Incredible Health Staff

Living with a mental illness can be devastating.  Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and any other mental illness can have a profound effect on a person’s life.  In this article, we speak with a woman suffering from mental illness. She talks about challenges and obstacles she has overcome in order to live a rewarding life. The issues addressed are important for nurses to understand in order to help their patients with mental illness.

Can you help me understand what it’s like living with your condition?

I have Bipolar I Disorder which means I go through periods of severe depression and mania.  When I am depressed I withdraw from people and am unable to perform even the most basic tasks.  When I’m manic, I don’t need to sleep or eat.  I think I can do anything and don’t consider the consequences.  I also have Generalized Anxiety Disorder.  Symptoms include difficulty concentrating and the inability to calm down.  This makes it hard to work or focus. I take medications in order to keep my symptoms under control.  I use coping skills in order to help combat the effects of my illness.  I enjoy writing, crocheting, and walking.  Having a team of people I trust around me also makes a huge difference.

How has living with this condition shaped who you are today?

When I was first diagnosed with my mental illness 20 years ago, I felt ashamed and embarrassed.  Most of those feelings stemmed from the fact that I knew very little about my illness and how to manage it.  I realized that I needed to do everything I could to help myself.  This included seeing a psychiatrist, taking medication as prescribed, working with a therapist, and joining support groups.  I finally realized I am not my illness.  Now, I no longer let my mental illness define me.  I am a much stronger person for facing my struggles and not giving up.  I’ve learned to be patient with myself, as well as empathetic and gracious. I see myself as a survivor.

What do you wish people knew about mental health?

People fear what they don’t understand and I think mental illness is a mystery to many people.  There are many types of mental illness and they affect people differently.  Suffering from a mental illness can be very scary and confusing and can have an isolating effect on someone.  Those without mental illness often expect people to ‘snap out of it’ and just choose to be happy.  That is just not possible.  You would not expect a diabetic to ‘snap out of it.’  Believe me, if it were possible I would do it!  

What is something you want people to know about the stigma around mental illness?

When I was first diagnosed with mental illness, I listened to what the media said.  TV shows often portray a person with mental illness as a criminal or uncontrollable.  Bipolar disorder is often used as a joke when people change their minds about something.  I think it’s an uphill battle, but as more people are diagnosed with mental illness, people will begin to prioritize learning about it. Those with mental illness can live extremely successful lives filled with joy and happiness!   

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It’s nurses’ week and let’s just be clear: coffee and PTO don’t solve all your problems. This position is often thankless at times. Plus, you work long hours and know way too much about charts (in all their wonderful permutations). Sometimes you need a mental break from it all.

Can we interest you in a laugh?

Funny Nurse Anecdotes

One nurse chose to work nights and weekends because it is clearly easier.

“Saturday nights are my favorite,” she said. “Almost all of the patients have gone home. And the ones that are here are completely healthy. They need a good, uninterrupted night’s sleep and I’ll be sitting over there playing sudoku to allow that to happen.”

Another nurse questions her uninterrupted lunch.

“I just don’t understand why I haven’t been interrupted during lunch,” one nurse lamented with tears in her eyes. “I have all of this quiet to think, decompress, and collect myself. It isn’t right.”

Source: Nurse.com

Did a nurse do the unthinkable?

“At one job, we used to leave blood and urine specimens on the counter to be picked up by the laboratory in the morning. So at the early end of a 12-hour night shift, I put diluted apple juice into a urine specimen cup — and left it on the counter. In the morning, I asked if anyone knew who the urine belonged to and when everyone shrugged their shoulders, I opened the lid and sniffed it. I said it doesn’t smell too bad and immediately downed it. The looks of shock and disgust on my peers’ faces were amazing and priceless!”

— Jerome S., RN, Colorado

Being a nurse is hard work? What do you meme?

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve had a laugh, here are some great resources to help you with any accumulated stress like our nurse burnout piece or our strategies for developing a work-life balance during COVID-19.

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Personal Finance / How to Wash Scrubs

If you are a nurse, you practically live in your scrubs. The good news is that scrubs have gotten a lot more interesting. Some of the more experienced nursing professionals remember a time when you had one choice of color and style. Now, the design and fit options are expansive. This makes knowing how to wash scrubs all the more important.

