Student Uniforms

[lepew]

We are thinking about changing our student uniforms - especially shoes. We have required white shoes for as long as I remember. It is getting very difficult to find solid white tennis shoes around here. We are also thinking about changing from a maroon too and white pants to all maroon.

Our clinical facilities don't care what we choose

What uniforms do your schools require?

[ixchel]

My white scrub shoes are the most comfortable shoes in my house. Got them at a uniform shop. We can mix and match white and maroon scrubs, with the tops containing the school logo. I actually love wearing maroon tops with white pants. I wear generic spanks that are a size too big to hide my underwear.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

In my facility I see nursing students from 4 different schools. Most are now going to khaki pants and polo shirts with school logo. Shoes must be athletic type but color is not an issue. The one thing they do that is helpful to our staff is place a star or some such over the logo to indicate which level the student is in (3 stars = Level III). That is helpful to the preceptors. Khakis and polos are cheap

[RunBabyRN]

We had to have all white shoes, and I had an impossible time finding some that fit my funky feet. I tried THREE pairs (purchased and returned- one even RIPPED) before I finally had to break down and put out the money for Danskos, which are very expensive for a nursing student with a family. I would have really liked having more choice.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

what difference does it make about the color? As long as they are clean I am not offended.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

In my ADN program, the dress code mandated 100% white shoes. By the end of the program, it was pretty much anything goes on shoe colors. Uniforms were all white. Personally, I hate white pants. I really don't like white shoes either--for whatever reason they feel very "clunky." Personally, I think any solid colored shoe is fine as long as it is not outlandish.

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

My students wear all white. By fourth (or fifth) semester, they are dingy . They are required to wear a specific uniform top (which they complain about) and pants (also yields complaints). Honestly, if their pants are not regulation, I don't care (as long as they are white). And white shoes. Supposed to be all white. While I agree they are easier to find then people think, finding a comfortable pair may be difficult. I am all about comfortable shoes!

My only issue with all white is that many of our clinical sites are going back to all whites for their staff nurses. So it may be difficult to discern between the students and the staff.

[stablesystole]

All white shoes are damn near impossible to find for men, that is the ugly truth. The other real problem is that they are never good shoes. You basically condemn your students to spending their days with hurting feet and maybe backs too. No facility I've ever heard of still requires pure white shoes (hell, they show stains and wear worse) so why should you? When I was doing my BSN I slowly started to "forget" my pure white shoes and wore a comfortable pair of stability runners (for flat feet), expecting every day that I'd get called out on it. Never did and never lost a point in clinical evaluation for it.

I don't think anyone who is still capable of providing relevant clinical instruction actually cares about shoe color anymore. I can't imagine why it even matters.

[twenzig1]

I teach in an ADN program. Until a couple years ago our students wore "scrub" uniforms (same color top and pants). We had quite a problem with students purchasing ones made with very poor material because they were cheaper. Cleavage and low riding pants when they bent over were also issues for some students. Our students now wear a specifically required white uniform top that is not scrub style and black pants. They may wear shoes that are white or black (small amount of color on white shoes is OK). We sometimes get push back about the cost of the uniform until they get into clinical and are complimented on their professional appearance.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

My LPN school had ceil top and bottom with all white shoes. (hated the required scrubs you purchased from the school...cheap and ill fitting..the color was blahhh)

My RN school was navy blue top and bottom with all white shoes. (loved the color, school mandated a required brand and style, but it was a great brand and wore well)

The School of Nursing connected to one of the hospitals I work for wear a maroon/wine colored top with white pants and white shoes

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

My only issue with all white is that many of our clinical sites are going back to all whites for their staff nurses. So it may be difficult to discern between the students and the staff.

That happened when I was an RN student, we wore navy blue top/bottoms. At the time nurses could wear any color. They then went to navy top with either white or navy bottom. Very often nures were mistaken for students of my school and vice versa.

At the hospital I work for we can wear any color top but bottoms are white. The school that does clinicals there also wear white bottoms. so again, nurses mistaken for students and students for nurses. (I guess the patients DO pay attention to the color scheme and what color designates who is the nurse

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

At my college we had maroon scrubs, both the top and bottom, our patch was white with maroon outline. It looked very professional and it was very comfortable because we didn't have to worry about white pants being seen through!

My thoughts on shoes are that students should be allowed to wear what is comfortable for them, within reason of course. Solid color shoes work, solid color sneakers are great and they are very comfortable! I ended up limping around on most clinical days wearing nursing shoes, they have no cushion and just killed my feet. You have to remember your students are new and probably are not use to being on their feet for this many hours at a time, so if you can at least offer them more shoe options so that they can find what is comfortable for them, that is wonderful! My instructor ended up allowing me to get white sneakers, which were very ugly, but they were much more comfortable and I was more focused on my patient when my feet were not killing me!

Annie

[Bbett, MSN, NP]

I have four pairs of all white shoes, really not difficult at all to find. My program requires royal blue scrubs and all white shoes.