Graduating w/ only 1 pair of scrubs

Nurses General Nursing

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I plan on going to CNA school soon and they're only giving me a pair of scrubs. 1 dark blue top and 1 gray bottom. I was told by a clerk at a uniform store that a travelling nurse she deals with directly says she has different colors for different hospitals. I never thought hospitals gave a damn about the color scrubs you wore so as long as they were clean and you showed up to work on time with what you know you're supposed to have and to do your job.

I don't know where I want to work when I graduate. A hospital that pays CNA's really good requires CNA's to have a year of experience at least. That leaves me open to any facility. The VA doesn't hire CNA's I don't think. Scrubs(I think) are a bit pricey. I thought a top could go for $5-10 but nope. A store here in Vegas sells tops ranging from $30-50 and I'm a college student. I don't have an employer that will give me a stipend for uniforms or a discount for the store. What the F.

I thought about working for Maxim but because I'm not even in CNA school they really didn't give me the details on what I should expect as I contract for them(scrub colors, stethoscope requirement, etc).

When you guys graduated CNA/LPN, or Nursing school, how did you buy what you needed when money was tight? Is it true that anything you buy for your job(pens, scrubs, watches, stethoscopes, etc) can be written off on your taxes?

Specializes in ICU.
I wouldn't say the ratio is that high - otherwise all these scrub companies would be out of business. They'd have a hard time making their way relying only on peds folks, dental offices, and MD offices.

If there's evidence-based practice on that I'd really like to see it. Not being smart or cute - I'm legitimately interested.

If I were a patient in a hospital I don't know that I'd be able to (a) keep up with all that information or (b) really be concerned about it as long as care was appropriately given. I know a lot of L&D units went to that for safety reasons, which makes sense.

There's been a lot of talk bandied about for literally years about requiring this everywhere, but it's yet to happen - and the proliferation of scrub stores still selling prints seems to back that.

Just curious.

You are trying to be cute and I will most certainly look that study up for you. You don't think there are enough dental and physician offices to keep prints profitable?? There's a new dental office popping up every week in my area along with urgent care a physician offices.

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Specializes in ICU.
I wouldn't say the ratio is that high - otherwise all these scrub companies would be out of business. They'd have a hard time making their way relying only on peds folks, dental offices, and MD offices.

If there's evidence-based practice on that I'd really like to see it. Not being smart or cute - I'm legitimately interested.

If I were a patient in a hospital I don't know that I'd be able to (a) keep up with all that information or (b) really be concerned about it as long as care was appropriately given. I know a lot of L&D units went to that for safety reasons, which makes sense.

There's been a lot of talk bandied about for literally years about requiring this everywhere, but it's yet to happen - and the proliferation of scrub stores still selling prints seems to back that.

Just curious.

I used google and in less than five seconds an article came up. Here it is and there are the necessary links you need to find the studies.

Hospitals use Color by Discipline Medical Uniforms to Improve Patient Satisfaction - Suite Stories | SuiteStyles by Medline

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"I thought about working for Maxim " here is your real problem. Please research Maxim.

You only need to buy another set of scrubs. I had 30 years of experience , I was traveling and doing agency work,and bought an extra set at the salvation army for $2. Pens, scrubs, watches, stethoscopes, etc cannot be written off. Check with an accountant on that.

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"I thought about working for Maxim " here is your real problem. Please research Maxim.

What about Maxim do I need to research? They're a staffing agency for CNA's, LVN's, LPN's and RNs..what about Maxim do I need to research?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
What about Maxim do I need to research? They're a staffing agency for CNA's, LVN's, LPN's and RNs..what about Maxim do I need to research?

You have no reason to research anything yet. You are not a CNA, LVN, LPN or RN.

What you are is oblivious and completely out of touch with reality. For those who would call me cruel, please look at OP's previous posts.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Pens, scrubs, watches, stethoscopes, etc cannot be written off. Check with an accountant on that.

My tax preparer takes an itemized list of everything I bought for work and only use for work. There's a formula that calculate the amount I can write off based on a few things, but I can indeed write off employment related purchases.

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You have no reason to research anything yet. You are not a CNA, LVN, LPN or RN.

What you are is oblivious and completely out of touch with reality. For those who would call me cruel, please look at OP's previous posts.

EXTREMELY cruel. Oblivious and completely out of touch with reality? Wow, you don't know me number 1, reinforcing the fact I stated that you are VERY cruel and number 2, what's the point of this website? A place for gossip? I use it for learning and that's it. No more, no less. I have goals and like to talk to people who are proud of the goal they're already in that I'm trying to attain. You are a very RUDE individual. "I've got my BSN, I don't know why the heck he's on here to begin with".

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What about Maxim do I need to research? They're a staffing agency for CNA's, LVN's, LPN's and RNs..what about Maxim do I need to research?

Find some people who have worked for that employer and ask them about how they were treated. Chances are high that you will not get raving reviews. Little to be found on this site because they made certain that almost all comments concerning this agency have been removed, therefore you will not find previous personal experiences written up here. You can also find reviews on the forums of some of the employment websites.

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I bought one set of scrubs for school. The color was what the school determined and I purchased and sewed the patch on. When I started my first job (as a tech) I purchased another set of scrubs in the color my job required. I was given a coupon to a local scrubs store during orientation, but I had already ordered a set off of amazon. I saved the coupon until I was hired as an RN then I bought several sets of scrubs.

Wait it to get scrubs until you know where you will be working. Then you can always check around and compare prices. In my case Amazon was the cheapest and fastest for what I wanted. One thing is that sometimes if you look in second hand stores you can find cheap scrubs.

I washed my scrubs every day. It became a habit to strip down in the laundry room and put them in the washer. When I woke up I would switch them to the dryer while getting ready for work. Not ideal. I would have loved to have multiple sets, but I was a broke college student so I made it work. I also did not want to invest a lot of money in a uniform I was planning on wearing for eight months. At my facility RNs wear one color and techs wear another.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, IMC, ICU.
What about Maxim do I need to research? They're a staffing agency for CNA's, LVN's, LPN's and RNs..what about Maxim do I need to research?

I have not heard good things about them either. Check their reviews on indeed.com and other similar websites. I chose not work for them but that's just me.

Regarding scrubs...don't buy anything until you get a job and know what you need for sure. My first CNA job was at a LTC and they gave me uniforms.

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You are trying to be cute and I will most certainly look that study up for you. You don't think there are enough dental and physician offices to keep prints profitable?? There's a new dental office popping up every week in my area along with urgent care a physician offices.

I'm far from trying to be cute. I'm way too old to attempt to be cute.

Sorry if you don't care for a differing opinion.

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I used google and in less than five seconds an article came up. Here it is and there are the necessary links you need to find the studies.

Hospitals use Color by Discipline Medical Uniforms to Improve Patient Satisfaction - Suite Stories | SuiteStyles by Medline

I also used Google (did you honestly think I wouldn't look before asking you if you had any information?) and read that article. That's hardly evidence-based practice based on peer reviewed literature. That's a commentary on Medline. That's actually barely commentary - it's a sales pitch. And it says "several of the nation's hospitals" while citing one study in a nursing periodical that showed it can be difficult to distinguish who's who in a hospital. This isn't what I was looking for.

I also emphasized that it was a legitimate question, not an effort to be smart.

You should also keep in mind I'm in South Korea. VPNs don't always work here (I live on the economy, not on the installation) and I can't always directly link to everything - which is why I asked for further information. What google.kr pulls up can be very different from what google.com in the US (or the west in general) picks up.

I stand by my assertion - until hard evidence is given - that the ratio is nowhere near your statement.

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