uniforms are killing us

ziggyRn · Mar 20, 2003

Originally posted by imenid37
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!!!
I agree...at least the cutsy uniforms are pressed and clean. The cutsy part does make me cringe though...though it's probably a cultural difference. The cutsy stuff here is limited to a cartoon character badge in paeds, or something else that's small.
However in the US I noticed lots of adult women wearing Disney store type clothing which looks silly and childish to us but is obviously not so silly to many Americans.
But, saying that...I do wonder why some adult women collect stuffed animals. Now to me, that's kinda weird.
I wonder if the cutsy uniform wearers collect stuffed animals...
:eek:

amken · Mar 20, 2003

At the hospital I work at everyone wears solid prints and the colors you are told to wear. I always hear people saying they wished they could wear prints because the solids look boring and they get tired of looking at the same thing day after day. I like prints and maybe one day I will work where I can wear them!!!!!!!!!!

coowip · Mar 20, 2003

I agree whole haeartedly.:)

SN Gone Crazy · Mar 21, 2003

Hi Everyone,

I am a student nurse and we have to wear white uniforms to clinicals. I am in no way a supermodel, but I managed to find a uniform that is fairly flattering on me, has a pretty design on it and looks professional. I don't mind wearing white except when my monthly curse comes along. I have a very difficult time with keeping my uniform clean at this time. It is times like this when I can't wait to wear dark scrubs, because it is less noticeable.

I also like the different holiday patterns. I think they look very festive around the holidays and I can't wait to show my holiday spirit. For now all I can do is wear a pin or by a festive pen.

I agree with the fact that no one other than medical personnel should be allowed to were scrubs. There are other uniforms that are comfortable that these different personnel can were. Unfortunetly I have been to the hospital a number of times for things other than giving birth. Whenever I see someone in scrubs I think of someone who is medical personnel and I am not the only one. One day when I was waiting in line to pick up my check form financial aid, I was talking to another women in line. She noticed a couple of people wearing hospital scrubs and said " They must be nursing students". My point is that as soon as people see someone in any kind of scrub they automatically think of a doctor or a nurse.

I Know God Will Not Give Me More Than I Can Handle. I Just Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much. _Mother Theresa

JnJTyson · Mar 21, 2003

Hey!! No offence meant by the reference of Chili Pepper uniform tops! Sorry! =0)

But here's a little something funny...tell me if I really was in bad taste.

I am 23 years old...currently a CNA/HHA but in school right now for my LPN. But...this goes with the "crazy hair" issue. I am currently growing my hair out. I had it cut quite short last year. But now that its gotten longer...I find there isn't much to do with it to keep it back other than put it in a pony tail..and it gets boring to me. When my hair was at its longest, I had put it in a french braid, or other held back styles. But right now its not long enough...ANYHOW!

I showed up to work at an ALF in the required uniform (a girlie flowered scrub top..which the men hate..we have 7 male aides...so wy they chose girlie flowers is beyond me) The men wear Green tops...oops...I'm wandering...still having coffee!!

So where was I?? YES! Hair! I had my hair in pig tails towards the back of my head. They weren't sitting right above my ears dangling in my face or anything. The next day, I had pig tails in knots on top of my head because I found the residents could easilly grab hold of dangling hair like that.

My supervisor pulled me into her office and said my hair was too "out there" in the knots, and too childish in the pig tails. I think yes...my pig tails could be seen as too childish in a way. Most residents said they thought it was cute. The rest were no comments what-so-ever.

So do you think pig tails is inapropriate? The knots where small, and there was no hair sticking wildly out of my head.....

Too out there??? I'd be interested to hear your comments!

Jules

NurseRachy · Mar 21, 2003

I think that your supervisor needs to butt out of telling you what she thinks of your hairstyles. If it is not affecting your quality of care or contaminating wounds then what business does she have to tell you how to wear your hair?? You are 23, not 103 and have the right to style your hair however you wish! Pig tails are definetly NOT "too out there." I actually wear my hair in pig tails sometimes and thought it was very conservative....

I would be tempted to tell your supervisor that many people actually admire others individuality... i certainly do!

Good luck and work on some more extream-er hairstyles!!!!

