No more fun scrubs

Nurses General Nursing

Published

It was recently decided at my place of work that the staff is to change to all one color scrubs, for example, RN's are navy blue, PT is royal blue, LPN's are eggplant...and so on.

The hospital thought it would increase patient satisfaction because they would be able to tell what discipline is assisting them by just looking at the color of their scrubs.

The union is up in arms because we are letting the hospital decide what we wear and how do they reimburse us for all the scrubs we already own. The hospital did respond by giving each staff member a predetermined amount of money to use to buy scrubs based on hours worked.

What are some thoughts about changing to one color scrubs? Has it happened at your hospital? Was it well received or fought by the union?

I'm going to miss all my colors, patterns, and prints. I may have to go out and buy hot pink crocs!

All colour coded in the UK (every hospital I've been in anyway). Patients still don't get it, most of the time! And that's WITH the staff saying "I'll be your RN/CNA/Charge nurse today"

Mind you, I think the uniform colours look very professional.

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I hated it! Even the pts hated it!! They used to love to comment on scrub tops and who was wearing Garfield, or 'those beautiful butterflies', Betty Boop, etc. Then they go to those butt ugly patterns that only they like and even the pts are disappointed. I agree with an above poster who stated the upper people should all be forced to wear the exact same thing and with no control over proper fit/comfort.

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Specializes in OR.

Be thankful your hospital is giving you some money to reimburse. Mine is mandating a uniform change in July, and not giving us a cent to buy new. I am a new grad, so I had to buy the current color scheme for the five months I work now, then will have to buy the new ones in summer. Mandating black shoes and sock color, too. Sounds like yours isn't that strict!

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Specializes in Emergency, Pre-Op, PACU, OR.

Our hospital is on the way to color-coded scrubs as well. Pointless in my opinion because 1) the patients won't remember which color means which profession, and 2) the colors are not standardized among our hospital network, so even if a patient knows that blue means RN in hospital X, it might mean CNA in hospital Y of the same network.

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We went to color coding a few years ago and the tacky scrubs disappeared. Work has never looked better.

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Specializes in MICU - CCRN, IR, Vascular Surgery.
Be thankful your hospital is giving you some money to reimburse. Mine is mandating a uniform change in July, and not giving us a cent to buy new. I am a new grad, so I had to buy the current color scheme for the five months I work now, then will have to buy the new ones in summer. Mandating black shoes and sock color, too. Sounds like yours isn't that strict!

Pretty sure I know where you work lol. Don't forget mandating 1 of 4 shirt styles, and 1 of 4 pants styles, which have to be embroidered and bought through only one company :(

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

I don't mind color coding but at my workplace we have to wear white and it sucks!

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Specializes in OR.
Pretty sure I know where you work lol. Don't forget mandating 1 of 4 shirt styles, and 1 of 4 pants styles, which have to be embroidered and bought through only one company :(
Hahaha ... True that!
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I'm not an RN (yet) but worked for a long time as a hospital social worker....working on unfamiliar floors, I much preferred the color-coding. Way easier to quickly spot the RN vs PT vs techs when you have a question. And some people's ideas about "fun" scrubs are....a little goofy-looking, if you ask me.

I'd have been happy to wear scrubs to work every day - I hate owning and dealing with "business" clothes. For unclear reasons our hospital made the social workers and discharge planners wear lab coats over their business clothes. Confused pretty much everyone!

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.

The union made a halfhearted attempt to protest the change, but I didn't think it was a big deal. I think it will help oriented patients know who they are talking to.

I just bought two sets of embroidered scrubs with the $60 they gave us for the starter set. We also get an annual uniform stipend depending on how many hours we are scheduled.

I suppose I am still new enough to just appreciate having a job to complain about my employer purchasing uniforms for me.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

I've been color-coded for years and no job has ever given me money for scrubs. In the scheme of things it's not that big of a deal. I like being able to identify staff members from other floors. Our union couldn't give a rip about what the hospital says we are to wear and I'm thankful that they are focused on important things...like staffing.

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
Can the union take issue with this edict from on high? I wonder how the suits would feel if they had to dress identically.

In the OP's case the union "sort of" tried to fight it. They objected because the change wasn't negotiated, petitions were sent around, and they tried to convince nurses to not vote on the choice of colors.

But that's about it. I think it was a token protest, as the union muckety mucks didn't take it to the newspapers, rather they continued to focus on staffing and safety issues in the press. (Which I appreciated.)

I support the change, I think it makes sense. Plus they are kicking in for the uniforms and I can write rest off on my taxes.

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