Do I Have to Work Holiday Shifts?

Whether you have to work on a holiday depends on who you work for, whether you are covered by a union contract, and company policy regarding holidays.

If you work for the Federal Government, you'll get nine paid holidays each year including New Year's Day, Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day (4th of July), Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Many private employers follow the same holiday schedule and also provide holiday days off or holiday pay for working on a holiday.

In addition, companies are not required to give you holidays off from work. Many employers, especially in retail, hospitality and healthcare, are open on holidays and conducting business as usuals. Workers are expected to work holidays and are typically paid their normal pay rate.

Price Reduction on Automatic Pill Dispenser

Was $83.64
NOW $76.36!

This fully automatic pill dispenser is SIMPLE to use with easy setup!

Features a long duration buzzer that sounds continuously until the pills are removed.

Capacity holds one weeks supply of pills taken up to four times per day, which equals 28 total compartments that can hold several pills (up to 18 aspirin sized pills).

Tray is lockable with key.

Battery operated with low battery alarm (batteries included). 

The compartment size on this dispenser is 20% larger than other automatic pill dispensers.

The Med-E-Lert is supplied with clearly printed discs. The discs identify the day of the week, and the appropriate number of doses per day (1,2, 3, or 4 doses per day). The appropriate disc for the medication regime is then placed on the tray; folding tabs down to secure in pill compartment, prior to filling it, and used as a guide as to where to place the pills.

MED-E-LERT has 3 different alarm tones and also silence with Blinking Light to accommodate different hearing levels.

Comes with extra key and 4 tray labels.

Click HERE to purchase online!

Employers and Obamacare: What it Means for You

Adapted from ObamaCare Survival Guide by Nick J. Tate

As the Affordable Health Care Act rolls out over the next year and beyond, we are finally learning the details of what ObamaCare means to working Americans.

First and foremost, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the government agency that will oversee our new healthcare mandates. Employers are required to report to the IRS about each of their employees, and individuals will have to report to the IRS regarding health care insurance status.

Senior Citizens
It’s no secret that ObamaCare will be significantly funded by money cut from Medicare. The original projected cuts totaled $455 billion over the next decade. Since then, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has twice updated that figure. In 2011, the CBO’s estimated cuts were re-estimated to be $507 billion between 2012 and 2021. Then, in July 2012, the CBO projected Medicare outlays would be cut by about $716 billion between 2013 and 2022. That is $209 billion more in cuts than originally projected. However, ObamaCare does expand Medicare’s prescription drug coverage, and certain preventive care services. It also caps what insurers can charge older Americans.

Large Businesses - 25 or More Employees
From a cost perspective, ObamaCare has not been good for large companies as new mandates imposed on their health insurance providers have increased business operating costs. Many Americans are worried that ObamaCare will force their employer to drop their insurance since it may cost less for some businesses to simply pay the $2,000 fine per worker for not providing insurance. Some businesses need to offer benefits to attract workers, and some don't. If you work for a company that easily attracts workers, may be in greater danger of losing your coverage.
Also, large businesses will have to wait to be able to participate in health insurance exchanges, assuming it is granted to them at all. Each state will have to decide itself whether or not to let large businesses purchase insurance through its exchanges.

Small Businesses - 25 or Less Employees
These companies have suffered from rising healthcare costs in the past, but will benefit more from ObamaCare, especially in the short term. They will receive significant tax breaks and in 2014 they will have immediate access to health insurance through exchanges, unlike large businesses. However, if a small business exceeds 25 employees, they will receive no tax credits, and possibly no access to exchanges. For employees who work for small businesses with no insurance, ObamaCare is great news if their employer decides to take the generous tax credit. If small businesses do not participate, workers may be required to purchase insurance through a government-subsidized exchange, or face a fine.
Approximately 6% of businesses with employee payrolls are considered large businesses in America, yet over 175 million Americans work for a large business. Approximately 37 million Americans have no health insurance.

It is also interesting to note that fear of an acute doctor shortage, which existed prior to ObamaCare, may be exacerbated by the new law. With lower expected incomes and student loan debts that are the highest in the world, there could be far fewer doctors to provide health care.

