Black scrubs?

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All right, I admit it, I tend toward the Gothic side of things outside of work. My problem is that I feel... ill at ease? in bright or pastel colors. I made myself a scrub top from a black print with little dancing skeletons on it. Is this weird / inappropriate to wear (I'm in LTC)? What would you think of an LVN in black / funky print scrubs?

I would never wear all black scrubs, let alone a black srub top with skeletons on it....... Unless it was Halloween. ;)

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Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

Can't it be Halloween every day? :jester:

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Tele, ER.

I'm glad you got a positive response. I think you're probably right - it might be a little more casual in California. I know here (Upstate NY), they'd probably have me change as soon as I walked through the door. Remember, though ... residents and co-workers may not have a problem with it, but it's always that random family member that will complain...

If you like black scrubs, why don't you find or make some that would be a little more low key? My favorite set is black, and my elderly patients always comment that I look "sharp". :) I think black done right can look very professional.

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Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

I do have a nice black mock-wrap top with pink trim, but I'd had my eye on the skelly fabric for a while. If it's any consolation, my next home-sewn top is black, but with cherries.

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Specializes in SICU.

All black scrubs kind of creep me out. During clinicals I rotated through an ER, and all of the nurses there had to wear black scrubs. I thought it was a little bit morbid, especially considering that it was an ER. If I was a patient, I think it would scare me a bit.

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Where I work, the transporters usually all wear black scrubs. I just bought a set, and hope the trasporters don't think I'm infringing on their "colors." (Which wouldn't matter - the kitchen staff all wear navy blue, and when I wear mine and go down to the cafeteria to eat, they think I'm a new guy there to work with them!)

BTW - I saw a Halloween scrub top online that was black with little white skeletons all over it. I was considering ordering, but had some reservations about it for the same reasons being discussed here.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Hi,

I relate to the OP. I like to wear black. It's one of my favorite colors. At my hospital on my unit, we do have a dress code, that does not prohibit staff from wearing black, but I feel that it is a bit morbid. As nurses we can wear scrubs that are solid coordinating colors, no prints. We can wear black, and some do, but I don't (personal choice). My favorite scrub color is Navy Blue. It's dark which I like, but not associated with death. I work on a cardiac unit so I am very conscious about how I am perceived by pts and family. I will never be caught in a pastel, but there are other colors besides black that I am comfortable in. Skeletons on scrubs in any setting are very inappropriate I think.

Amy

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Yes, weird and inappropriate, unless it's for Halloween.

Most people associate skeletons with death...is this the image you want to portray to patients?

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My uniform for clinicals for my RN program is black scrubs with the school logo on the top. I'm pretty happy that A) we get to wear scrubs instead of some silly student uniform, and we can wear any style of scrub pants, and B) they aren't white!! :yeah: . However I do worry that all black might freak some patients out a little bit.

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

A friend of mine used to wear a set of solid black scrubs until he scared the crap out of a patient. He also had a white tee shirt on under it that looked like a collar. A few things about our unit and the time in question:

-It's an Oncology unit and a lot of the patients are dying

-It was about 03:00. (He works steady nights and came on @ 23:00, so the patient didn't remember meeting him.)

-He woke the patient out of a sound sleep to draw his blood by gently touching his arm.

The pt thought my friend was a priest coming to give him last rites. :eek: Naturally my df was mortified, but the pt and I were laughing hysterically once he realized who B was. :chuckle

After that, he retired that set of scrubs. We still call occasionally call him Father B. :D

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma.

All of the RNs at the hospital I work at can ONLY wear black or white, NO prints. Its too hard to stay clean in all white, so the majority of the RNs are in head to toe black (we can wear black top/white bottoms or white top/black bottoms). We joke that we look like a bunch of ninjas running around!

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Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

I was considering re-using my white school tops with my black scrub pants... but dietary at my work wears white shirts and black pants.

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