Couldn't tell who was a doctor or nurse!

mitchsmom · Dec 27, 2004

Even if the staff had been wearing clownsuits, it would not have changed the outcome

I think she was saying it made a difference in that it took her much longer to find help because she spent valuable time addressing the incorrect people when she would have otherwise been able to walk straight to the right person without having to go through the rigamarole of asking several people if they were nurses.

That's not to say that finding someone sooner would have changed the outcome but that's also not a reason not to fix the problem... that would be like saying 'since I didn't get hurt this time, the broken step that made me trip doesn't need to be repaired', KWIM?

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Dec 27, 2004

White is not realistic in some lines of nursing. I have no desire to spend HOURS bleaching.

flashpoint · Dec 28, 2004

The whole uniform thing is a hot topic in a lot of areas right now. Our lab and x-ray departments have purchased white lab coats with the hospital logo for their employees because they were often confused with dietary and housekeeping. Now, they are being confused with the doctors and nursing students. Both nursing schools in the area make their students wear all white...they look nice and are easy to distinguish from staff. I hope my hospital never make nurses wear all white though. :) I think the best solution is to keep non medical personnel (dietary, housekeeping, ward clerks, pharmacy) OUT OF SCRUBS. Only people who are going to have direct patient contact should be allowed to wear scrubs. Personally, I'd like to see x-ray and lab in something other than scrubs too, but that is not going to happen.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Dec 28, 2004

Sorry to hear about your FIL.

This issue will never go away until "standardization" of dress is in place. Currently, there are too many preferences available. Nursing, as a field, gave up its "public" image as a nurse when it pushed hard away from the "handmaiden" image. There was a thread recently which was entitled, "Do I look like a nurse?" The answer to this is, "honestly, what does a nurse look like?" This is a very hard question to answer. If nurses can't answer it, no doubt the public or lay person is confused. Often times, we are indistinquishable from techs or house keeping now. Partly, this is our own fault as a profession. The issue may never be resolved, even if it is to our own professional detriment. In our fast paced culture, image is touted as every thing. "The clothes make the (fill in the blank)", "professional image", "business attire and image", making the "first impression", image and advertising...etc. If we can't define our imagine for ourselves, others will define our image for us. Sadly, this is happening...and not for the best. The public "doesn't really see" a nursing shortage because we all look alike (techs, assistants, house keeping, etc). Unfortunately, it is when we are in crisis and need to find a nurse and unable to that truely gets our attention. It is not what we see, but what we lack to find or see clearly...a nurse highly identifiable and accessible.

rstewart · Dec 28, 2004

Not so long ago a friend of mine required back surgery which was performed at a specialty "spine" hospital. I was extremely impressed with all aspects of her care.

Upon admission, her registered nurse introduced herself in a clear, professional unhurried manner. She then clearly printed her name and title on a board which was easily visible from the patient's bed. As required by our state's law she wore a name badge which clearly identified her as a registered nurse.

Shortly thereafter, a CNA in the same manner introduced herself and placed her name on the board. As required by the facility, she wore a clearly lettered name badge.

Both took the time to demonstrate the call light system and made sure that the patient understood its use by return demonstration. Both made sure it was working properly and within the patient's reach.

At all times during her stay the patient's call light was answered promptly and appropriate assistance given.

1) As described above we had absolutely no difficulty naming our caregivers and their roles. Would you?

2) Do you think that the patient/nurse ratio of a maximum of four patients for one nurse (even at night), each of whom had a CNA may have had something to do with our favorable experience?

3) Would you be surprised to learn that patient satisfaction scores at that facility are near perfect?

4) Would you be surprised to learn that this facility has a waiting list for nurses desiring employment while other med-surg. areas in local hospitals can not fill positions without literally recruiting around the world?

allnurses Guide · Dec 28, 2004

Not so long ago a friend of mine required back surgery which was performed at a specialty "spine" hospital. I was extremely impressed with all aspects of her care.
Upon admission, her registered nurse introduced herself in a clear, professional unhurried manner. She then clearly printed her name and title on a board which was easily visible from the patient's bed. As required by our state's law she wore a name badge which clearly identified her as a registered nurse.
Shortly thereafter, a CNA in the same manner introduced herself and placed her name on the board. As required by the facility, she wore a clearly lettered name badge.
Both took the time to demonstrate the call light system and made sure that the patient understood its use by return demonstration. Both made sure it was working properly and within the patient's reach.
At all times during her stay the patient's call light was answered promptly and appropriate assistance given.
1) As described above we had absolutely no difficulty naming our caregivers and their roles. Would you?
2) Do you think that the patient/nurse ratio of a maximum of four patients for one nurse (even at night), each of whom had a CNA may have had something to do with our favorable experience?
3) Would you be surprised to learn that patient satisfaction scores at that facility are near perfect?
4) Would you be surprised to learn that this facility has a waiting list for nurses desiring employment while other med-surg. areas in local hospitals can not fill positions without literally recruiting around the world?

I think this helps buttress my point that the uniform someone is wearing is not the problem. Clear communication is the key.