Also Sourced: http://www.census.gov/econ/smallbus.html

Funny Signs from Around the World

I came across a group of funny signs and just had to share them on this fine Monday.  I hope you get a few smiles and laughs too!

Friday Nurse Humor

Have a Great Weekend!

Prepare to SCARE Breast Cancer!

We have fun new Breast Cancer Awareness and Halloween tops for October!

 LUCH84769B - Heal With Love Tee - $15.99











LUKO115PR - Skull N' Bones - $24.99










 LUKO147PR - Full Moon - $26.99











LUCH2988C - Ribbons & Bows - $26.49

LUCH6627C - Count Beagle - $27.49

 LUCH6767C - Did I Scare You? - $27.49










LUCH84724C - A Lesson To Cure - $18.99











To shop all of our scrubs, click HERE!

7 Little Known Social Security Benefits

Adapted from 7 Little-known Social Security Benefits by Jennie L. Phipps, bankrate.com

In the first season of “Friends”, Rachel Green looks at her first paycheck as a waitress and asks, “Who’s this FICA guy, and why is he getting all my money?”

That’s one hard lesson about Social Security. Another is that when it’s time to claim, you can’t depend on the Social Security Administration to be your personal advisor. So that means you are on your own to make the most important financial decision of a lifetime. You have to read the rules and do the research yourself.

Here are 7 benefits to brush up on that are not commonly known:

One. There are many ways a married couple can decide to take their Social Security benefits. It’s hard to beat waiting until you’re 70 to begin benefits because the monthly payment is 76 percent higher than it would be if you had started to take benefits at 62, and 32% higher than it would be if you claimed at age 66.

Two. On the other hand, some people advocate drawing at the first opportunity because there is a possibility of losing the bet and getting nothing. If a person waits until 70 to claim and lives to at least age 90, he’ll accumulate almost $162,000 more in benefits than he would if he had claimed at 62. Retired law professor and Social Security expert Merton Bernstein says the longevity bet odds are bad, so claim early.

Three. If you were married for at least ten years, you can stake a claim on up to half of your ex-spouse’s earnings and collect Social Security benefits based on their earnings, if theirs were higher.

Four. If you haven’t remarried, once an ex-spouse passes away, you’ll be treated just like a widow or widower. If you are at least 60, you’ll be able to collect your late-spouses benefit and allow your own benefit to grow unclaimed until you reach age 70, when you can switch if your own is higher.

Five. There is a difference between widow/widower benefits and spousal benefits. As a widow/widower, for example, a widow can begin drawing a survivor benefit on her late husbands Social Security as young as 60, but only at a reduced rate. She will leave her own benefit alone, allowing it to grow and then switch over to her own at full retirement age so she collects more. You can’t do that with spousal benefits.

Six. When you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance, they don't tell you that your first step ought to be to hire a lawyer or other expert adviser. An applicant can have representation from the very beginning of the application process, which is not something that SSDI makes clear.

Seven. 35 years is the magic number. Your Social Security payment is figured using a complex calculation based on a 35-year average of your covered wages. Each year’s wages are adjusted for inflation before being averaged. If you worked longer than 35 years, the government will use the highest 35 years. If you worked for less than 35 years, they’ll average in zeros for the years you are lacking. You don't have to be a math wizard to figure out the impact of that - it drags down your average. If you can avoid zeros by working a couple of years longer, you’ll increase your Social Security payment.

To find a simpler explanation of how your benefits are calculated, visit My Retirement Paycheck.org.

For more information on Social Security, visit www.ssa.gov.

Nurses Reveal Their Favorite Patient Lines!

