Professional in scrubs?

Nursing Students General Students

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Hello,

I just flipped through the April AJN and came across an interesting article r/t history of RN uniforms. An interesting point was made, that although new scrubs are cheaper, easier to take care of and maybe more comfortable there is a big problem with them: We all look alike, nurses, PCT/CNA, respiratory techs, housekeepers, etc. Patients have a difficult time distinguishing among healthcare professionals, and so do we.

Personally I do believe we should go back to nursing uniforms-it's a great tradition, maybe aside from the cap :chuckle We are professionals and our uniform is our singnature, after all if we respect it others may too. Now don't get me wrong, I do not wish to be looking like Florence, but a new, professional, clean cut design would do it for me. (Maybe that's why I'm going to the military? :rotfl: )

What do you think? :p

I think I speak for all the guys when I say we'll take a pass on the dresses, hats, and especially the panty hose. But, what about scrubs with a white lab coat? Lots of pockets for all the gear and you can always take it off if the going gets too messy....

exactly what i said earlier! i love having extra pockets and if it is light weight material and cna be short or long sleeved you won't be any hotter than if you were wearing a regular shirt.

Specializes in CICu, ICU, med-surg.

At the hospital I am an extern at, the RN's all have a large badge that hangs just below their name tag that says "RN" in big black letters. It's VERY easy for the patients to tell who is a nurse and who is not.

As for looking professional...I think scrubs CAN look professional. The problem I've seen is that people wear nasty, old, wrinkled scrubs to work and don't even get me started on those scrubs with cartoon characters! I can definitely see where you're coming from, Kora.

ONCE AGAIN WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT WHITE OR DRESSES? SIMPLY- SOMETHING MORE PROFESSIONAL THAN SCRUBS. SO PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU ANSWER

There is absolutely NO reason to yell! I wasn't even responding to you...I was responding to others who have brought up white uniforms. This is insulting.

Specializes in Gynecology/Oncology.
Hello,

I just flipped through the April AJN and came across an interesting article r/t history of RN uniforms. An interesting point was made, that although new scrubs are cheaper, easier to take care of and maybe more comfortable there is a big problem with them: We all look alike, nurses, PCT/CNA, respiratory techs, housekeepers, etc. Patients have a difficult time distinguishing among healthcare professionals, and so do we.

Personally I do believe we should go back to nursing uniforms-it's a great tradition, maybe aside from the cap :chuckle We are professionals and our uniform is our singnature, after all if we respect it others may too. Now don't get me wrong, I do not wish to be looking like Florence, but a new, professional, clean cut design would do it for me. (Maybe that's why I'm going to the military? :rotfl: )

What do you think? :p

I agree that in some doctor's offices and hospitals it's confusing when employees where scrubs of every color! I worked at a hospital where nurses wore blue, cna's wore mauve, surgery teal, etc. It made it a little nicer.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
ONCE AGAIN WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT WHITE OR DRESSES? SIMPLY- SOMETHING MORE PROFESSIONAL THAN SCRUBS. SO PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU ANSWER

I read and responded. I also reponded to other people. And not necessarily to you.

Specializes in Adult Med-Surg, Rehab, and Ambulatory Care.

I can see the point. Even with ID badges it's hard to tell, because in my experience, half the time the ID badge is flipped around and you can't read the name on it anyway. When everyone wears the same outfit, it's hard to tell who is who.

That being said, I like my scrubs. I like to rock babies with a scrub top covered in Precious Moments angels. When I get spit up on, it blends in with the pattern.

I was thinking about something...when my son was in the hospital, the only way that I knew who was his nurse was by the scrubs they wore. Because they each wore individual ones, I knew that his was wearing teddy bears the one day and another wore martians at night. This was my way of really distinguishing them from others. So, I guess it depends on who it is and what the situation is too.............. I think too much! LOL!

CNM2B- Who is yelling?? Just used bold characters to get the massage through. Some people believe uniform has to be outdated and biased and that is exactly what I did NOT proposed. Don't get so easily offended, noone ment harm, so chill and work on realxation "techniques" :p

LPN2Be2004- Good for you :)

Everyone has their own opinion and I respect that, I am not saying that my way is the highway, it's a purely subjective matter and all different view points are welcome. That is the beauty and point of a forum. No fights are needed, so please put the tomahawk back in the closet and let's smoke a peace pipe :rotfl:

Kora

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

(According to 'netiquette', typing in all capital letters is considered yelling, boldfaced or not.)

No thanks, i don't smoke. Just pass it on.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Back to the jacket thing, unless that jacket could be made short-sleeved, i'd spend a LOT of time scrubbing stains off of the sleeves from the 'elbow' and downward.

Either that or the long-sleeved jacket would spend 90% of the time either on the chair or tied around my waist.

Specializes in Critical Care, ER.

Sorry- I just don't see how subjecting us to less comfortable "uniforms" is justifiable, especially when there is no real compelling reason to. I have never heard of poor pt outcomes related to scrub use. I personally wouldn't work at a hospital where I had to wear the same boring uniform as everyone else. So, my personal answer is heck no!

THanks Marie....there are some people it's easier to just ignore...(didn't I tell you I thought that before? I just don't listen to my own advice)

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