The healthcare profession demands scrubs as the uniform of preference. Everyone from aides and nurses to anesthesiologists and surgeons must wear them for good reasons.

• They help maintain a sterile environment
• They allow for easier identification of healthcare staff
• They protect the skin from harmful bacteria and other unsanitary substances

Now that you know the why of wearing scrubs, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of how to keep them clean. Nurses work long hours. The last thing they want to do is spend hours sanitizing their scrubs. Here are some tips for the best ways to wash your scrubs that will help them last longer.

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Tip #1: Wash your scrubs separately

Never, ever wash your scrubs with another load of laundry. We know it is tempting to save time, but there are reasons why it is never a good idea. You should also have a “scrubs only” laundry hamper. Why? It helps to prevent the spread of infection. Nurses work with patients who have a variety of illnesses and injuries. While hospitals are sanitary places, it can be difficult to stop the spread of some bacteria and other harmful materials. Keeping your scrubs separate before and during washing is the best way to help contain germs.

Tip #2: Pretreating your scrubs

No one likes to think about it, but the fact remains: sometimes nurses get goo on their scrubs. Bodily fluids and foreign contaminants – not to mention the 12 pens in different colors you have shoved in your pockets – all have the potential for stubborn stains on your scrubs. Your best chance at removing them is by pretreating your scrubs before they go into the wash. The kind of stain you have will determine the best course of pretreatment. Here are some of the common stains nurses experience and tips for removing each of them.

Blood

This is a tough one. Since blood is protein and iron-rich, it is extra staining. If it is on a pair of white scrubs, bleach often does the trick. If you are wearing one of your funky designs in a darker color, you may need to use enzyme-based pretreatment. Never use hot water when soaking or washing scrubs stained in blood. The heat can cause the proteins in the blood to set in even further, making it impossible to get the stain out.

Poop

It may be gross, but it does happen. Pretreating with a stain remover like OxyClean will help get the worst part of the stain out. As with blood, stick to using cold or tepid water only.

Vomit

Removing the largest “chunks” from your scrubs immediately is recommended. Then, soak in warm water with a tablespoon of ammonia. You may need to do some gentle rubbing of the affected area while it is in the ammonia/water mixture. After rinsing, apply a stain stick.  Blot the area and rinse a second time.

Medication

RNs and LPNs know what a pain a medication stain can be to remove from scrubs. Keeping a Scrub-A-Dub stain stick in your pocket can be a lifesaver for medication stains. If you get medication on your scrubs, treat it immediately with the stain stick to help prevent the stain from setting.

Ink

Rubbing alcohol and ammonia are a nurse’s best friends for removing (non-permanent) ink stains. Apply undiluted and directly to the ink stain. Never rub the stain or it can spread.

Another tip is to disinfect the area where you pretreated your scrubs to prevent the spread of viruses on other surfaces in your home.

Tip #3: To the wash

Pre-treatment is crucial to getting your scrubs stain-free and ready for final sanitizing in the regular wash. There are some helpful steps to follow when washing your scrubs to get them as clean as possible. This will not only help you look professional, but it also will protect your health. Follow these steps when you are ready for the final wash cycle.

Turn your scrubs inside out

Many of the materials used in scrubs are susceptible to pilling in the wash. Pilling is those little lint-like balls of fabric that show up after washing (and are a pain to get off).

Add vinegar

Using 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar with your regular detergent boosts cleaning power. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant, so it also can help remove germs and other harmful substances.

Use cold or tepid water

It might seem counterintuitive to use cold water to wash your scrubs, since most people assume the hotter the water, the better it disinfects. As we previously discussed, hot water can make stains more difficult to remove.

Dry on high heat

This helps kill any microbes that may remain. There is an important exception to this rule. Check your scrubs as you take them out of the wash. If there are any stains still visible, do not toss them into the dryer. Repeat the pretreatment methods to see if you can get the rest of the stain out.

A final word on caring for your scrubs

Scrubs are an important part of your nursing identity. They can be an expensive part of your wardrobe too (along with other supplies you’ll need). So taking care of them will help them last longer.

Need access to other nursing tips and tools? Stop by our Nursing Career Resources page for additional help. 

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