uniforms are killing us

Token Male · Mar 18, 2003

I like to have a nice white shirt to wear every day to work with navy trousers. It puts me in "WORK MODE" then I go home and change into "Leisure Mode" and leisure garb. Work is serious and Nurses should dress as if it's serious : not flowers and cartoons in a Adult environment.

We had a complaint recently because a visitor had told a cleaner about her relative:eek: because she could not tell staff member status by the lack of uniforms in our work area. Management have been tightening up on the dress code since and I for one prefer it. :specs:

susanmary · Mar 18, 2003

[My gripe continues to be with nurses on my floor sporting LARGE DIAMOND WEDDING RINGS (and other rings), while whining and moaning to the public about how terrible nurses are paid. Yahrite. First, your rings are a terrible infection control issue. Second, no one is boo-hooing over your poverty, seeing that you/your spouse can afford to wear large chunks of expensive rocks on your fingers. Cry me the Amazon. [/b]

What???? I do not hear many nurses "whining and moaning" to the public about nursing salaries. What I do hear are nurses professionally discussing adequate salary/benefit expectations. Secondly, is a "large" diamond wedding ring significantly more of an infection control issue than a smaller diamond ring -- I'm assuming that standard precautions are always taken. Thirdly, why would anyone expect others to boo-hoo over anyone's financial situation -- ring or no ring. I dress conservatively at work -- wear print and solid scrubs -- sometimes even wear my clogs (purple, royal blue, ceil blue) - but even with my diamond rings -- I always look professional. There are bigger issues than this.

susanmary · Mar 18, 2003

TNcanNURSE · Mar 18, 2003

I love all the different prints, but I am especially crazy about the super bright ones. I can do the white pants and whitle lab jacket, but a white shirt on me doesn't stand a chance. I will manage to ruin it before the shift is over. Can't stand the free-flowing hair. I absolutely HATE the long fingernails---Don't get me wrong they are cute, but as long as I work in a clinical environment my fingernails will continure to be as short as I can get them without causing pain.

KMSRN · Mar 18, 2003

Like it or not first impressions and image matters in the professional world. Look around. The "professionals", physicians, PAs, NPs, dietitians, PT, OT, managers, administration wear white lab coats over street clothes or over institution or solid scrubs. The only people I see in Looney Toons, cows, pigs butts, etc are nurses, aides, transporters, housekeeping, and sometimes respiratory techs.

I don't think wearing white scrubs with white or nice floral or design jacket stifles anyone's creativity. And I have never had any more trouble keeping white clean than any other color. I very rarely get them messed up and poop, blood, betadine, etc is just as bad on green as it is on white.

And why the dichotomy between a good nurse and one who dresses professionally? Why can't nurses dress professionally like every other profession? Having said this, I am not holding my breath.

imenid37 · Mar 18, 2003

Originally posted by yannadey
the nails, unkept hair, wrinkled uniformed & excessive jewelry just got to go the printed uniform is ok

i totally agree. guilty as charged w/ the cute uniforms. they are always clean and pressed. i wear them everyday. i don't get mistaken for housekeeping or dietary. i guess it helps they are not there at night(lol). probably, i have been mistaken for the physician more than anyone else by pt's who do not realize i am a nurse. (yes i know i will not get taken for an english teacher) most people know i am a nurse 'cause i wear a large name tag that says rn. as long as people are clean and neat, i have no problems w/ their uniforms. having worked where all white was worn in the mid 80's, i know how awful that looks on folks who don't keep their uniforms as clean as they should.YUK!!!

c.wicks · Mar 18, 2003

I agree with KMSRN and support the professional image of the RN.