I like when patients ask for their nausea medicine while eating a cheeseburger and fries and requesting a second tray from food service.  —Heather Burton

“I’m allergic to 25 mg Demerol, but I can take 50.”  —Rebekah Hudgins

When patients with severe acid reflux ask, “What do you mean I can’t have pizza? What else am I supposed to eat?”  —Liz Johnston

On their 100th visit for treatment: “How long is this going to take?”  —Leslie S. Peguero

“I’m not obese—my clothes are shrinking!” —Ginny Riddle

I love when the elderly patients use their call bell for something and say, “I’m sorry if I woke you up….” —Keri Greenier George

“Can I borrow $300? I promise to pay you back. You’re a nurse, you look like you make good money.” (Awkward!) —Victoria Quinn

“I have end-stage fibromyalgia and need refills on my two narcotics.” —Kimra M Griffith

“I get redneck syndrome from that antibiotic.”  —Heather Mercier


What are some of your favorite “lines” from patients?

Are You a Football Widow, too?

I know, Eli. I know. 

Definition:  Football Widow (foot-bawl wid-oh);  noun

1. For at least 26 weeks, starting in August, and ending in February, a person is completely occupied with the game of football, on TV, thus causing their significant others to become temporarily a person without a significant other. 

First there was Fantasy Football which takes time to set players, check injured reserve lists, and all that garbage.

Then, there was the expansion of games on TV going from Sunday plus a Monday night game to some games on Thursday, college football all day Saturday, professional games allllll day Sunday and then a Monday night game, I swear, we get maybe two or three days a week that are football free. 

I mean, the kids dont raise themselves and the house doesnt magically get clean. 

Somebody is going to snap one of these days. 

Uni-Solve Wipe Price Reductions!

We have not one, but two price reductions on the UniSolve Wipes:

Skin Prep Wipes
Were $11.04, NOW $8.71 per box!
















Adhesive Remover Wipes
Were $12.16, NOW $10.11 per box!

Prepare to SCARE! Or, just really look fabulous

Holy cow its already the second week of September!  WHERE did the summer go? 

We are excited, though, because we are getting new HOLIDAY and fall-type scrubs in! 

Check these out:

A Scary BETTY BOOP! Have fun and show some sass with Tooniforms Did I Scare You? print.
LUCH6767C-BEDI - $27.49-$29.49













Snoopy makes this mock wrap FUN!  Count Beagle is a fun print on a classic style.
LUCH6627C-PNBG - $27.49-$29.49

This Kathryn top in Snow Sparkle has great colors for fall, yet a pattern you can wear all winter!
LUKO115PR-SNS - $24.99

A sweet Bella top in Cappuccino has great versatility!
LUKO149PR-CAP - $30.99

















Click HERE to shop all of our Holiday Scrubs today!

Beautiful Fall Drives!

In your quest to find the most beautiful fall drive, don't forget to get out of the car too! Look for “scenic viewpoints” and trailheads so you can smell the pines, listen to the wind and water, and hear the crackling of leaves beneath your feet!

CENTRAL ARIZONA

Try Oak Creek Canyon and Red Rock Crossing near Sedona.

MICHIGAN’S UPPER PENINSULA

Try Highway 41 from Menominee on Lake Michigan to the Keweenaw Peninsula on Lake Superior.

THE OZARKS, ARKANSAS

Try State Hwy 7 from Lead Hill to Hot Springs through Ozark National Forest and secluded Ouachita Range.

WEST ELK LOOP, COLORADO

Just about any highway through the Rockies will put on a show. Try West Elk Loop, a 6-8 hour, 205 mile drive through historic wild west towns.

BLACK HILLS, SOUTH DAKOTA

Try either the 68-mile Peter Norbeck (Custer, SD) or the 20-mile Spearfish Canyon (Deadwood, SD) that trek you on either side of Mt. Rushmore.

GREEN MOUNTAINS, VERMONT
Try Route 100 which runs north-south along the spine of the Green Mountains. Or try Highway 89 that cuts through the Green Mountains.

Source: http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-29634433

Price Reduction on Pulse Oximeters!

Price reductions don't happen very often so we were excited when it happened on our pulse oximeters! 

What is a pulse oximeter, you ask?  It is a little device that you place on the tip of one of your fingers that easily measures your pulse rate.  Its easier than putting two fingers on your wrist, shushing everyone nearby to be quiet, counting the beats within a certain period of time and then doing the MATH to calculate your actual heart rate. 

