New Uniform Policy... ugh!

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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I know MANY major hospitals around the country have switched to a color-coded system based on discipline (RNs wear navy blue, PCTs wear light blue, etc.).

The hospital I work for has been discussing making such a change for several months, and in December 2013, came out with the list of the designated colors. The effective date for the new policy was to be March 1, 2014, so many of us started purchasing new scrubs in our assigned colors so as to avoid dropping a large amount of money in April.

Last week, the final version of the policy was sent out...

Not only are we required to wear a specific color, but we're also required to wear a specific BRAND which MUST be purchased from ONE vendor. Scrub tops are also REQUIRED to be embroidered (or have an embroidered patch stitched on) with the hospital logo, and we will have to pay the extra expense for the embroidery.

We are NOT being compensated for the purchase of our scrubs, although we are getting a discount (27%) from the vendor. The final sale price of our scrubs has not yet been announced.

To allow for us to comply with the new changes, the new effective date has been pushed back to March 31, 2014.

Has anyone got any idea if this is even legal? I understand that requiring set colors is legal, but also dictating the brand and vendor??

I'm planning on calling a few lawyers who practice in employment law, but I was curious if anyone had similar experiences out there.

I did an OR rotation where I had to change into hospital-required scrubs, and those scrubs were NOT built for a woman's body. The largest scrub pants had my waistband falling off, yet so tight in the butt and hips that I expected to split the pants, and tight in the chest on the largest size to where I couldn't move effectively. No curves allowed in the OR! It scares me away from OR/IR because it's hard to do a good job when you are so uncomfortable.

I did an OR rotation where I had to change into hospital-required scrubs, and those scrubs were NOT built for a woman's body. The largest scrub pants had my waistband falling off, yet so tight in the butt and hips that I expected to split the pants, and tight in the chest on the largest size to where I couldn't move effectively. No curves allowed in the OR! It scares me away from OR/IR because it's hard to do a good job when you are so uncomfortable.

To be fair many old nursing uniforms, especially those for students were rather constricted in the bosom area as well. Some bright blub came up with "action back" construction/seaming which in theory was supposed to correct the problem, but often things on the ground were quite different. If you were a *healthy* girl (anything > 34B say) one deep breath could split seams or send buttons flying across the room. You soon learned how to reach best you could to hang a bag or whatever.

How active and or comfortable for twelve hours would you be in one of these uniforms?

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We were all whites before the uniform of choice lol We have run all the choices...changes with each change of upper management. I feel all black is morbid :o. And the pants are ala Urkele and the tops are 2 pieces of material slapped together with pockets sewn on. And they shrunk 2 sizes when they laundered them. Lol

We were all whites before the uniform of choice lol We have run all the choices...changes with each change of upper management. I feel all black is morbid :o. And the pants are ala Urkele and the tops are 2 pieces of material slapped together with pockets sewn on. And they shrunk 2 sizes when they laundered them. Lol

Sounds to me like someone is getting kick backs! *LOL*

If the issue *really* is bugging you guys have a sit down and get the matter sorted out once and for all. If you are a union shop there is another avenue to go down as well. Uniforms/dress issues have been addressed via contact negotiations in other areas, so there is hope.

Agree black is morbid for nursing uniforms, but then again it does not show blood and other bodily fluids like white does. Nor does it show God and the world your underthings even in thinnest weight fabric, so there are a few blessings.

Specializes in ER.

Actually, one place that I worked was penalized and forced to refund money when it was found that the company was making money on the uniforms. It was a sketchy private amblance.

I like not having hospital scrubs. Those were so unpredictable in sizes. Some the scrubs hung off my body and some were so tight and they were all the same size! However, I hate having to do this dance with the colors. Is this color going to match? Our hospital couldn't have picked a color that is common like black, navy blue, royral blue, etc.

Our hospital changed a few years ago. I am surprised they are making you buy a certain brand. I wear 2x petite and not every brand comes in that size. That would be tough for me.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Nope not union. We even asked if we could send the ones we bought to be tagged with the barcode and use them and they told us no. They are just the ugliest things and cheapest things they could find. And the top and bottom black don't match lol we just look plain sloppy.

We just heard that there have been patient complaints about the all black. I know

Our attendings were appalled when they found out...especially working in a peds area.

Such is like, it will change again eventually lol

Specializes in CICU.

I think we are going that direction, which I won't mind a uniform color. However, I am very choosy in my scrubs and buy only specific brands/styles because I am rather tall. I would not buy from a hospital vendor unless they had things that fit me properly.

Nope not union. We even asked if we could send the ones we bought to be tagged with the barcode and use them and they told us no. They are just the ugliest things and cheapest things they could find. And the top and bottom black don't match lol we just look plain sloppy.

We just heard that there have been patient complaints about the all black. I know

Our attendings were appalled when they found out...especially working in a peds area.

Such is like, it will change again eventually lol

All black in peds? And people thought the sight of whites and a cap scared children! :D

If you can get the attendings, CofD and so forth on your side maybe change can happen.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I think we are going that direction, which I won't mind a uniform color. However, I am very choosy in my scrubs and buy only specific brands/styles because I am rather tall. I would not buy from a hospital vendor unless they had things that fit me properly.

You may not have a choice about buying from a hospital vendor. Our hospital has required embroidery on the tops, so they must be purchased from the designated vendor. A few of us have tried buying pants elsewhere, but they don't match. Whether or not you can get away with it depends upon how well you can lie with a straight face when you tell your manager that "Of course I bought them from the vendor, but when I washed them in hot water the color changed."

Specializes in CICU.
You may not have a choice about buying from a hospital vendor. Our hospital has required embroidery on the tops, so they must be purchased from the designated vendor. A few of us have tried buying pants elsewhere, but they don't match. Whether or not you can get away with it depends upon how well you can lie with a straight face when you tell your manager that "Of course I bought them from the vendor, but when I washed them in hot water the color changed."

Not THAT in love with my job =). I learned long ago that wearing clothes that do not fit properly = misery. I really don't see them going that far, though. If they do, you can be sure I will be testing that boundary.

I did manage to get through nursing school with non-uniform pants...

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We used to be able to get away with taking hospital issues stuff home on the sly to wash but now it has a sensor and barcode in it...hello big brother!

Someone called us Dementors today lol You know those black scary things from Harry Potter.

Our attendings have voiced their displeasure as have all the peds ones and the onocology people. We'll see what happens.

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