Uniforms.. color scrubs vs whites

fultzymom · Feb 27, 2007

I love to wear my colored scrubs. And I would be devastated if they made us go to all white (I have so many scrubs it would be such a waste of money) but I also love the look of a crisp white uniform every now et then. It just looks so clean et professional. I throw a white day in there every once in a while just because I like the look of it.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 28, 2007

when the judge enters the courtroom in robes, when the police appear in their uniforms, the doctors don their white coats, an introduction has been made before these people even open their mouths.
my husband sees his work clothes as a tool rather than a form of self expression.
how about nurses? are whites a tool akin to the judges robe?

no. whites are not a tool akin to the judge's robe. whites harken back to the days when a nurse was a handmaiden, and i think the push to shove nurses back into white is shoving us back into the handmaiden role. i'm a professional, thank you, and i'll choose what to wear to work. my professionalism stands for itself.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Feb 28, 2007

you might start changing you mind about some of this anit-white stuff when you get a little older and start being the paitent

and then again, maybe not.

i've been a nurse for 30 years -- i wore the white polyester dresses with white hose and white shoes when i first graduated. i also jumped up and offered the md my seat when he entered the nursing station. times have changed and our profession has changed.

i've been in and out of hospitals a lot in the past six months, and my opinion about whites hasn't changed. they're antiquated. they make us look like the subservient handmaiden of the godlike doctor.

nurses are professionals. we should choose what we wear to work, and as long as it's neat, clean and professional looking no one else gets an opinion! my patients know who the nurse is because i introduce myself as many times as it takes. and when i was a patient, drugged up and without my glasses if i couldn't tell who my nurse was, i asked. it's not that difficult.

bethin · Feb 28, 2007

I agree except when it comes to telling the nurses from the tech. Between the techs telling the patient they are their nurse (hey I know many don't, I'm not starting a discussion here) and them taking vitals and such many patients get confused. I like the RN or LPN patch sewn to the right sleeve that was proposed but evidently fell through. I certainly don't want to go back to white. I might consider wearing my cap but certainly would rather not.

I don't identify myself as the nurse but I see the pts in the morning before the nurses so many think I'm their nurse. I tell them I will be their aide and that their nurse is in report and will be in to assess them in a bit.

I wear two ID badges. One is the credit card size that is displayed at eye level so the pt can see it. It is clearly marked CNA. I also wear a smaller clip that has my name and CNA on it. I think the problem with many pts is that they just don't know what CNA, LPN or even RN means so when they see someone in scrubs they assume nurse. I wouldn't mind wearing the same colored scrubs, but I think even then pts would have a hard time remembering who was who. I figured I'd be easy to spot as the CNA's at my hospital don't wear stethescopes. I was wrong.

bethin · Feb 28, 2007

no. whites are not a tool akin to the judge's robe. whites harken back to the days when a nurse was a handmaiden, and i think the push to shove nurses back into white is shoving us back into the handmaiden role. i'm a professional, thank you, and i'll choose what to wear to work. my professionalism stands for itself.

in addition to that, i think all white (at least for me) reminds me of starkness and emptiness. i see alot of newer hospitals going for a homey feel because there is evidence that shows pts recover faster in a home like setting. white just feels so cold. honestly, i have had nightmares of white uniformed nurses entering my room.

i don't wear white and i look professional. i usually wear navy blue or ceil blue scrubs. nothing psychedelic as you can sometimes see. my scrubs are ironed and not dragging on the floor. i don't wear low riders. i wear appropriate undergarments. makeup is a min. and the only jewelry i wear is a watch. my nails are clean and kept short. to me, that's professional.

tinabrat1 · Feb 28, 2007

My namebadge has a huge RN in white on a dark background on it. PCT's say just that, and we where whatever scrubs we like!

blueheaven · Feb 28, 2007

Another point of view from another oldie:
Wearing all white and a cap was a real thrill to me when I first graduated. (1976) Quickly I realized it was uncomfortable. The pantyhose were a pain. The uniforms fitted and thick. Everything stained. The shoes were well, ok. I had long hair and had to keep it under my cap which gave me a headache.
I'm thrilled to be able to wear scrubs and birkenstocks. I am comfortable. I recently retired from the hospital nursing. Working in the hospital got increasing more difficult each year. I ran, perspired, got "stuff" on me. Anytime there was a problem I could get a replacement pair of scrubs from the OR. Presto, clean again.
In all those years I never had one patient or family member complain that I wasn't wearing white. I let my professionalism speak for itself. Patients enjoyed my different scrubs. I always got comments. I got many cards from families thanking me for my compassion with their loved ones at their time of passing. In 31 years I've never had one patient complain I wasn't wearing white. Now in home health, the patients seem to enjoy my scrubs.
With todays busy pace in nursing I just don't think there's any place for thick white fitted uniforms, pantyhose, and caps. It may be sad, and I agree, but it is true. Gone are the days where we spent hours sitting at the desk charting, pouring meds, following the doctors around on their rounds, carrying their charts. There just isn't time for that. Nursing has dramatically changed!

