Black - The New White For Nurses?

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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Specializes in LTC, Acute care.
I am very sad to see so many hospitals have required scrubs for their nurses. To me this is a huge indicator of a hospitals lack of respect for nurses. Just curious for those of you unlucky enough to work in such a hospital, what are the physicians required to wear?

At the hospital I work, the physicians usually wear street clothes and a white lab coat. The registered nurses have (are required) to wear navy blue.

BrandonLPN, LPN

3,358 Posts

Where I work, we tried for a little while having all the licensed nurses wear white lab coats over street clothes and all the CNAs wore scrubs. It didn't last too long, cause most of the nurses missed scrubs. Personally, I kind of liked it. But most of the residents' families referred to me as "that really nice doctor who passes pills and empties urinals."

BrandonLPN, LPN

3,358 Posts

I like all white. I think that when nurses wore the traditional white uniforms, they looked very professional.
See, when I tried it, I tended to look more like a giant, hairy drag queen....

Music in My Heart

1 Article; 4,109 Posts

Specializes in being a Credible Source.

Our floor nurses and unit nurses are in navy, OR nurses in light green, and ER nurses in black.

The ER nurses are in black because they had informally adopted that color long before the hospital implemented a color-based dress code and were grandfathered in.

The patients don't seem to care and I haven't heard any comments one way or the other.

I used to think it was silly but in a large ED, it is helpful to be able to quickly and easily distinguish the ED nurses from everybody else... it's not for the benefit of the patients but rather for the myriad medical and ancillary staff that are always around.

Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.

My current facility lets nurses wear any colors, prints or solids. Another local hospital has unit specific colors and RNs wear solid top and bottom in that color, LPNs wear both white and the unit color, and aides wear the same color hospital wide. It looked nice but it would be costly to transfer units.

Guest343211

880 Posts

*** Does the hospital require them to wear those scrubs?

Yes, and if they are in anesthesia or surgery or cath, aren't those scrubs provided for them by the hospital.

I think it's a different deal when they are lending them to you versus having to buy them for yourself. No one would go out of their way of say buy lilac or berry red if they were say, overweight, or depending upon their skin tone/color.

I mean I couldn't really care too much about it. Just making an opinion. If I buy, I should decide what I feel looks decent on me. I'm not heavy, but certain things looks better on some people versus others.

If they are lending them to me, so long as they are clean and basically fit, I'm not gonna whine. I miss the days they provided scrubs for you.

LCinTraining

308 Posts

*** I took it for granted that nurses would wear scrubs. That the hospital has so littte reguard for nursing that they would tell each nurse what they must wear, in much the same manner I used to pick out clothes and colors for my 3 year old is indicative of administrations opinion of nurses. I hope someone answers my question about what color scrubs the physicians are required to wear at these same hospitals.
at the hospitals here where staff are color coded, Doctors are required to wear white lab coats at the very least. One hospital requires teal scrubs plus white lab coat.

somenurse

470 Posts

I like all white. I think that when nurses wore the traditional white uniforms, they looked very professional.

It's hard to find underwear that doesn't glow under white uniforms. Might not bother some ppl, but, it used to bother me that my underwear was so so visible under most pure-white fabrics. Even skin-color underwear, still visible. I had to get very heavy fabrics to feel whatever shape underwear i had on wasn't showing for everyone to see, and the heavy fabrics got hot, aren't as comfortable for flexing around.

also, each and every tiny ink dot or blood fleck, that you might not have even realized are on you now, are all so so noticeable in all white.

I like what someone said, about how handy it is, to have various depts wear all the same color, that really is helpful for us staff, also for frequent-flyer patients, too.

but, probably easiest if staff can wear whatever color they want, but, if you've ever worked where each dept has their own color,

it can help us staff know who to look for.

Specializes in ER, progressive care.

It actually seems like blue (whether it is navy, royal or galaxy blue) is the "new white" for nurses. OR nurses ALWAYS seem to wear ceil blue. Our respiratory therapists wear black.

It seems like the only hospital that I know of that still makes nurses wear all white is The Cleveland Clinic.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

It's hard to find underwear that doesn't glow under white uniforms. Might not bother some ppl, but, it used to bother me that my underwear was so so visible under most pure-white fabrics. Even skin-color underwear, still visible. I had to get very heavy fabrics to feel whatever shape underwear i had on wasn't showing for everyone to see, and the heavy fabrics got hot, aren't as comfortable for flexing around.

also, each and every tiny ink dot or blood fleck, that you might not have even realized are on you now, are all so so noticeable in all white.

I like what someone said, about how handy it is, to have various depts wear all the same color, that really is helpful for us staff, also for frequent-flyer patients, too.

but, probably easiest if staff can wear whatever color they want, but, if you've ever worked where each dept has their own color,

it can help us staff know who to look for.

I like not wearing white. I am the nurse who gets thrown up on, blood, urine, poop...you name it, I have been in it! ? I give my nursing hat off to anyone who can wear white and still remain pristine.

DoGoodThenGo

4,129 Posts

It's hard to find underwear that doesn't glow under white uniforms. Might not bother some ppl, but, it used to bother me that my underwear was so so visible under most pure-white fabrics. Even skin-color underwear, still visible. I had to get very heavy fabrics to feel whatever shape underwear i had on wasn't showing for everyone to see, and the heavy fabrics got hot, aren't as comfortable for flexing around.

also, each and every tiny ink dot or blood fleck, that you might not have even realized are on you now, are all so so noticeable in all white.

I like what someone said, about how handy it is, to have various depts wear all the same color, that really is helpful for us staff, also for frequent-flyer patients, too.

but, probably easiest if staff can wear whatever color they want, but, if you've ever worked where each dept has their own color,

it can help us staff know who to look for.

Problem isn't with white per se, but the rather light weight/cheap cloth most scrub uniforms are made from today.

Back in the days when scrubs were confined to the mainly OR, L&D and the units they came in mostly shades of green or blue and thus showing of undergarments wasn't a huge issue, even with scrub dresses.

On the floors white dresses/skirts uniforms would have had the standard undergear worn by all nice girls. Flesh toned bra and panties along with a slip. When two piece pant suits came out the slip obviously went but flesh coloured undies remained (sometimes a cami worn under the top), and usually the cut/design of the top was such that it went to hip level or lower so one had some "coverage" back there. In both cases the material better quality and slightly thicker than what you see today.

Now that everyone and their mother comes to duty in their PJs yes, wearing white scrubs can pose a problem as far as undergarments are concerned.

The nursing home up the street from me has it's staff in whites and one feels for the female nurses and assistants. Scrubs or uniforms the fabric is so thin and flimsy, and now that NYC winter weather is here it must be horrible being out doors in cold and windy weather. In the warmer weather you see staff stroll to their cars or rides before/after duty, now they sprint! *LOL* Those that have to take public transportation OTHO are in long down coats.

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