I had two passions growing up: medicine and sewing. I was given a Fisher Price doctor's kit in kindergarten that I just loved, administering "shots" and taking "blood pressure" from anyone that would let me. I loved the fake Band-aids and stethoscopes. I carried it with me everywhere. I upgraded my toy doctor's kit to a homemade first aid kit with real bandages and antibiotic cream in first grade. Playground time for me was walking around the jungle gym, looking for scraped knees and elbows. I also always had a quirky sense of fashion. My favorite outfits in elementary school were always a mismatch of two different colored shoes or my pink cowgirl boots with a rhinestone tiara. I crafted skirts out of a favorite crochet blanket and tied up a thin baby blanket as a cape. Whatever I could do to be a little different and unique. By high school, both those interests were still strong. I volunteered bi-weekly at the local hospital and started designing and sewing all my formal wear for school dances.

My college years were busy with nursing school, but I was always thinking of ways to improve the scrubs available for sale. Then, after getting a nasty rash on my neck from my stethoscope and feeling the strain of wearing it around my neck, I started thinking of other ways to hold this vital instrument in a less dangerous place. Unfortunately, carrying it in your hand is not an option. Stethoscopes are expensive, and you will invariably set it down and lose it. Also, I had heard stories about patients in mental crisis trying to strangle nurses by grabbing their stethoscopes. One nurse had a patient grab her stethoscope and pull her over the bed railing, breaking her back. This made me feel vulnerable as I approached patients for assessments. But there were no other options.

I started OliveUs in 2019 after years of frustration over the unhealthy practice of carrying my stethoscope around my neck. At that time, I worked as a nurse practitioner in a busy emergency department. A stethoscope is a tool most medical professionals always need on hand. I was convinced by then that wearing a stethoscope around your neck is a serious workplace hazard. From transmitting bacteria, being an ergonomic risk factor, and having the potential of being a serious choking hazard, I knew I needed to figure out a better way to carry one. I became determined to develop medical apparel that would accommodate this life-saving device in a way that is both efficient and holistic.

As I started sketching designs for new patterns, I realized scrubs are essentially a washable tool belt. Just like any tool belt, it needs to have space for workplace implements. Besides lacking a place for a stethoscope, available scrubs did not accommodate the most essential tools needed in the hospital. OliveUs scrubs do! With a stethoscope holder sewn into the waistband, designated pockets for scissors, cell phones, ID cards, pens, and a badge clip holder, OliveUs scrubs have a space for everything medical professionals need. Made with superior bacteria-resistant fabric and flattering styles, this innovative, patent-pending design is a game changer for the medical apparel marketplace. Our waistband looks like a simple solution, and it is, but it took many samples and variations of the idea to create something functional, comfortable, and easy to use. Don't be fooled by the simplicity. There is a lot of engineering behind the design!

As a professional woman, I care about how I present myself. Working in a busy hospital is demanding and exhausting. Most of the staff works long hours at a frantic pace. We wear the same clothes every day, and like every professional, the clothes we wear make a defining statement about who we are. Medicine is a profession of skill but also one of trust. Our clothes need to convey that level of professionalism. They need to be comfortable, functional, and tasteful. We all want to feel good about how we look and perform in our jobs and need the right clothes to help accomplish that. OliveUs is designed and modeled by working medical professionals. The inspiration and designs come straight from the floors of a busy hospital.

OliveUs fabrics were also custom-made to be comfortable and professional. They are antimicrobial, four-way stretch, anti-wrinkle, anti-ultraviolet, and super buttery soft. The materials were designed around medical professionals needing athletic-inspired uniforms to move with OliveUs on the go. I can't tell you how many times I had to hold my chest when leaning over patients to ensure my bra wasn't exposed or pull up my pants before checking a chest tube on the floor to ensure my undergarments were covered. OliveUs moves with you. Lean forward to help your patient out of bed, check that chest tube on the floor, and rest assured that you can focus on caring for your patients. The current colors are olive green and midnight blue, but more colors are in motion, and a launch date will be released on Instagram.

I am a hard-working nurse practitioner who scrimped and saved while working extraordinary hours on the front line of the Covid crisis to bring my idea to a tangible product. I am fully self-funded with a 100% North American made product, and all my designs are my creation. The response to my scrubs has been phenomenal, with over 6 million views on Instagram and raving reviews from the medical professionals now wearing them.

I hope you have enjoyed learning about OliveUs.

Stay healthy!

Kathryn Dickson, RN, DNP, FNP-C, ENP-C

‍OliveUs Apparel is an exciting new line of medical scrubs made from superior bacteria-resistant fabrics that incorporates a stethoscope holder on the waistband. Founded by an emergency department nurse practitioner, the designs are functional and fashionable, providing everything medical professionals need in comfortable, holistic, and flattering styles. With over 6 million Instagram views and sales in the US, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and Great Britain, medical professionals everywhere are excited about this innovative and stylish new product.