WoW, I graduated 2 years later and I never had a job where I spent hours at the desk!!! I remember having to tote charts for the docs . LOL I absolutely agree with you on the "nurse whites" and you female nurses, remember having to do CPR with a dress on?? Wasn't that FUN!!!! LOL

pagandeva2000, LPN · Feb 28, 2007

I am not for the whites making their return. I am a recent LPN who walked into our hospital trying to obtain magnet status. I remember posting this before (hopefully not in this same thread), but I have seen nurses walking in with crisp bright whites with the personalities of a viper. I'd rather see solid colors, (maybe), but white is aggreviating to me.

oldshoes · Feb 28, 2007

I may not need a certain outfit to express my professionalism, but I also don't need clothes to express my individuality- my personality and behavior do that. I'm in the camp that says that uniforms are a tool, a way of announcing yourself before you've said a thing. Some patients don't need it, some prefer it. In either case, the idea that you can't be an individual without Mickey Mouse scrubs is as silly as the idea that you can't be a professional while wearing Mickey Mouse scrubs.

There's a huge movement all over the country- sort of a backlash, I guess- toward people being more formal in general. More attention to etiquette, stricter dress codes in school, and so forth. Many people believe that erring on the side of formality is a sign of respect. I imagine this is the reason some hospitals are going back to more of a uniform look, even if it's only uniform scrubs- it's not for the nurses, but for the patients.

staceylee67 · Mar 22, 2007

You might start changing you mind about some of this anit-white stuff when you get a little older and start being the paitent

I have been a patient.. Cancer w/ surgery, Chemo and radiation. My brother has had 4 open heart surgeries in 40 years. I will never change my mind about the color of a nurses uniform. I want a nurse who is proffessional and caring. I agree that sloppiness has no place in nursing. I don't think nurses should show their middles as some do now. UGH! I am merely suggesting that wearing white has nothing to do with being tidy vs sloppy or a good nurse vs bad nurse.

justme1972 · Mar 22, 2007

Here is a point to ponder...

Have you ever walked into a hospital and couldn't tell the doctor from the rest of the staff?

I actually, never have. They have always dressed the same...dress clothes with a lab coat, unless they were doing surgery, or other things...but they are still easy to spot. Their "uniform" has went unchanged for almost a century.

Medical schools fully intend to keep it that way....and you can bet there is a reason for it.

What you wear in a profession is extremely important, and the image sets the tone and perception. It doesn't have to be reasonable or rational, it's just human nature.

mdoze911nurse · Mar 31, 2007

ok this might fan some flames!!!!
imo this is a huge problem!
nurses at my hospital look like bums! they where mixed match scrubs, printed vests of all description, crazy jewelry, last night's hair!!!...what the hell ever!!...honestly if it weren't for a stethascope and the badge i could not tell them apart from half the skids that stroll into the ed!
what does this say to, patients, co-workers, and prospective employees???
1. we are not a team!----when's the last time you saw the chicago bulls stoll out on the court in whatever they please- as long as it is high tops and shorts
2. we are not professionals!---do you ever see trial lawyer's show up in comfy clothes, to fight for thier clients interests!
3. respect is not really important!---have't we earned the right to wear a nurses uniform?---try stripping a uniform off a serviceman..or service women
4. the doctors are the only ones who know anything!-- i mean, you are in an intimidating place, at a vunerable time--and you can't tell between the janitor and the nurse?...who do you want to put your trust into?
5. they must not be regulated very tightly?---the fact that our proffession is so tightly regulated is not represented when we present ourselves like this---when you walk into a casino, every single job has its own very distinguishable uniform, it says: this place is tightly run--and we know what's going on, all the time.
on this board i constantly read posts that have a common thread, how we are not respected and treated like the professionals we are. there are many obstacles to solving this problem, and imo this is step one! i am not saying everyone in the country must be in starched whites,...but ...there needs to be some cohesiveness with our uniforms, for the 5 reasons cited above.
ps. i know that this is not the case for all hospitals and treament centers, but for many it is.

well said! also, i graduated in the early 80's and we were wearing whites and caps. and no hair on the collar. no tennis shoes etc and we looked great. don't remember being uncomfortable. i do remember being proud to look like a nurse! i don't think the uniform makes us but it goes a long way to showing our professionalism.

i do remember in 1990 i was at my first job where we could wear 'colored' shirts/blouses with white skirts/pants and a white jacket - wow - we thought we were cool. ha!

i am not sure about the color code, all whites or any of the above arguments but i am sure that we need to look & dress professionally.