All White Uniform Dress Code?!!

Nurses General Nursing

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Help! I need your feedback, thoughts, and advice. The community hospital I am working at is deciding in June that all nurses must wear all white uniforms. Right now, we all have to wear light blue pants, but we can wear whatever color top we prefer. I am angry by this. I personally feel this is an institutionalized, cold, sterile color. Plus, I feel this is "old school". I am 29 yo female and graduated with my bachelor's degree. I am a professional RN regardless of what I wear. My name tag I wear says I am an RN and I have a license to prove it. I know in college I read articles that it is good to wear solid colors because it is more professional than a scrub top with flowers on it. And most of the time, I wear solid blue, which I like. But for some reason, all white reminds me of the nurses in the early 40s-50s in white skirts, white tights, and a cap on their head. I can't explain it in words, but I feel this is a step back for nurses.

Many of the nurses I have talked to are angry with this, besides the cost of all new uniforms (oh yeah, they are just providing us with one uniform) and trying to keep white clean. In the email, the hospital states it wants a professional look. Yet, this email was only for the nurses. Of course, it is ok for the doctors to come in with jeans. All the doctors I see (and I work 7p-7a) wear many different types of clothing. Should this not pertain to them and the rest of the hospital staff?

What do you feel about this? Has your hospital done this? What should I do? I am thinking of writing a letter of complaint. Do you as nurses feel all white is a cold color? Do you think hospitals should go back to an all white uniform? I think I need evidence based research if I want to write a letter to the hospital administrator of why I feel this should not happen.

I like my job and i am not going to quit if we go to all white. Yet, I feel compelled to state my opinion because of how I feel about this matter, but I want to get other opinions on this matter before I precede. Maybe I am the one behind the times?

Specializes in Neuro, Cardiology, ICU, Med/Surg.

The trouble with all-white uniforms is that, if you're a male nurse, you look like a short-order cook. I'm a 6'1" tall and over 200 lbs, and if I wear white, the patients will think that they're seeing that bright light that people talk about before they die.

Sign me up for one of the little hats too.

This is just silly. Someone in administration really needs more work to do. :trout:

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and if I wear white, the patients will think that they're seeing that bright light that people talk about before they die.

This is just silly. Someone in administration really needs more work to do. :trout:

:lol2:;)

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I'm having heavy periods in my peri menopause, and would have big time anxiety about that.

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.
I'm having heavy periods in my peri menopause, and would have big time anxiety about that.

ME TOO!!!

Beside the fact that I just don't like white, don't look good in it,didn't even wear it on my wedding day,and everyone knew who the bride was...:nurse:

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
ME TOO!!!

Beside the fact that I just don't like white, don't look good in it,didn't even wear it on my wedding day,and everyone knew who the bride was...:nurse:

The fact of the matter is, if you are observant you can figure out when I'm on my period by the color of my pants. Cranberry is a sure sign I'm on a heavy day. Dark blue, dark green, or any other dark color is also a giveaway.

I have a feeling that all white policies are being mandated by male CEOs.

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Specializes in ICU, CCU,Wound Care,LTC, Hospice, MDS.
I'm with Leslie.

I love, love, love the look of all white. But its not practical.

I was in healthcare back in the day when the nurses wore all white..head to toe (and wore caps too). The only "splash" of color allowed was a navy blue sweater. One big problem with all white is ... white tends to get dirty looking after all the laundering it gets.

I am also from "back in the day" , but I found my whites stayed white as long as I only washed them only with whites ( and an occasional light blue). You run into problems when you throw them in with other colors.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Mental Health & Addictions.

RN's are required to wear black and white scrubs at the facility where I work. :angryfire This makes me fire hot. You can wear all white, all black, or black and white. I'm not a fan of either color. White gets dirty to easily and black shows every little piece of lint that comes in contact with it. They chose these colors because they figured it would make it easier for patients to recognize their nurse. I think it is a bunch of BS. As long as you introduce yourself to the pt, have your badge on, and do your job properly then you should be able to choose what you would like to wear.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

All black? That seems odd. Is someone in charge who is into goth?

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
All black? That seems odd. Is someone in charge who is into goth?

Nah, some of our nurses wear all black scrubs and they look okay, surprisingly enough. I like bright colors myself, with black pants.

To the OP: only ONE uniform? Do they really think you'll rush home and do laundry every single day? Seems to me, I read that the labor laws say if you are required to wear a specific work outfit that they provide, they are also responsible for laundering it or giving you an allowance toward laundry expenses. (That was true when I worked for a chain restaurant). :trout:

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Specializes in Behavioral Health, Show Biz.

Wow.

Back to all white?

Actually, I feel that colors add brightness and "up-beatness" to the aura of the wearer and sends the same signals.

I would be warmer to the notion of wearing all white, of course, with the acccompanying incentives of uniform reimbursement (enough to pay for at least three unforms) and/or laundering services.

Kristen, this one really baffles me.

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If I was required to wear all white, I wouldn't work there.

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This is the way I feel.

I despise it when there is no standard uniform color. That, to me is the worst.

But, I do not understand why that uniform color has to be white. Some units are just messier than others. Sometimes white is less practical than other times.

At my old hospital the colors we could wear were navy and/or white. Of course, nobody ever wore all white. I thought it looked very professional.

I don't think print tops look very professional.

I have to wear white now. It is not the endo f the world, as I do not get nearly as dirty as I did at my old job, but I would prefer a darker color for pants.

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