top paying nursing career, one of the following may be for you. Take a look at the top 10 highest earning nurse professions in the country:

#10: Neonatal Nurse whose average salary is $74,000

#9: Gerontological Nurse Practitioner whose average annual salary is $75,000

#8: Clinical Nurse Specialist whose average salary is $76,000

#7: Nurse Practitioner whose average salary is $78,000

#6: Orthopedic Nurse whose average salary is $81,000

#5: Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse whose average salary is $81,000

#4: Certified Nurse Midwife whose average salary is $84,000

#3: Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner whose average salary is $95,000

#2: Nurse Researcher whose average salary is $95,000

#1:  Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist whose average salary is $135,000

Picking the Best Nursing Specialty

If you want to have a rewarding career as a nurse, make certain to find a nursing job that fits your personality and capabilities. There are hundreds of different types of nursing specialties from which you can choose, but you need to realize that the profession is quite diverse. Take time to plan your career, even if you have not yet selected the particular nursing niche that is best for you. A good career fit is of utmost importance for any discipline, but especially for nurses.

Before setting out to find that first job as a professional nurse, make a list of your specific job skills and your unique personal preferences for the jobs that are available. Medical workers who wear medical scrubs know that the field is wide open, featuring so many niches and sub-categories that it is easy to become confused. Take time to study the different nursing specialties, making note what types of education each one calls for. Some surgical nursing jobs, for example, typically require one or more certifications.

If you consider yourself a ‘people person,’ then a large hospital might be a good place for you to work. The choices in this case are unlimited. You could pick a career as an emergency room nurse, or work in labor and delivery. The main thing to consider is that hospitals are places of much social interaction. On the other hand, if you tend to work best alone, or with a small group of people, then maybe you should consider home health nursing or hospice jobs. Either way, you will likely be wearing scrubs.

If you make the time to research different types of nursing careers, you will be well on your way to finding the perfect career niche. Remember that with just a few years of experience under your belt, or in the pocket of your scrubs as the case may be, you can earn a good salary as a professional nurse, regardless of the specialty you choose.

Buy Quality Nursing Shoes: You Won’t Regret It!

For more than a hundred years, medical scrubs, uniforms, and nursing shoes have been of concern to health care workers. While many disregard the importance of quality shoes, they do so at their own risk. Especially for those who stand for several hours each day, shoes can have a significant effect on health. In fact, many nurses are on their feet for more than 8 hours per day, and that can lead to all sorts of physical maladies.

Medical scrubs, uniforms, and nursing shoes are probably the three most important articles of clothing in the medical profession. Ankles, hips, and backs take a beating when you stand for long periods of time, and properly cushioned shoes are of the utmost importance.

Nursing shoes should not be a fashion statement. Health care workers need shoes that have good arch support, durable outer and inner lining, and that fit perfectly. Even a shoe that is a bit too big or too small can cause numerous problems for people who wear them. That is why it is important to take time and find a shoe that is just the right size.

Price should only be a factor if you feel that your new nursing shoes are way over the average. Medical scrubs, uniforms, and nursing shoes tend to hover around a solid average price. Anything far above or below that amount should act as a warning sign that the shoe is either of very low quality or is over-priced. If you work in a large health care facility, and if you are new to the profession, ask some of your older co-workers where they buy their shoes, what they paid, and how long they have had them. It never hurts to use the experience of others in the quest for good shoes.

Tips for Dealing With Your Difficult Patients

Being a medical worker such as a doctor, nurse or any worker in scrubs can be hard sometimes, especially when dealing with difficult patients. People come into medical facilities for a variety of reasons and you are there to provide a service; you must remember that. There are going to be times where patients are going to be less than cordial and you have to be ready.

In the daily practice of physicians, psychotherapists and other staff, there’s a very good chance that you will pick up on some of these the unpleasant following behaviors:

• Intense anger outbursts

• Aggressive verbal behavior

• Exaggerated expression of emotions

• Persistent desire for recognition of others

• Distrust

• Lack of follow rules

• Contentious and persistent insistence on personal rights

• Frequent need of help

• Complaining or whining

• Silence

• Constant complaints of being ill, often associated with hypochondriac-type symptoms

• Suicide threats and suicide acts

• Ingratitude

Such "difficult" behavior frustrates the workers, triggers resistance and costs time, money and effort of staff. If, however, it starts to stress the relationship between the workers and patients, treatment success is in question. Interaction skills, awareness and professionalism in dealing with patients is very important- especially with difficult patients- and is therefore a basic prerequisite for any treatment.

Sometimes unruly patients can get very violent and start throwing things. You should always have a spare set of medical scrubs uniforms on hand just in case something goes wrong and you need to change.