Anyone experiencing new uniform requirements?

fergus51 · Mar 8, 2004

I have no problem with a code that specifies cleanliness and profesionalism. I have a problem with "No, you have to wear white with pink letters" one day then "Now we are going to wear royal blue" the next and expecting me to shell out the cash.

OCCHCanada · Mar 8, 2004

I have a problem with that as well - that is simply unreasonable. Clean, professional should be the only criteria.

sparkie · Mar 8, 2004

:angryfire
Yesterday it was announced that all RNs will have to wear white jackets with "RN" embroidered on them. We have to wear these year-round including the summer. (It gets to be over 100 degrees here often in the summer.) I am so upset right now because I have so many matching jackets for my scrubs. Has anyone else experienced similar problems?

hi queenb091,

I can certainly understand your reaction to the new uniform policy. Since I just returned to nursing I have become so excited about the whole nurse thing, that I have been doing alot of sewing scrubs, and warm up jackets. I know if there was total change in policy, I'd be so bummed out.

Agnus · Mar 8, 2004

Skintight, lace tank tops with lacey bras under a scrub jacket (undone) - white fishnet stocking with a skirt hem 6 inches below the butt - (uniforms fitting only for a Ron Jeremy film)
Black scrub pants, black t shirt and black scrub jacket - better suited for the morgue.
Do you also find that black business wear and black evening wear are only suitable for the morgue or morning?
It is no more inappropriate than say red, hot pink or orange. These colors presumable could elevate anxiety for some, elevate tempers, elevate stress.
lets not forget yellow.
Many airlines avoid yellow in thier decor because for a few people who are prone to air sickness react badly to yellow.
And white in many eastern cultures is the color of death. I wear white perhaps I offend my asian patients.
Black's assocation with death is cultural and the association is not made automatically by everyone in the west.
I wear white my college who wears very dark colors including black doesn't show all the little spots of soil that we get on us though out the work day. She looks very professional.
I agree that skin tight, fishnet, and high skirts are inappropriate for anyone in a health care setting, whether we are talking about the nurse or someone in the hospital accounting office.
Guidelines that address these specific issues should exist.
Color or specific style is another issue.
Generally clothing for work is not tax deductable. However, when it is dictated as very specific and unusual it then it becomes a tax deduction. In these cases the employer usually pick up the deduction themselves and pays for it.
I have a business where I require blue shirts with the person's name on it. I pay for the shirts and the cleaning. I get a write off for this. I would get a write off for any, unusual or not, clothing that I furnished my employees.
Sure my employees could pay for it and write it off but in most cases they will not even benefit by having enough to write off. And I am not even sure that I could legally force them to wear such a shirt if I did not pay for it.

casper1 · Mar 8, 2004

Uniform code at my facility all white or white with navy pants only. Very strict code

some nurses were chastised by they managers for wearing holiday tops.

sjoe · Mar 9, 2004

Just another example of the oppressive nature of nursing.
Cherry

True enough. Remember:

Alnamvet · Mar 9, 2004

...and you wonder why the only enemy a nurse has is another nurse???

fiestynurse · Mar 9, 2004

Do the doctors have to wear a white coat with MD embroidered on it?

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Mar 9, 2004

We went through this 13 years ago. It started with a uniform scrub jacket, everyone from a specific floor wore a certain color/pattern that we voted for. Then when "someone" got tired of seeing that, we voted again,, this time for colored scrubs,, a certain color for each department/floor. Then "they" decided we couldnt wear patterns anymore(lab jacket they picked), and we had to wear solids but couldnt mix solid color with white, either all colors or all whites at the same time. Except for me,, i wore a white scrub jacket despite their rules. I wasnt going to buy more and like others if they wanted me to wear color jacket,, they needed to buy it. I still wear only white scrub jackets on the floor. It didnt matter as long as if you wore a color is was OUR designated color. They finally saw the rediculous intention of this when all of a sudden they realized it was a bit hard to float a nurse from one floor to the other with "different" colors on. It looked a bit strange considering what they were trying to achieve. I still think the color thing had more to do with them being able to identify who was heading through the parking lot to early before clock time. JMHO. Anyway,, finally its over,, we all wear what we want,, they have a few guidelines as they should have to keep the goth look, daisy duke look from hitting the floor.

As far as getting patches or something for the jackets,, where are you name badges? Arent they required? If we dont have ours and we dont clock in, or eat(card swipe system), go straight to personel and get a new one made up before we can work. One freebie then we have to buy it for 5 bucks.

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 9, 2004

I have gotten many compliments when I wear black scrub pants, black scrub top (neatly pressed), with red t-shirt (scalloped trim neckline, not "just" a t-shirt) under the top, for modesty (so when I bend over you can't see to China :)). Clean white shoes.

So far we don't have strict uniform rules at our facility. Too bad it's "seasonal" (i.e., changes with admin) at some facilities. We do receive a uniform allowance, without the strings. As I said, "so far."

nekhismom · Mar 9, 2004

At my current facility, we can wear anything except denim scrubs. Any color, print, etc. If we choose to wear a T-shirt rather than a scrub top, it must NOT have any writing on it unless it is hospital or NICU oriented. The writing may offend somene if it isn't hospital or NICU oriented.

THe place I am going, ALL RN's must wear ALL WHITE. Period. I think the exceptions are L&D and OR, and they wear hospital scrubs. Which is good for me, since I'm going to L&D. I wouldn't want to purchase all white out of my pocket.

But like WJ000, I will wear whatever the hospital provides. IF they want specific uniforms other than what I have already or what they provide, then they buy it.

I really wish admin people would just get over the whole power trip of dictating uniforms already. Sheesh. I mean, we have licenses, don't we? Maybe some guidelines are ok, such as no short shorts/skirts, no down-to-the-belly-button shirts, etc. But colors and patterns??? Give me a break!

Blackcat99 · Mar 10, 2004

:angryfire I forgot to mention that the nursing home I worked at was always short of staff and we even ran out of insulin syringes for the diabetics!!! Of course,they always had the money to buy those ugly nursing clone outfits. Too bad they didn't use that money for insulin syringes or getting more nursing staff to take care of those poor old elderly people.What a disgrace!

It was awful trying to figure out how to give insulin using TB syringes. :angryfire