Nurses have been responsible for many inventions throughout history that have changed the practice of medicine.
In this post, we highlight two nurse entrepreneurs and their products that are truly innovative in their market.
Incredible Health strives to inspire nurses to follow the unique career paths best for them, whether it be in bedside care or inventing new products to meet patient and provider needs. We are honored to put a spotlight on Tubesies and Lumify!
In this article:
Tubesies
While working as a Pediatric Registered Nurse, Cecilia Auth noticed some complications with administering medication and nutritional feedings. Due to the standard bodysuit babies wear, nurses and parents would have to completely undress the child (and in most cases wake them up) to access the feeding port.
Out of curiosity, she began to ask her colleagues if they were experiencing difficulty when feeding or administering medications. They agreed on having similar complications. So, Cecilia decided to find a solution.
What are Tubesies?
With tireless dedication and effort, Cecilia created a prototype. This resulted in a glowing review, and it wasn’t long after that Cecila successfully launched Tubesies!
Tubesies were created for children who use gastrostomy tubes. They are bodysuits that make the feeding port easily accessible. They feature a flap with an adorable design on it, and it even has a waterproof pocket inside of the door opening on the bodysuit. Inside the waterproof pocket, there is a place for a clean gauze pad to absorb any leakage.
Being a nurse entrepreneur
Being a nurse and an entrepreneur is something to celebrate, as it is no easy feat! We had the opportunity to speak with Cecilia. We were able to ask how she was able to find time to develop an innovative product while still working as a nurse. She said that once the prototype was created, she knew she would have to be even more diligent and committed to working on it through nights and weekends.
We know so many nurses are waiting to share their brilliant ideas with the world. Cecilia offered some tips on how you can stay motivated in order to bring your ideas to life!
Having a clear reason for pursuing your brand is a great way to stay motivated. So, it’s a great idea to revisit and write out your “WHY” reason. Cecilia uses this technique herself to help her get through the ups and downs of business.
Connecting with like-minded people can lead to many opportunities. Another advantage of networking is meeting people you can use as a resource to ask for help and guidance if you hit a road bump.
Cecilia’s customers and glowing testimonials fuel her passion for Tubesies. They are available for purchase on the Tubesies website.
Lumify
Have you ever needed to go into a patient’s room but didn’t want to turn on the light and disturb them while they were sleeping? A Lumify wearable night-light can easily be a great way to give yourself a source of light.
What is Lumify?
Lumify is a nurse-founded company that provides healthcare professionals with the gear and resources that they need to excel at the bedside and beyond! To begin their mission, Lumify launched their flagship product, the uNight Light.
The light is a LED light that you can attach to your scrubs. It also features 3 different light colors (red, white, and blue lights). With the Lumify light, you don’t have to worry about the light waking your patients up. Its brightness has been tested to ensure your environment will be illuminated without disrupting your patients.
Nurses love Lumify for being such a helpful and easy tool to use. Now, Lumify has even more in store for nurses with their Lumify 2.0 that is being released in a couple months.
New additions that will be in the Lumify are a direct response to customer feedback.
Some of the popular requests that will be featured include:
- Rechargeable battery
- Light dimmer and brightener
- Ability to choose light colors instead of having to use a toggle
There are even more features in the works, so there’s definitely much to look forward to!
Finding your passion
We had the pleasure of speaking with Jennifferre, who is the co-founder of Lumify. She has always been one to find solutions to problems.
Being a nurse herself, Jennifferre is thrilled to be able to solve a problem for her profession. Knowing that many devices nurses use regularly aren’t created by nurses, Jennifferre takes great pride in Lumify’s success in the healthcare community.
When it comes to balancing working as a nurse and still finding the time to bring an innovative idea to life, Jennifferre emphasizes making sure you are passionate about your project. It seems like a no-brainer to make sure you’re passionate about what you pursue. However, staying consistent about something is harder than it looks!
Jennifferre says that her passion for Lumify is the reason she was able to believe in her product and persevere through being an underrepresented founder in this environment. She advises any nurse entrepreneurs to “stay gritty”, as you will be told “no” a lot.
Utilizing your current network
Let’s say you already have a full-fledged business plan in the works. Perhaps you are trying to find a side hustle that works for you. Regardless, of any stage you are in, the people around you can serve as inspiration and opportunities.
Nurses may not realize how beneficial their network can be. Jennifferre urges anyone in the healthcare field to learn as much as they can from different departments. You never know who can help take your idea to the next level!
Lumify App
Consider the Lumify app the one-stop shop for healthcare professionals and students to be successful. It’s not just another app that serves as another platform for you to buy the product. The Lumify app offers things, such as:
- Wellness resources
- Career and education support
- Exclusive discounts
- Advances on payroll
- Single Check out (coming soon)
You can download the Lumify app for iPhone here.