When you choose to wear white, you assume the responsibility of maintaining aseptic standards in practice. It becomes impractical if not impossible to try to hide that splatter of blood or other body fluids that on occasion will "reach out and touch you". The very essence of nursing requires that we get "up close and personal" with our patients, and I personally, wouldn't want it any other way. But in the event that my white scrubs are on the receiving end of volatile body fluids, I am sure to know exactly where I have been contaminated. Before I approach my next patient, I can choose to wash off the contaminated area or quickly change into the extra set of whites I keep in my locker. I am also sure that some of these close encounters could be concealed within the multicolored conglomerates of the latest fashion trends designed for the modern nurse today. And this would undoubtedly save us time and money, but at whose expense? Our white uniforms require that we maintain the meticulous hygiene that our profession demands. Tradition alone is not the only reason behind the white uniform. It symbolically reflects who we are and what we do.

bossynurse · Mar 18, 2003

No one is saying that those who prefer to wear white only are in the wrong. However there are some strong opinions that white is what all "good nurses" wear. I wear printed scrub tops nearly everyday. My patients like the tops. And most of all they like me. I get mentioned on patient surveys often. I am professional, I am neat in appearance, hair not in face, short clean nails, clothes not wrinkled. I introduce myself right away and write my name and title on the message board inside the pt's room. They know who the nurse is and who the pct is.

MrsK1223 · Mar 18, 2003

Hospitals are "blah" enough without there being restrictions like having to wear all white. Back in the day it was "nursey" but the colors and designs give life to an otherwise dreary environment. It's like adding some sunshine to a rainy day (hospitals being so "medical" and drab). I personally don't wear bears and cartoons for the most part but I do like the Betty Boop movie reel scrub and love to wear solids. I wear a white lab coat cause I don't want to pay for so many different coats to match my scrubs...I think that adds to the professional look too. To each their own...enjoy our "freedom" of color.

MoJoeRN,C · Mar 19, 2003

Originally posted by JnJTyson
Hi everyone! Just wandered onto to here. Glad I found it! I'm in nursing school right now to get my LPN. Of course, we have school uniforms. Burgendy tops, white pants. School patch on the top as well. I love it. Makes it that much easier to do my morning routine.

As far as work goes. I currently have my CNA/HHA. I work through agencies. When I go to a clients home, I tend to wear solid color scrubs. Either same color top and bottom, or white bottom with a color top. Same for the hospital. I do have a few patterned scrubs. My scooby doo top is my favourite! Where do I wear that one? When I work the night shit mostly. No ones really aware that I have scooby doo running around all over my shirt.

I think uniforms are a good thing. But I think individuality is very important as well. But are those black tops with chili peppers all over it really appropriate?

Imagine if you had Dementia, or any other mind altering disease. What would you do if you saw some chili peppers holding a cup of pills headed your way?

Jules

MoJoeRN,C · Mar 19, 2003

As an old psych nurse, I loved the dementia part, thanks for the chuckle. When I was a nursing student at the University of Tenn at Nashville in 75-77. All nursing except peds wore white. Psych was the next to change out of whites and we wore appropriate street clothing, slacks and a dress shirt, tie not worn,( have you seen what Jackie Chan can do with a tie?) Clients and other mental health workers, professionals complained it was hard to differentiate the help from the clients, this problem still exists in some psych settings, I presently wear dockers, dress shirt and suspenders, some with ruler/carpenter markings. I still feel I look professional and clients are not put off by a uniform.

Flight nurses at one of the Saint Johns Hospital, either Springfield, Mo, or Joplin Mo wear Star Trek Generations uniforms like the ones Piccard and Number One wore, black with red shoulders. Kewl!

Flynurse · Mar 20, 2003

Originally posted by Nurse Keli
Peaches makes a boot-cut type pant, not lower waisted though;
BUMMER

LA Rose makes low rider pants. I like them because I can wear them on my waist where they belong and I don't have a huge section of crotch fabric hanging down....BTW my top covers whatever "skin" isn't covered by my pants.

Tip for the people not wanting white panty-roos showing through their white pants...wear nude colored panties. Bali makes a wide range of nude colors for all types of skin color, last I heard.