JnJTyson · Mar 21, 2003

Thank you!! Acutally...with a lot of the women I took care of I got a sort of "Grandma effect" out of it!! They'd say..."aww..your hair reminds me of my granddaughter"....Voila! Instant conversation! Some of them love to talk about grandkids...and it was a great way to get into the convo!!

Also..the reason I don't wear my hair in pigtails down was because I had a guy grab a hold of one during a transfer...almost as bad as him grabbing my neck!! My head flew to the one side...didn't hurt me (well..yea..my hair hurt..lol) but other than that...I didn't see it as a problem!!

=0)

By the way...how many posts or how long do I have to be on here before I'm not a "Junior Member"??

AHarri66, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2003

I agree with the comment that it's the nurse in the scrubs that matter, not what's on the scrubs. I have a closet full of different tops (I always wear white pants), some solid, some prints, some muted, some bright...not one white top, except a scrub jacket that I don't wear anymore. My mood decides what I wear that day. In the past 4 years I've had one--count 'em, ONE!-- pt. say "I wish nurses would go back to wearing white," while I've had innumerable comments like "I love the tops you nurses wear nowadays! It makes things more cheery." And while I personally don't own any cartoon tops, I would consider the SpongeBob one.

NurseRachy · Mar 21, 2003

hahah yeah hair is always a great conversation starter with me too. Have had and continue to have many exciting hair colour and styles myself ( I am 21). Today I went in for foils and said to the hairdresser "You are the professional and will know what looks good, just make sure it is funky!" ( I hope funky has the same meaning in the US as it does in Australia! - meaning really trendy and hip or cool) so 3 hours and over $200 later i left with layered just past shoulder-length hair so white that it when i renewed my driving licence today that it took 3 photo's and a very angry photographer to get a faint outline of my hair - hehhe it is cool! Change is as good as a holiday... Have had my hair yanked too- usually by guys in clubs trying to get my attention so i can sympathise with your pain!! Hope it didn't hurt too much!

This is a stab in the dark, and a lot of other member's of this board know heaps more than me so can probably set you straight, but i am guessing around 50 posts before you are a senior member?? I am not really a computer-minded person - as you have probably guessed with the lack of a picture!! heheh oh well... can't be good at everything!

Bye bye I'm going to practice some new twisty hairstyles!!!

Rachel @}-->-----------

webbiedebbie · Mar 21, 2003

I just wish the uniform companies would offer more conservative prints for those of us who don't like the cartoon characters and loud prints and colors. I had two tops made from material that I bought and I think they look great. But, I think it would be hard to make a jacket (more time, material, and cost).

Let me say that I don't mind seeing those others on other nurses, but those are not my choice.

Casey7 · Mar 22, 2003

quote: thirdshiftguy:

I think in the publics eye nursing is still an honorable and trustworthy profession. It's attitude more than anything that ruins our "image" in the public's eye (not that I agree it's ruined).

I agree with you. For one, I love the uniforms. It is one of the only ways to express personality, and I think the patients like it. I have always gotten compliments on my creative and fun uniform tops. If places were to go to a required hospital color then that would take some of the personality away.

Also, I do not think that the publics attitudes about the nurses is dependent on what uniforms they wear, as long as they wear uniforms (maybe it is a bit disconcerting when the nurses have on regular street clothes.) It is not for us to make excuses for a bad opinion if it is justifiable. Nurses stand for caring and love toward people and helping someone other than themselves and kindness. And you can be (or not be) all those things regardless of whether you're shirt has snoopy on it or is classic white. To each his own.

Thanks for letting me express.

coowip · Mar 22, 2003

in our hospital in Guelph we are aloud to wear whatever looks respectful. the nursing students are also aloud to wear any colour not just white anymore. this just came to be within the year, because of a brave student that had alopecia. she got haggled about wearing a head peice because it was not white. the media and lawyers got involved and now everyone it benifiting. Sometimes it takes a little to change the minds of all the old school nurses that think we should all wear white from head to toe. If we want to talk about hair colour this is another story. Anywhere you go you will be discriminated against if you show up with blue, green or purple hair. Sometimes i disagree with the wild colour, but if it is in the right setting its ok.