white uniforms vs. colored/printed

suzy253, RN · May 24, 2004

I would wear anything in order to get out of my student nurse uniform. Unmoving, unbreathable, unforgivable polyester plastic. arrrggghhh

critcarenurse16 · Jun 16, 2004

There are at least 2 hospitals that I know of in Dallas/Ft. Worth that nurses must wear white. The "research" they did to support this decision had to do with patients not knowing who was who. I'm not necessarily for white for nursing but I am definitely for "color-coding": nurses are allowed to wear 1 or 2 colors, techs a certain color, lab a certain color, etc. Patients then begin to learn who from who based on that + the fact that employees know immediately where you're from based on the color of your scrubs...that system I like much better.[/quote']
Our facility tried the color-coding of staff uniforms; even allowing prints that incorporate the unit color. The problem: some nurses are always rebellious against change. the result: some wear pink, some wear teal, some wear blue. I've even seen one that wears (on a regular basis) a pr of tan painter pants with dirty white (?) Reboks that looked like she just mowed her grass before coming to work. At least the green grass stains were the same color as her units color-code:chuckle

smk1, LPN · Jun 17, 2004

just a student but i like the uniforms that the "nurses" on the tv show ER wear. light blue scrubs but the top is a shortsleeved light jacket. This looks professional to me and i love having pockets so i hope to wear something like that when i become a nurse, i don't want white pants though but a shortsleeved white jacket over scrub pants would also work and differentiate between nurses and ancilliary staff.

allnurses Guide · Jun 17, 2004

What I don't understand is, why must the NURSES always be the ones who have to change? :angryfire Whose idea was it to allow housekeepers to wear scrubs, anyway---they're the people who need to wear different clothes. Nurses and aides should be the only staff wearing scrubs.......lab techs, unit secretaries, housekeeping staff and other ancillary personnel ought to wear something else.
At our hospital, housekeeping, maintenance, and dietary staff wear different colored polo shirts and khaki pants; only clinical staff wear scrubs. So how does the patient know who his nurse is? DUH---we tell him who his nurse is! All staff are supposed to introduce themselves when entering a patient room, as well as explain what they're going to do. It's not rocket science, just simple courtesy........why do so many people seem to think we need to legislate that by forcing nurses to conform to some particular color scheme or uniform style??

Marla - Yes, yes yes!!

I mentioned this in another thread but this argument has always seemed silly to me. You introduce yourself as the nurse. Simple.

If you walk into a bank, do you insist that the mortgage brokers wear something different than the tellers and the secretaries so you can walk in the door and instantly tell them apart? Or do you get introduced to the mortgage broker?

Just tell your patient you are the nurse and wear a nametag with your title on it.

steph

Angela Mac · Jun 19, 2004

white uniforms are very difficult to maintain. I have thrown away trash bags filled with whites that were covered in every stain imaginable. Over bleaching can cause yellowing or graying too. I find that patients are more comfortable seeing their care givers in colors. The term "white coat syndrome", where patients get anxious at the site of a white uniform or lab coat, holds fast. I do believe that non-medical personnel should where a different attire, as to not confuse the patients, visitors and other medical personnel.

dhg1001 · Nov 12, 2005

I Would Like Info Also About White Vs Printed, Colorful Scrubs For Pediatrics We Are Currently Wearing White Or Ceil Blue. Our Unit (pediatrics) Can Only Have One Printed Top. That Is Hearts And Flowers (cherokee)

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Nov 12, 2005

When i did a survey as a project in nursing school, part of it was asking people why they would chopse the white or the colored. The majority did choose colored, because white reminded them of "mental asylums."

ivypetals · Nov 19, 2005

I totally agree with you....I've often said that if you are in a store and your hubby falls over....you see a lady in scrubs you think! Nurse! Not so this could be the cleannig lady! I've busted my butt to get through school and have earned the right to wear the uniform! Also think we should go to a color...I find it hard to take someone professional wearing Big Bird (not for those on peds units) in the cardiac unit.

KatieBell · Nov 22, 2005

I really do not like whites, but I am starting to think that perhaps it is a necessity. I always introduce myslef as a Registered Nurse...but many people do not introduce themselves, and I've had many a patient think the CNA was a nurse and wonder why the CNA did not medicate the patient when asked etc.

The hospital I'm contracted with now just came out with a policy of wear whatever you want, but only LPN/RN can wear white...nice idea but no one is going to be doing the white thing....

Hydrogren peroxide works well for me for cleaning my white pants. It doesn't turn things as yellow as bleach can.

yeyababes · Nov 28, 2005

hi! im a nursing student and i would like to conduct a study about the effects of wearing white uniforms vs colored/printed scrub suits in the clinical area especially in the hosptal wards. any1 who knows any reseach about the topic pls... tnx! :)

skhercules · Dec 1, 2005

I am completely against whites. If we need to distinguish ourselves as different from the cleaning people (other than the fact that we're not taking out the trash or cleaning the floor with mops) then we should wear a color, or better yet, I liked the previous poster's hospital who had non-clinical people wear dress pants and polo shirts. If nurses still had to wear white, I might have reconsidered nursing school. It makes me think of those days when nurses went into nursing to marry a doctor and didn't have as expanded a role as we do now. If they brought back the hats, I'd probably have to find a new profession.

FroggysMom · Dec 2, 2005

What I don't understand is, why must the NURSES always be the ones who have to change? :angryfire Whose idea was it to allow housekeepers to wear scrubs, anyway---they're the people who need to wear different clothes. Nurses and aides should be the only staff wearing scrubs.......lab techs, unit secretaries, housekeeping staff and other ancillary personnel ought to wear something else.
At our hospital, housekeeping, maintenance, and dietary staff wear different colored polo shirts and khaki pants; only clinical staff wear scrubs. So how does the patient know who his nurse is? DUH---we tell him who his nurse is! All staff are supposed to introduce themselves when entering a patient room, as well as explain what they're going to do. It's not rocket science, just simple courtesy........why do so many people seem to think we need to legislate that by forcing nurses to conform to some particular color scheme or uniform style??

:yeahthat: :yeahthat: