Nursing In My Blue Jeans

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I've had several jobs over the years, in various fields of nursing and eventually in medicine, as an NP. I've worn a variety of getups in my career and I'd like to pose a question.

Does it really matter what we wear? Other than the concept of what nurses 'should wear' or what 'looks professional', does the attire we choose or find ourselves in when we render advice or services matter? Does it affect how we think or the knowledge we have?

For example(s): As a nurse, I wore scrubs almost exclusively, except when I worked psych (they preferred us in street clothes, khakis and such).

As an NP, I've worn the gamut, business dressy to scrubs, and where I work now is a jean-and-flip-flop kind of place. Thus far, my knowledge and skills haven't been adversely affected, nor do the patients seem to mind.

I've rendered aid in everything from a Halloween costume to a bikini. A couple of incidents that stand out...both in hospital: while visiting a family member, the Nurse Manager of my floor (back in my RN days) heard I was in house and asked if I could cover a portion of a shift. I did, in my jeans and espadrilles with 3 1/2" heels. No one seemed to give a rat's rip. And, somewhat more famously, when I stayed overnight in hospital with my sick grandmother, I clocked in for a brief time, in my pajamas (gym shorts and a t-shirt and lovely bird's nest hair) to help out. Again, no one seemed to care. I did hit myself with a comb before I left the room, however. And somewhat more recently, I've dug a carpet tack out of a foot in office (in jeans) and listened to a patient detail her entire urinary system in the Walmart checkout line (in gym shorts and a tee, and in front of my father and my son).

So, the brass tacks of what I wonder...is the 'accepted' dress code there more for the patients perception of how we should look, or for us? Scrubs are by no means exclusive to nurses. I've seen threads on here by the dozen, lamenting that no one can tell an RN from a housekeeper (nothing against housekeeping at all, you guys rock). Anyone can buy scrubs, so there's no real designation in them.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

[amoLucia]

Just my opinion ...I don't think I'd judge your professional competency any less if you wore your blue jeans. But I do think I'd be disappointed that you really didn't look a bit more professional. That you didn't care enough about the profession to better 'look the part'.

To answer your question - Attire DOES NOT affect thinking or knowledge; neither should it affect any information or service we render. But having said that, it is sooooo hard to separate our nsg content from our nsg cover (to use the old saying). As a peer professional, I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you are a competent and knowledgable practitioner based on your credentials. But I don't know how much the general population does, esp the older generations, if you're flip-flopping around in your jeans.

Perception is everything! Think nurses who are overweight or who smoke!

Sheesh...nurses have enough problems today with our poor image (there's a current AN post about the negative sterotype portrayal of a nurse for an educational RN - MSN advertisement). There's published commentaries about the public's annoyance about not being able to differentiate nsg in various healthcare facilities now. Is it any surprise that there is still the 'naughty nurse' image?

I'm not talking about Halloween or your impromptu fill-ins, even dress-down Fridays. I know you don't consider jeans professional for an interview. But what if you were to have an unexpected stat conference with the corporate financial biggies or lawyers? I don't expect my dentist to wear jeans and flip-flops. Even a white lab coat doesn't make up for the jeans.

In NO way do I want to see the return of the nsg cap, white dresses with long sleeves and clinics shoes. But I really don't care to see jeans-clad providers either. I want to see a professional who looks the role. We nurses can't have it both ways...we want professional recognition and acceptance. There has to be a better 'dress for professional success' mentality that fits the education & experience we all possess.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Local standards of what is acceptable vary.

The blue jeans doesn't look too bad in places where the locals sport sweats, stretch pants and t-shirts as standard daily wear.

If you took that look to somewhere else where the standard look was more upscale and sophisticated, you would be judged poorly.

How you look does affect how people judge you. Nobody is going to come out and say they are judging you, but they are, so why not look your best?

Maybe this is an American thing? I have lived here for many years, and find a lot of ambivalance about looks, beautifying etc.

[eatmysoxRN, ASN, RN]

I don't think that wearing jeans is bad. Although you did not say you wore this stuff, I do feel like super short dresses/cleavage/stilettos/etc are unprofessional. I saw a np once who looked like she threw a lab coat over her club dress. Eek.

If I knew my provider was competent though, I wouldn't care if he or she wore a bunny costume as long as I was taken care of.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

I don't think jeans are appropriate attire for professionals, and I gleefully threw my scrubs in the garbage when I left bedside nursing and hopefully I will never have to don another pair. All of the providers in my office wear suits/dresses/dress slacks w/ dress shirts. We do have "jeans days" on "special event" days, but even then, I wear my usual "uniform" of what I consider appropriate professional attire. The other NP will sometimes wear jeans on those days, but none of the other providers do. I guess they feel as I do, that it just isn't fitting a professional. It just doesn't look good. It is unbecoming, IMO.

And personally, I just like good clothing, fine fabrics, well tailored, and I enjoy dressing very well. I'll tell you the truth, I am by far the best dressed person in my office, probably in my company, maybe in my city, lol. It is my only vice. I get teased about it all the time. But remember, you are never fully dressed without a smile.

[sapphire18]

I would consider a NP very unprofessional if they were at work in jeans. While I wear scrubs at my job, if I have to be at work for a staff meeting, committee meeting, class, etc, I am expected to dress professionally, as in no jeans, open-toed shoes, or low-cut shirts. If not dressed appropriately, I would be asked to go home.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I don't find jeans to be the image of the professional we're (all) supposed to be. While it's true that "anyone can wear scrubs"--and they do--the expectation of the patient and the rest of the public is that the nurse will be wearing them. We don't have to wear white dresses/hose/shoes anymore, but wearing current medical clothing is expected of a medical professional.

On days I'm doing patient care, which is most days, I wear scrubs. On days I will NOT be doing patient care, I wear "dress casual" clothing in the office, as patients absolutely will still see me moving about--and no jeans. I keep it simple and footwear flat, just in case I AM called in to assist with something urgent. No tottering around!

Our office observes a "Friday is Jeans Day" sort of thing each week for the staff who don't handle patients; those who do still wear scrubs. Administration higher than me doesn't wear jeans, ever.

[IdianaCNA1993]

I think it clearly depends on the area of nursing... In a hospital yeah scrubs should be a must and they should also be color coated by level of work you do so they all know what they can do and who to get in an emergency, like all nurses have to wear plain pink scrubs and aides all have to wear red scrubs kind of deal... In a nursing home I dont see why floor nurses and aides cant wear a NICE pair of jeans and a Tshirt as long as they have a name tag on. I myself have wore my street clothes to work. The ADON wanted me to come in because they needed help my scrubs werent clean she said just wear your street clothes. I worked a 16hour work shift and had to return a few hours later for my next shift I wore my street clothes I just like alot of other nurses and aide felt that if we had to come back after 16 hours with out haveing 10-12 hours off between shifts and some kind of benefit that we were going to wear what we wanted.

[nurse1952fun]

How do you know no one cared? I bet some patients thought you were a visitor. It's hard enough for a patient to figure out who their nurse is when all staff where scrubs with small print on their name tags.

[westieluv]

One of the things that I love about nursing is the opportunity to wear scrubs to work. They're comfortable, forgiving of figure flaws, inexpensive, and they take the guess work out of what to wear to work everyday. I used to have a desk job in a hospice office where I wore business casual and I HATED it!

To address the OP's question, no, jeans are not professional apparel for any type of healthcare professional, IMHO. If I was in the hospital, doctor's office, etc., and a nurse walked in wearing jeans, I would be wondering what in the world was going on, and why wasn't he/she dressed like a professional. It would strongly influence my opinion of that person's professionalism, and I won't even get into the flip-flop thing.

It all depends on the environment. If I was at a summer camp and the nurse had on jeans, maybe it wouldn't be as big of a deal, ditto a clinic in an underdeveloped nation with an extreme climate. But here in the U.S. in a healthcare facility? Uh-uh. Never.

[Wet Noodle]

like all nurses have to wear plain pink scrubs

Even male nurses?

What did male nurses wear in the days of caps, starched white dresses, hose, and white grandma shoes? (Presumably, not jeans.)

[rita359]

I can see wearing very casual clothes if you are asked to work while being at the hospital as a visitor. Even then most hospitals will find some scrubs for you to wear. However, if you come to your job from home I think you should wear dress clothes or if appropriate scrubs with name tag or white jacket. Everyone should be able to identify you as a professional when you are working as such. Jeans, play and beach attire, in my opinion, should not be worn to work as a nurse.

If I go to the hospital for a meeting on my day off I don't think jeans are inappropriate because I am not working.