And now you can get pulse oximeters for LESS!

The OPE1 Oxi-Go Elite was $52.29, NOW $46.14

The OPP1 Oxi-Go Premier was $46.14, NOW $38.31






We have a handy accessories for your pulse oximeter as well:

Oximeter Belt Case in various colors

Oximeter Protective Skin in clear






For more information or to order Pulse Oximeters and accessories, visit our website today!

Medical Professional Students - We Have Back To School Supplies for You!

Medical Professional students are heading to school with a supply list that is a little bit different than the typical supply list - stethoscopes, penlights, protective eyewear, medical shears, the list goes on!

We have great products at wonderful prices and all at one place - including SCRUBS!  Check us out!

We carry a wide range of stethoscopes and otoscopes that work for any speciality!  Prices start at just $15.44 for stethoscopes and $9.92 for otoscopes.

 

Need a Aneroid Sphygmomanometer?  We have several to choose from and prices start at just $25.49.

Scissors and shears come in every shape and size.  Check out our inventory, starting at just $3.75.

Need medical scrubs?  Our Laurel Uniforms & Apparel site has a full line of the latests fashions, basic solid scrubs and everything in between.  Prices start at just $11.99!








Have more on your list?  Check out Mountain View Medical Supply and Laurel Uniforms & Apparel for all of your supply list needs today!

A Nurse's 18 Lessons In Stress Management

ScrubsMag.com, by Nurse Rene • August 6, 2012

How many nurses feel like they must carry the weight of the world on their shoulders?

We have all been guilty of this, but the key is knowing when to let go. I love the following story for that reason:

A young lady confidently walked around the room with a raised glass of water while explaining stress management to an audience. Everyone knew she was going to ask *that* question:

“Half empty or half full?”

She fooled them all. ”How heavy is this glass of water?”

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

She continued, “And that’s the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on.
As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden–holding stress longer and better each time practiced.”

So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night…pick them up again tomorrow.

These 18 life lessons are some of my favorite reminders to de-stress:

1.Accept the fact that some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue!

2.Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

3.Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

4.Drive carefully…it’s not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.

5.If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

6.If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

7.It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

8.Never buy a car you can’t push.

9.Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won’t have a leg to stand on.

10.Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.

11.Since it’s the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

12.The second mouse gets the cheese.

13.When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.

14.Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

15.We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

16.A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

17.Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.

18.AND MOST IMPORTANTLY — Save the earth…it’s the only planet with chocolate!

Should Nurses Be Required to Wear Color-Coded Scrubs?

What do YOU think? 

Are You a Diabetic on Medicare?

Are you a diabetic on Medicare?  If so, here is something you might want to keep an eye on!

CMS Sharpens Price-Cutting Tool
By Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor, HME News, August 2012

CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) isn’t stopping at competitive bidding to slash payments for diabetes supplies.

CMS announced June 22 that it would hold a public meeting July 23 to discuss using inherent reasonableness (IR) to adjust prices for non-mail order supplies.

“There is significant spending in that area and they believe that, based on the mail order competitive bid pricing, that this is something they need to take a closer look at”, said Walk Gorski, Vice President of Government Affairs for AAHomecare.

Through IR, CMS may adjust fee schedule amounts up to 15% per year to create what it believes to be more equitable pricing. Round 1 of competitive bidding has already reduced reimbursement for mail order supplies by an average of 56%, and Round 2 is expected to produce similar results. Non-mail order supplies obtained at retail locations were not included in bidding.

“Think about it”, said Denise Fletcher, and attorney with Brown & Fortunato. “Why would CMS pay more for somebody to have the convenience of going and picking up their stuff?”

If CMS tries to bring pricing for non-mail order supplies in line with mail order supplies in bid areas, which are lower than average wholesale costs, it’s going to be much harder for beneficiaries to obtain name brand products, stakeholders say.