Thanks too Headhurt for your clownsuit input. :chuckle

Heading straight to the nurse's station is probably the best move if the hall is filled with people who have a right to be there and are just doing their jobs and not loitering . . . Someone at the nurse's station could at least page your nurse for you and would know where they are and could get them for you.

steph

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Dec 28, 2004

Steph, I agree with your point. We use the name board, name tags, and introductions too. Most of the time, this works very well. The point I wanted to bring out is that patients and families are often bombarded with information, and in a crisis, may be forgotten or lost in the shuffle or lost in the moment. It may not be frustrating to us, unless the tables are turned and find ourself in a strange hospital with a different set up, and everyone "looks like" a nurse. Just trying to present the other side of the coin from a patient/family perspective.

smk1, LPN · Dec 28, 2004

Steph, I agree with your point. We use the name board, name tags, and introductions too. Most of the time, this works very well. The point I wanted to bring out is that patients and families are often bombarded with information, and in a crisis, may be forgotten or lost in the shuffle or lost in the moment. It may not be frustrating to us, unless the tables are turned and find ourself in a strange hospital with a different set up, and everyone "looks like" a nurse. Just trying to present the other side of the coin from a patient/family perspective.

bingo! I am sure the nurse introduced herself to FIL and MIL and showed them the call light location during admission, but what good did that do us when MIL was at home showering and FIL was the one seizing? :uhoh21: Obviously there isn't a perfect solution to this, but what i am pointing out is the frustration of seeing all the nurse "lookalikes" in the hospital when you need help. It felt like a comedy of errors. Again I am NOT saying nurses have to wear white (i certainly wouldn't want to) but having the other occupations NOT DRESS LIKE NURSES OR DOCS would help! (as would having a large bright sign showing the location of the call button/light).

allnurses Guide · Dec 28, 2004

Steph, I agree with your point. We use the name board, name tags, and introductions too. Most of the time, this works very well. The point I wanted to bring out is that patients and families are often bombarded with information, and in a crisis, may be forgotten or lost in the shuffle or lost in the moment. It may not be frustrating to us, unless the tables are turned and find ourself in a strange hospital with a different set up, and everyone "looks like" a nurse. Just trying to present the other side of the coin from a patient/family perspective.

I agree with your point too. :)

Having worked with the public all my life I realize that stuff happens. I used to have a job where right above my desk and to the right a little was a LARGE SIGN that pointed to the bathroom. People still came up to me and asked me "Where is the bathroom?". We used to privately laugh at that - how could they miss that sign?? But then it happened to me one time at Disneyland - asked for the bathroom from someone who was standing under the sign for the bathroom. :imbar

How much moreso would people be confused when chaos reigns?

Ever been in a code? :rolleyes: :)

steph

RN2Bn2006 · Dec 28, 2004

Sorry about your FIL, first of all.
As for uniforms, I think that only nurses, Dr.s, CNA's and other legit personnel should wear scrubs. You shouldn't have to wonder if it's a nurse or a cleaning lady giving you a shot!

I sooooo agree with you. I think only the medical personnel should wear the scrubs - as to NOT confuse the patient and patients family. The hospital i do my clinicals at wears name tags with their title on them, but the wear them all faced toward their chest, so if you ask me - why wear one?

If the cleaning people/dietary people want to wear scrubs - why don't they have to wear a specific style/color to differentiate themselves from the medical personnel??

Just my opinion.

PB

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Dec 28, 2004

If the cleaning people/dietary people want to wear scrubs - why don't they have to wear a specific style/color to differentiate themselves from the medical personnel??

Some places do.

SharonH, RN · Dec 29, 2004

bingo! I am sure the nurse introduced herself to FIL and MIL and showed them the call light location during admission, but what good did that do us when MIL was at home showering and FIL was the one seizing? :uhoh21: Obviously there isn't a perfect solution to this, but what i am pointing out is the frustration of seeing all the nurse "lookalikes" in the hospital when you need help. It felt like a comedy of errors. Again I am NOT saying nurses have to wear white (i certainly wouldn't want to) but having the other occupations NOT DRESS LIKE NURSES OR DOCS would help! (as would having a large bright sign showing the location of the call button/light).

This is an issue that not only will not go away but it is in fact becoming a bigger deal all the time. On the nurses wearing white thread, many nurses reacted very negatively and said why not make ancillary personnel wear uniforms, ban them from wearing scrubs, etc. Unfortunately, what many will not or cannot understand is that the general public associates nurses with white so instituting a policy in which only nurses wear scrubs of whatever color while everyone else wears a different uniform will not solve the problem whatsoever. Besides, what would we have techs, lab personnel, PT, RT etc wear? They wear scrubs for the same reason we do because they are easy to keep clean and comfortable.

I no longer work in acute care but I have experienced a few clients referring to me and other members of the staff as "technicians" or "techs" in a derisive manner, assuming that we are not skilled professionals even though I always verbally identify myself to them as a nurse. (We wear street clothes). I have decided to address that problem by always wearing a WHITE lab coat over my clothes with the RN patch. Problem solved. I prefer to be distinguished from other non-nursing personnel anyway.