No more fun scrubs

[EJBNeuroRN]

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!

[EJBNeuroRN]

Thanks for all this great responses! I could go either way when it comes to wearing the scrubs I have versus the designated color. It would be nice to not have to go out and buy new scrubs, especially because I find it difficult to find a brand and size that I actually like. And ordering from a catalog is more or less a crap shoot.

The union is up in arms because it's the union, they live to get their underwear in a bunch. Their whole idea was, "if you let the hospital win on this issue, just wait until there are more important issues on the line".

Either way, I'm still a newbie at the job, and pretty much have a go with the flow attitude. As long as I don't have to wear white!

[caliotter3]

I like your description of the union's motives, sums it up nicely. But you have to say that they have a point. And anything is better than white.

[CelticGoddess, BSN, RN]

*** Wow, you must work in a great hospital. I assume so since your managment must have solved all real problems long before they had time to wast on such sillyness. They are totaly wrong BTW. It will not increase patient satisfaction. They are trying a very, very old idea and expecting different results than all the other hospitals who tried it.

What color do the physicians wear? Do all physicians wear the same color or are they color coded by specialiety?

The facility I work at is making all the nurses wear white shoes. (Even though at orientation we were told that we could wear black shoes) As if that is going to solve all the problems. The big joke is that patient A has a pressure ulcer because Nurse Jackie is wearing black shoes. they are more concerned about appearances than the real issues.

We do all wear the same color. But the shoe issue is a joke.

[xtine618]

Where I work, the hospital provides the scrubs for certain departments and we wear street clothes in and change before and after our shift. I work in the ICU and we were green or black scrubs that the unit provides. I usually bring in my own black pants bc the ones the hospital provides never fit or the choice of sizes are sporifice. When I asked my manager why we don't just wear our own scrubs, she said it's because the cardiac surgeons like to know which nurses are ICU nurses. I guess we can tell which doctors are the cardiac surgeons by the huge heads that can't be supported by their bodies.

But for the record, I kinda like our green and black scrubs. I think the color coding is more helpful to the staff than anything else. Pts don't care about our color coded scrubs so I always introduce myself and at the end of my shift I introduce my replacement. Most people look fine in their own scrubs that they pick out, but there are ALWAYS a couple empolyees who like to see how much they can get away with. We had one guy who wore wife beaters to work! Yikes! Talk about trashy and unprofessional.

[Guest 360983]

All the hospitals in my area do this. Every hospital gives the same reason--so people aren't confused--but I kinda fell in love with my hospital when I saw that every patient whiteboard has a a blue shirt and a purple shirt with RN and Tech next to them. Our patients can actually figure out who is who!! Every other hospital I've been at just assigned job positions colors and left it at that. I'm not so naive as to think that all the patients look at the board to figure out what's going on, but at least my hospital is trying.

As for my opinion? I don't really have one. I learned very quickly that if I took a hospital job in my city, I'd be told what colors to wear. I'm happy with the color I can wear and it's a common color so if I were to pick up a PRN job, there is a decent chance I can wear the same scrubs. I think a uniform allowance is good of your hospital.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

i believe that you can't complain that you aren't being taken seriously as a professional if you dress as if you're going to a middle school sleepover.

*** good point. does anyone not consider physicians professionals? do physicians need to be told by their boss what color they need to wear? lawyers are professionals. nobody tells them they have to wear grey suits and can't wear blue suits.

i tell my children what color to wear, but they are in elementary school. i consider it paternalistic in the extreme to be told what color i have to wear and i will accept such direction as soon as the physicians do.

[Creamsoda, ASN, RN]

I guess because I wear hospital blue, green and navy anyway, wouldnt bother me. I dont care for the prints anyway. You could always have cute warm up jackets, I would probably do that if it really bothered you

[aachavez]

Ok couple things... someone said something about the color of undergarments being mandated, I can understand that when everyone is wearing WHITE! lol Im in school, and of course we're in solid whites, but some of the girls still wear brightly colored underroos... just strikes me as tacky. But then again I was the one who laughed when they actually had to mandate in the dress code white or flesh undies, now i know why!!!

I like the idea of color coding for staff reference. I dont think the patient's care, or can remember anyway. But for my own reference I like being able to tell who's who from other floors/depts. What would be kinda cool, is you have the option to wear coordinating prints as well. Lets say RN's wear royal blue, they can wear solid blue, or blue pants and a coordinating top. Everyone that cares would know that blue means RN, but you still get to personalize if you wish.

[RNperdiem, RN]

About the doctors wearing what they want...

The attendings set the dress code for the residents, and they certainly will have a chat with any resident in their service who is inappropriately dressed. Some attendings are stricter than others on appearances.

My brother worked for 3 years under a "dress shirt and tie" attending, and the hospital didn't pay for anything.

Appearances matter, not just for nurses.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

About the doctors wearing what they want...

The attendings set the dress code for the residents, and they certainly will have a chat with any resident in their service who is inappropriately dressed. Some attendings are stricter than others on appearances.

My brother worked for 3 years under a "dress shirt and tie" attending, and the hospital didn't pay for anything.

Appearances matter, not just for nurses.

*** Certainly high standards are among the marks of a professional. What color shirt and tie did the attending order your brother to wear? I suspect that he didn't. I suspect that the attending made it clear that high standards were the expectation and trusted in your bothers abiliety to pick appropriate colors.

Apparently nurses can't be trusted like professionals can and must be dictated to in the most basic manner.

[kalevra, BSN, RN]

as long as its not white

[Williss2]

I personally prefer choosing my own scrubs. There are professional scrub sets out there that does not make you look like a clown. I have worked at places that you choose your own and mandated colors. My biggest thing with one colored scrubs is the fading. When you are washing the same things over and over, it requires you to purchase scrubs more often to avoid looking washed out. Also, when they need their pain meds or anything else, my patients have no issues knowing who their nurse is.