Nurses wearing white

Nurses General Nursing

Published

The hospital has decreed that all nurses will wear white in the near future. Despite a petition to administration voicing the opinions of the nurses that overwhelmingly the majority of nurses working at the bedside do not want to wear white, the policy has stood firm and the deadline to change to white is rapidly approaching.

My quesion is......do you think that nurses should be forced to wear white? Do you think nurses should all wear the same uniform?

I finished nursing school in 1977 so I actually wore white uniforms (no scrubs) and a cap. It didn't take long to lose the cap and slowly, the trend to wear colored scrubs evolved.

The thought of wearing white all the time just really turns me off. I find it totally impractical and over time, it will gray and stain and tend to need more frequent replacing.

What do you think?

I had to wear white uniforms for nursing school and at my first job. ( I was at that job for 6 years.) I hated it; I was so excited when I changed jobs to be able to have a variety of colours in my 'uniform wardrobe.' However, I was at the hospital last week with my stepmother who was undergoing surgery. I had no idea who was who and none of the staff introduced themselves...we didn't know if the janitor, the porter, the nurses aid or the nurse was taking her to her procedures or who was taking her blood pressure. (of course the name badge was always turned around and everyone moves so quickly that you don't have a chance to read them anyway.)

Now, I am ambiguous. I as a nurse wearing colourful scrubs wouldn't want to go back to wearing plain white day in and day out. As a patient or family member though I would like to see nurses somehow stand out from other staff.

I had to wear white uniforms for nursing school and at my first job. ( I was at that job for 6 years.) I hated it; I was so excited when I changed jobs to be able to have a variety of colours in my 'uniform wardrobe.' However, I was at the hospital last week with my stepmother who was undergoing surgery. I had no idea who was who and none of the staff introduced themselves...we didn't know if the janitor, the porter, the nurses aid or the nurse was taking her to her procedures or who was taking her blood pressure. (of course the name badge was always turned around and everyone moves so quickly that you don't have a chance to read them anyway.)

Now, I am ambiguous. I as a nurse wearing colourful scrubs wouldn't want to go back to wearing plain white day in and day out. As a patient or family member though I would like to see nurses somehow stand out from other staff.

Which would be easily accomplished by taking the janitors/housekeepers/unit secretaries/transporters/dietary workers OUT of scrubs. Any of the above could do their job effectively in a polo shirt and khakis.

I had to wear white uniforms for nursing school and at my first job. ( I was at that job for 6 years.) I hated it; I was so excited when I changed jobs to be able to have a variety of colours in my 'uniform wardrobe.' However, I was at the hospital last week with my stepmother who was undergoing surgery. I had no idea who was who and none of the staff introduced themselves...we didn't know if the janitor, the porter, the nurses aid or the nurse was taking her to her procedures or who was taking her blood pressure. (of course the name badge was always turned around and everyone moves so quickly that you don't have a chance to read them anyway.)

Now, I am ambiguous. I as a nurse wearing colourful scrubs wouldn't want to go back to wearing plain white day in and day out. As a patient or family member though I would like to see nurses somehow stand out from other staff.

Which could be easily taken care of by folks identifying themselves and if not, ask them who they are.

Also, the wearing of the large "RN" patch.

This is really simple to me - just tell folks who you are.

steph

This is a semi-related topic...

I understand that many facilities are requiring all-white in order to acheive a more professional & put-together look, but I think that you can look just as professional in all navy, all blue, what have you.

In the facilities I've been in, what looked awful were the whites that had been worn a gabillion times and stained. Not to mention that they were see thru and some even had yellow armpit stains! Ew! Then, there were the pants legs dragging on the floor, the no-longer white shoes, and the faded beyond recognition prints. So, just because a facility orders all whites in order to look more professional, it can back fire.

how many zero's in a gabillion?

:confused:

:)

Specializes in Utilization Management.
how many zero's in a gabillion?

:confused:

:)

A gabillion is kinda like a UA that comes back with a bacteria count of

TNTC (too numerous to count). ;)

Specializes in CTSICU, SICU, MICU, CCU, Trauma.

Personally, I do not appreciate it when administrators try to keep nurses "under their thumbs" by dictating such petty crap as what color they can/must wear.

WOW! I am overwhelmed by the 50 replies that have been posted on this thread! I appreciated the variety of opinions on this topic and thank everyone who posted for their honesty and insights!

When I posted this thread, I was looking for some ideas to include in a letter to administration regarding this "decision". You guys really gave me some thoughts that need to be included!

My major objection to the color white is the short lifespan of this color scrub or uniform. I too am a magnet for ink, blood, vomit, dust at the desk, etc. The underwear issue is another objection I have. Supposedly the "committee" who decided on white at this hospital actually mentioned monitoring nurses for thongs...........so you SEE.........there is a sexual nurse fetish aspect to this decision.

From an organizational standpoint I am REALLY against this decision because it is the usual administration imposed dictatorship. No collaboration, no discussion with nurses in the trenches.......just take it or leave it.

I am seriously considering working at a hospital where they don't require us to wear white. I work for an agency and the agency sent us the "dresscode" rules and expect us to comply. The staff at this hospital have been given two free whites from the uniform company that will be supplying all the other uniforms. I haven't seen the free whites but I'm sure they are quite ugly.