“Retail stores are going to have to get better prices from manufacturers, sell product at a loss to Medicare beneficiaries, or stop carrying major brands,” said Seth Lundy, a partner with King & Spalding. “That’s a problem for Medicare because, in Round 1, they’ve redirected beneficiaries from mail order back into retail when they are unable to obtain their preferred products.”

To avoid that in Round 2, CMS required providers to base their bids on products that have at least 50% of the market and will prohibit contract providers from switching beneficiaries to lower priced products. IR offers no such protection, stakeholders point out.

“It will make access to certain supplies not possible, including the most frequently used ones that physicians are comfortable with and integrated into their practice,” said Tom Milam, and industry consultant. “I could see providers just looking at it and saying, ‘It’s not even worth it to carry diabetes supplies.’”

Back to School!

With school starting back this week, parents and their students are crazy busy getting supplies, new clothes and any other items on the requisite "Supply List".  As a little repreve, here are a few funny's to lighten your day!

New Fall Scrubs - Part 6!

Just when you thought we couldn't get anymore cute scrubs in, here come a few more!

Dear Ostomate, Just Have Fun!

Adapted from Ostomy Association of Metro Denver, Inc., Newsletter, July/August 2012

By Jim Folsom

I came down with a very nasty case of Ulcerative Colitis and this resulted in having my colon, rectum, and anus being removed.  My surgery was in January 2008 and I now have a permanent ileostomy. 

With only a few complications, my recovery went well but any chances of engaging in my over-45-mens-softball “social event” were gone for the following spring and summer.  So I got on my bicycle to get some exercise.  I was reluctant to get on that bicycle seat because my rear end was still in the healing process, but my fears proved to be unfounded.  The next spring eventually came, and along with it, softball season.  Similar to my concerns about returning to bicycling, I was hesitant to get back on the team.  Could I run the bases well?  Would I be too vulnerable standing at the plate?  Could I continually be bending over and fielding ground balls?  I knew I wasn’t going to be sliding head first into any of the bases.  With encouragement from my team, I decided to play.

My position was first base.  I played the first few games without incident.  But then came THE game.  The other team was to bat first which meant that we took the field and I took my position at first base.  The first batter hit a ground ball slightly to my right, I took a couple of steps, backhanded the ground ball then beat the runner to the bag.  The second batter was left handed which puts the first and second basemen on high alert.  And sure enough, he hit an extremely hard ground ball directly to me.  It took a bad bounce, bypassed my glove and hit me on the upper left thigh.  This was just inches from my ileostomy bag.  The ball traveled those few inches and hit the bottom part of my bag but not my stoma.  But I didn't know that at the time.  I fell to my knees in pain not really caring about the ball or the runner.  I reached for the collar of my t-shirt, pulled it away from my neck and looked inside.  It was full of...well you know what.  I looked at our team manager and told him he was playing first base.  I excused myself from the game and grabbed my equipment bag which also had all the necessary stuff for “accidents”.  I ended up discretely kneeling/hiding behind a large tree, stripped to the waist, wiped myself up and replaced the bag.  I fortunately wear a two-piece system.  By the time I put on a clean t-shirt and went back to the bench I discovered that I had missed only one inning.  The manager put me back in as catcher, a rather safe position to play on a “geezer league” slow pitch team.  Those on the team that didn’t know I was an ostomate surely learned something that day! 

I tell you my “softball” story for a couple of reasons. First, being an ostomate, having a stoma, wearing a bag might be cause for making some adjustments in your life but it doesn’t mean that you can no longer participate in activities you’ve always been accustomed to.  I still ride my bike.  I can still play softball.  I can still go skiing.  The list goes on.  Playing full contact football, or ultimate fighting (which I’ve never considered) might be the exception but I think you understand my point.  Second, people can be very understanding, patient and helpful in the event you have one of those untimely and messy “accidents”.  We tend to think other people will be disgusted that you wear a “crap sack”.  That’s not usually the case.  Everyone at the game was very understanding.  I cleaned myself up, got back in the game and moved on.  If we keep it in proper perspective and display a sense of humor about our condition, other people will too.  Being comfortable with who we now are goes a long way at putting other people at ease.