white uniforms vs. colored/printed

[Linda K. Foster]

Does anyone have research information about the effects of colored uniforms vs. white ones? My administrator wants nurses to go back to white. We want colored because of style, fun and "this is 2002 !". Thanks:o

[DougL]

In this day and age of any and everyone wearing scrubs is is frequently difficult for the patients to distinguish between who is really a nurse and who is not a nurse. Maybe not going back to the all traditional white, but I think there is some value in choosing specific styles and colors for specific job categories. Maybe it is not the nurse that we need to focus on as long as they are actually dressing professionally but turn our focus to those other areas within health care and lets help them not look like nurses.

[chargern]

My hospital's management decided we would all wear white about two years ago. They said we looked so neat and it made the hospital look more professional. None of the staff agreed and we finally got our colors back. I love to wear the colors it kinda lets me be me!

[seguraas]

I think the issue at heart is "do you look the part?" Patients want staff who look professional, clean and well-groomed, who introduce themselves and identify their role. I have seen this accomplished in white and with scrubs. I have also experienced hospital settings where you couldn't tell the staff from the vistors--t-shirts with college team logos, baseball caps, sandals without socks and multiple facial piercings.

[Mattigan, RN]

Originally posted by seguraas

I think the issue at heart is "do you look the part?" Patients want staff who look professional, clean and well-groomed, who introduce themselves and identify their role. I have seen this accomplished in white and with scrubs.

The reasoning at my facility. Patients were getting housekeeping, dietary aides and personal care technicians confused with licensed nurses and caused some confusion. Two nurse managers took it to the DON and then we were all white , except the designated scrub color for Family Center and Peds nurses. We could (IMO) obtained the same result with communication and presentation techniques. Very few like it but it's not going to go away here. The nurses in the ED really have a hard time keeping clean and most of their uniforms are stained with charcoal and betadine.

[Sleepyeyes]

How about we wear the colors we want and have us nurses wear an armband with RN or LPN on it in really big letters?

Who can read those badges anyhow?

[tattooednursie, LVN]

I perfer the colored ones over white ones. I feel that white scrubs are the most professional looking scrubs, but since I litterally spend my LIFE at work i figure that I better have a variety of cllothes. All my scrubs are neon colors. my patients seem to like them more than the white ones.

Personally i do not feel comfortable in the white ones because my underpants show through, and if a female problem begins it will show. Also white makes me look fat, and intimidating to my patients, and I am a big priss when anything gets on my white clothes because it makes me look like a slob:imbar

I like colors much better.

[Mimi2RN, ASN, RN]

I agree Mandi, peri pads and panties do not look professional, and could be seen through the white pants we were given. After 3 or 4 years, our Recruitment and Retention Committee decided that we should be allowed to wear colors again (although our DON would like us in white, she lost on that issue).

[Mimi2RN, ASN, RN]

I agree Mandi, peri pads and panties do not look professional, and could be seen through the white pants we were given. After 3 or 4 years, our Recruitment and Retention Committee decided that we should be allowed to wear colors again (although our DON would like us in white, she lost on that issue).

[Catherine UK]

:chuckle I had to wear a white uniform when I was a student so I was really glad when I qualified a couple of months ago and got my blues! It's great to get to wear something that isn't see thru.

[Catherine UK]

:chuckle I had to wear a white uniform when I was a student so I was really glad when I qualified a couple of months ago and got my blues! It's great to get to wear something that isn't see thru.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Oh, this reminds me of the bad old days when I was a student.......first of all, I'm overweight, so the whites made me look like an appropriate mate for the Pillsbury Doughboy. Then, I've always been the type of person to whom every dirt molecule in the universe will be attracted when I wear anything that isn't dark in color or patterned. (Although I got to the point, close to the end of school, when I actually managed to eat an entire BBQ bacon burger in my car while wearing my whites, and didn't spill so much as a drop.) We hated those uniforms so much that about 10 of us got together for a graduation party at the home of one of our classmates and started a bonfire, piling our whites on as the flames crackled merrily.........I haven't worn white since!!!!!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Oh, this reminds me of the bad old days when I was a student.......first of all, I'm overweight, so the whites made me look like an appropriate mate for the Pillsbury Doughboy. Then, I've always been the type of person to whom every dirt molecule in the universe will be attracted when I wear anything that isn't dark in color or patterned. (Although I got to the point, close to the end of school, when I actually managed to eat an entire BBQ bacon burger in my car while wearing my whites, and didn't spill so much as a drop.) We hated those uniforms so much that about 10 of us got together for a graduation party at the home of one of our classmates and started a bonfire, piling our whites on as the flames crackled merrily.........I haven't worn white since!!!!!