I currently own about 5 nice sets of colorful scrubs. I feel that they reflect my individuality and NO I don't own Sponge Bob Scrubs. I have never had a patient say they didn't know I was the nurse. I have had to correct them when they call their NA (If we have one even working with us) their nurse. So I agree that if you take everyone else out of scrubs you'll know who your nurse is.

I wouldn't even mind having all nurses in a uniform color like Navy or whatever. As long as it is actually a decision made by a panel that includes nurses working at the bedside. That's all I ask. Some respect for the nurses who are out there doing their job and trying to project a professional image despite the fact that they have to mop floors because housekeeping doesn't answer their pages, draw blood because some CFO downsized or eliminated phlebotomists, do EKGs for the same reason, empty garbage, empty linen bags that are overflowing, take dinner trays out of the patient rooms because the dietary people never return after dropping them off........you get the picture. No wonder the public doesn't know we are the nurse!

When I wore white and a cap, I had about 4 nursing assistants working the med surg floor and 2 working in ICU's. They were wonderful people and worked very hard. Our housekeepers knew us and we knew them. They kept our units sparkling. When people said to me.......how can you be a nurse? I can't stand bedpans! I just laughed........because I RARELY handed out a bedpan or cleaned up after it's use.

Now........I don't have to tell you. By the end of a shift I am splattered with some kind of body fluid. When I get home in the morning I strip in the laundry room and the uniforms are washed almost immediately. Even with the colorful prints we all know the germs that are residing there!

So thanks again for your input........I'm sure the "battle" will be lost because the ER started a petition and it was ignored. Just as most outcries from nursing are ignored.......our major problem in the profession.

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

can you work someplace else? sounds as if you won't win this battle here.

how many zero's in a gabillion?

:confused:

:)

I think about ten trillion give or take. :rolleyes:
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
It is not just a panty line, it is the whole panty. :eek:

One nurse leans against the nurse's station and her shirt rides up and her whole tush is uncovered and you can see the entire back of her underwear.

Just a little peeve of mine.

steph

I would, at least rather see the underwear through the pants than NO underwear through the pants. I mean that's just too much info.

(That some people i used to work with had no problem sharing:uhoh3: )

Which could be easily taken care of by folks identifying themselves and if not, ask them who they are.

Also, the wearing of the large "RN" patch.

This is really simple to me - just tell folks who you are.

steph

We could have RN tatooed on our foreheads, as long as there are other people in a similar clothing style running around, many people just won't get it. Trust me, I have worked in a facility where EVERY RN wore a plastic piece behind their regular badge (almost never flipped over b/c of it's weight-balance with the badge) that had RN on it in huge letters. LPNs had LPN on theirs, CNAs had CNA on theirs. Everyone else in the hospital wore the standard photo ID badge, without any kind of large title display. Every nurse (at least those that I worked with) identified him/herself by name and title to patients and visitors.. Still, only about 1 patient/visitor out of 3 could tell one staff member from another. They still asked the housekeepers for their pain meds. :rolleyes: The staff could tell one another apart, but that was about it.

Some people are stressed due to being in the hospital (or their family member being in the hospital), others just dont listen to a d*** thing you say. Both these factors contribute to "not knowing who the nurse is".

We could have RN tatooed on our foreheads, as long as there are other people in a similar clothing style running around, many people just won't get it. Trust me, I have worked in a facility where EVERY RN wore a plastic piece behind their regular badge (almost never flipped over b/c of it's weight-balance with the badge) that had RN on it in huge letters. LPNs had LPN on theirs, CNAs had CNA on theirs. Everyone else in the hospital wore the standard photo ID badge, without any kind of large title display. Every nurse (at least those that I worked with) identified him/herself by name and title to patients and visitors.. Still, only about 1 patient/visitor out of 3 could tell one staff member from another. They still asked the housekeepers for their pain meds. :rolleyes: The staff could tell one another apart, but that was about it.

Some people are stressed due to being in the hospital (or their family member being in the hospital), others just dont listen to a d*** thing you say. Both these factors contribute to "not knowing who the nurse is".

I don't think you will fix that with uniforms. People are strange.

Two examples - when I worked in public service we used to laugh at folks who would come up to ask where the bathroom was . . the sign was large and right over our heads in bright lettering. How could they miss it??? But they did. I remembered later laughing when the same thing happened to me when I asked for something and there was a clearly marked sign there. People are people and will sometimes not see their nose to spite their face.

#2 My husband and I were sitting in a doctor's office listening to instructions about a possible cancer diagnosis and what kinds of tests we needed to do and the timing of them. Later in the car I asked my husband about the tests and he was completely blank. He remembered absolutely nothing after the word "cancer". Fortunately it wasn't cancer. But he was told in great detail about the follow up stuff and didn't remember.

The answer isn't going to be a one size fits all. I'd be willing to bet if you walked into a room with all white on plus the cap there would be a patient who might not realize you are a nurse.

steph

I would, at least rather see the underwear through the pants than NO underwear through the pants. I mean that's just too much info.

(That some people i used to work with had no problem sharing:uhoh3: )

I don't understand that ... makes for an unclean feeling all day, I would think.

As you said - too much information. :p

steph

+ Add a Comment