Alumni Q&A: Moxie Scrubs: For Nurses, By (IHP Alumni) Nurses

Tell us a bit about your clinical work?
 
I have been a cardiac surgery nurse since I graduated from the IHP in 2016 and have become very specialized in the cardiac field. I often see patients who are pre- and post-op from coronary artery bypass surgeries, valve repairs and replacements, aortic aneurism repairs, and more. I have also become qualified to take care of patients with Ventricular Assist Devices and heart transplants on our unit, which requires more training within this field. This nursing path fills my desire to be at the bedside, to comfort, care for, and anticipate the complex needs of patients. 
 
How did you connect with Moxie Scrubs? What was the catalyst for your wanting to create scrubs for health professionals?
 
To be transparent, it was never my intention to do anything outside of bedside nursing! That is until I met Alicia Tulsee, the now founder and CEO of Moxie Scrubs, in an Uber outside of the Harvard Innovation Lab. I struck up a conversation with Alicia and she curiously asked where I was from. I laughed and said “I’m from here! I just talk to everyone - I’m a nurse.” To our mutual surprise and excitement, I learned that Alicia happened to be in the brainstorming phase of creating a brand dedicated to nurses. Both of us believed in the need for this extraordinary profession to be recognized, cherished, and above all, empowered. Together we could make a difference, starting with the clothes nurses wear every day. We both saw a need for scrubs to be elevated in professionalism, comfort, and practicality without sparing quality and affordability. I onboarded two other IHP alum friends, Justine Tresvant and Stephanie Martinez, and together we became the first three designers for Moxie Scrubs, each making our own garment prototypes. "For Nurses, By Nurses" became the company motto and Moxie Scrubs was born! 

Editor note: Justine is the designer behind the Justine Jogger Pant, Stephanie the Stephanie Top , and Ashley the Ashley Top.
 
What work do you do for Moxie Scrubs?
 
Apart from my initial design role, I now work part-time for Moxie Scrubs as a brand ambassador - Justine and Stephanie remain full time RN’s. I am Moxie’s nursing liaison, helping to influence multi-level choices the brand makes to ensure the nursing perspective is at the forefront of all we do as a company. Because of this, I have my hand in sales, public relations, advertising, social content and social engagement. To seamlessly serve our nurses, we must also be a brand created with nurses, and that’s where I step in. 
 
Why is this work important to you?
 
I ensure that the nurse is at the forefront of all we do as a brand. Being a nurse is important to me because a healthy nursing profession makes for a healthy community. To elevate the confidence of my fellow nurses, there is a need to start with what’s most practical, the uniform. Moxie Scrubs isn't just a brand, it's a hub for like-minded nurses to feel respected and uplifted. More than just keeping our prices affordable, we show gratitude of our customers through gifts of appreciation, our informative nurse-written articles, the partnerships we choose, and the daily reminders of self-care. We are even launching the Moxie Scrubs Foundation soon to support the mental health of the individuals that make up this incredible profession!
 
What knowledge and skills do you bring from your IHP degree into your work with Moxie Scrubs?
 
My classes at MGH IHP were enriching and helped me to navigate my primary purpose in life; to give others the tools needed to lead more wholesome lives themselves. Starting my career at the IHP, I learned quickly that communication and trust are the cornerstones of being a healthcare professional. It is important to be communicative to build trust, but it is even more important to be an engaged listener. Every day, I listen to my patients and adjust my work routine to accommodate their needs. Likewise, at Moxie Scrubs we are constantly reflecting on customer feedback and learning new ways to improve our brand with nurses in mind.

My IHP experience helped me to solidify my love for education. At Moxie Scrubs, I feel that I extend this love to an even wider audience through the articles I've written for the moxiescrubs.com blog. For instance, my article “How to Survive Nursing Clinicals” pours the knowledge I learned during my practicum into an easy guide to assist the newer generation of nurse professionals. 

Healthcare professionals must perfect their skills in time management due to the fast-paced environment of the healthcare industry. This is another lesson I learned while attending the IHP, which I have transferred to my work with Moxie Scrubs. When designing the scrub pant, we thought about how nurses are busy and in constant motion. In response, we developed a pant with a patent-pending waistline that helps to keep the garment exactly where it should be so that nurses do not have to adjust as they bend, crouch, or sit. In addition, the pant includes numerous, thoughtfully placed pockets that keep all high use items within easy reach. Learning that time management is a key skill in healthcare and then using that knowledge to create a time saving garment has been quite rewarding.

How do you think your work with Moxie Scrubs helps you to live the mission of the IHP, which is “To prepare health professionals and scientists to advance care for a diverse society through leadership in education, clinical practice, research, and community engagement”?

Moxie Scrubs is a woman-owned and minority-owned business, we feature a diverse group of nurses on our leadership team, and our scrub line comprises an inclusive selection of sizes from XXS to 5XL. We are a progressive business and have partnered with the American Nurses Association to position ourselves at the forefront of community engagement. Our brand is created by actual nurses. In creating the Moxie Scrubs brand, it has been our mission to use the platform that we have to enhance the nursing profession. We are living the IHP’s mission to better our healthcare community and continuing to find new ways to accomplish these goals! 

Coming soon: The Moxie Scrubs segment on the new show ‘Viewpoint’ with Dennis Quaid. Come check us out!