Wearing Black Scrubs in Pediatric Hospital

Specialties Pediatric

Published

So I have these scrubs that are black with blue/green flowers, blue bubbles, and yellow spongebob on them. The other one I'm interested in is a black and grey scrub top with tweety bird on them. I got the spongebob ones because I found them pretty and was showing my mom but she stated that black might be inappropriate a color for a pediatrics hospital as it can be associated with death and dying and that parents might not want me around their children in the color? I didn't find anything wrong with the scrubs.

What say you guys?

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I don't care what color scrubs a peds nurse wears when caring for my child. I care that she's competent and compassionate. I doubt the kids would be put off by scrubs with a black background. Also, I think it might be a generational thing to associate black with death.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I wear black all the time in the picu - no one has ever said a word.........until last night! The top I was wearing was black with very realistic stars and moons / planets on it. I was taking my little four year old patient to the toilet, and she asked me when the 'breakfast nurse' (day shift) would be there. I said when the sun comes up - and she said "You'll need to change that shirt when it gets light out!"

OH - and she wanted the 'breakfast nurse' to get her chicken nuggets and fries with ranch dressing for breakfast. She told me this AT LEAST fifty times. Continuous albuterol nebs make you hungry - and repetitive apparently. :)

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I wear black all the time in the picu - no one has ever said a word.........until last night! The top I was wearing was black with very realistic stars and moons / planets on it. I was taking my little four year old patient to the toilet, and she asked me when the 'breakfast nurse' (day shift) would be there. I said when the sun comes up - and she said "You'll need to change that shirt when it gets light out!"

OH - and she wanted the 'breakfast nurse' to get her chicken nuggets and fries with ranch dressing for breakfast. She told me this AT LEAST fifty times. Continuous albuterol nebs make you hungry - and repetitive apparently. :)

lol Aww, when you said someone said something to you about it, I was really worried that you scared a kid or a parent. But she seemed adorable and sweet about it. Okay. I'll wear my spongebob scrubs then. I figured the kids would like it more and would make a good distraction if I needed to have one.

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Specializes in Pedi.

Uh... you're wearing cartoon scrubs, no one's going to care what color the background is. Spongebob and Tweety Bird do not say "kiss of death".

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Specializes in ED, trauma.
Uh... you're wearing cartoon scrubs, no one's going to care what color the background is. Spongebob and Tweety Bird do not say "kiss of death".

I think if Spongebob or Tweety were dressed as the grim reaper you might have a problem. Lol

I went to a hospital once where the staff was color coded. ED wore navy blue, techs wore brown, docs wore green, X-ray wore orange, etc. the pediatric nurses wore SOLID BLACK scrubs. The only deviation was they could wear black t-shirts that were designed for their unit. They were plain and just had "pediatrics" and their name in a silly pink font. They were not allowed to wear cartoon scrubs.

Pretty sure you are doing okay OP. :)

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Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.

Your scrubs sound cute. I bet the kids will love them.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I'm a new graduate nurse and just interviewed for a pediatric RN position last week. The nurse manager told me that their peds colors are shocking pink pants with a white or coordinating print top but no black backgrounds for the print tops. I didn't ask why the black background was a no-no but I guess it just depends on the hospital (I'm in South Georgia and they're pretty conservative around here). I don't see why it would be an issue as long as it's not against hospital policy.

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At one of my health system's hospitals it seems that every single RN in the whole place is in plain black scrubs! IMO there is nothing even remotely morbid about a black background with cute characters on it. If you're allowed to wear it go for it, I am sure the children will enjoy. I'm a "grown up" and even I would enjoy :) I remember when I had my hysterectomy earlier this year, I was so comforted when I woke up to see a smiling nurse with a Hello Kitty badge holder... it's the little things ;)

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At one of my health system's hospitals it seems that every single RN in the whole place is in plain black scrubs! IMO there is nothing even remotely morbid about a black background with cute characters on it. If you're allowed to wear it go for it, I am sure the children will enjoy. I'm a "grown up" and even I would enjoy :) I remember when I had my hysterectomy earlier this year, I was so comforted when I woke up to see a smiling nurse with a Hello Kitty badge holder... it's the little things ;)

Yeah, i admit that just buying these spongebob scrubs made me feel extra enthusiastic and like a kid again. lol

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Thanks everyone.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

ANY hosptial has death and dying going on in it!! I personally think that parents really don't give 2 hoots about what their child's nurse is wearing as long as it's clean and s/he's a great nurse while wearing it!

So I have these scrubs that are black with blue/green flowers, blue bubbles, and yellow spongebob on them. The other one I'm interested in is a black and grey scrub top with tweety bird on them. I got the spongebob ones because I found them pretty and was showing my mom but she stated that black might be inappropriate a color for a pediatrics hospital as it can be associated with death and dying and that parents might not want me around their children in the color? I didn't find anything wrong with the scrubs.

What say you guys?

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