Different colored scrubs for RNs and LVNs?

DusktilDawn · Aug 22, 2005

I wouldn't care if our administration decided that the CNAs & RNs all wore the same colour or allowed us both to wear different colours of choice. No LPNs at my facility :crying2:

Introductions and displaying name badges go a long way on our unit. Theres even a board in the room to write our names. I feel that perhaps a pamphlet provided to patients/families on admission with brief descriptions of the different roles of their health care providers would be a big help.

Most patients don't understand the varying roles concerning the different health care providers in any given facility and call everyone "nurse".

allnurses Guide · Aug 22, 2005

At my hospital, we also all basically have the same dress code. Nurses, techs, and LPN's all wear whatever kind of tops we want to wear, with SOLID colored scrub bottoms to match; no scrub bottoms with patterns. We can even wear black if we want; I'm needing new scrubs and am thinking about getting some solid black ones. The only stipulation is that techs are not supposed to wear white, but they do anyway, some of them.

It USED to be, that nurses had the dress code above, but the techs had to wear particular colors. When I first started working there, techs had to wear SOLID navy blue, no patterned tops. Then the dress code was changed to; techs had to wear khaki pants, but could wear patterned tops to match. Now, they can wear just about whatever scrubs they want, as long as they wear solid bottoms.

nursepenny · Aug 22, 2005

The hospital where I work has gone to color-coded uniforms. ALL nurses must wear navy blue or white, or a combination of these. All other non-nursing personel wear ceil blue. This includes CNAs, lab techs, resp techs, and housekeeping. Some days and nights, it looks like a convention of Smurfs around here. LOL

Quality of care should not depend on the color of ones uniform. All persons who come in contact with patients should ask themselves 'Would I want to be treated this way?', and treat each other as well as the patients the way they want to be treated. I know sometimes that is easier said than done. But still a good rule to live by,... every day by. IMHO.

not now, RN · Aug 22, 2005

I would think that if you seperated the LVN's from the RN's by uniform color it would just add more fule to the fire. If you're already getting conflict between the two why add to it by seperating them? RN's and LVN's are both nurses so they should be wearing the same color. At the very least so that the LVN's don't feel left out.

SeekUrBliss · Aug 22, 2005

Our hospital recently went to mandatory color coded scrubs.
LVN's and RN's wear the same color.
I've never seen this before. I thought the color designation was to help reinforce the differences in scope of practice--after all, techs are part of nursing service, why don't they just wear the same color we do? LOL
It may be because we have LVN's in supervisory positions, like staffing coordinator.
I've found that I cannot get the LVN's to do what I ask, and get a lot of lip back. I'm sure it's not just about the uniform color, but I don't think it helps that they don't wear something different.
Thoughts? Ideas? Experiences?

I worked at a hospital for several years that made the staff wear certain colors (royal blue & white for RN's and LPN's, green for CNA's, navy for secretaries etc). I hated it but they said it was so "patients could identify staff".

I now work at a huge hospital that doesn't have a dress code really-

all bedside staff can wear any scrubs they want, printed and/or solid colors. I believe its one "perk" that may increase job happiness, who knows. My patients comment on my printed scrubs saying how colorful or happy i look etc.

I think if i introduce myself to my patient and am at their bedside doing my job, they then know i am their nurse... i don't think they need a certain color to identify me.

chadash · Aug 22, 2005

I think all RNs, LPNs and CNA's should be clearly labeled by the manufactorer.

NurCrystal22 · Aug 22, 2005

Hey Chris, well I don't know what to tell you and I'm an LPN. It sounds like it's the PEOPLE you are working with and not the SCRUB COLOR. At the hospital that I work at everyone can wear whatever type of scrubs that they want. The only way to differentiate people is too look at their name badge. We also do the same tasks, no delegation. Well, obviously there are some procedures that an RN can do that an LPN can't so we are assigned RN Mentors. I don't know what else to tell you, those LPNs may need to check their attitudes. Sorry you are having problems.

~crystal

DusktilDawn · Aug 22, 2005

I think all RNs, LPNs and CNA's should be clearly labeled by the manufactorer.

:chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

Along with a money back guarantee?

BGSRN · Aug 23, 2005

All I can think of w/color coded nurses is Brave New World. "Oh right your an Alpha you can wear blue - and that Gamma over there has to wear brown."

DusktilDawn · Aug 23, 2005

:roll :roll :roll :roll

I almost forgot about "Brave New World."

chadash · Aug 23, 2005

All I can think of w/color coded nurses is Brave New World. "Oh right your an Alpha you can wear blue - and that Gamma over there has to wear brown."

I'm a gamma!

My husband is a gampa.

There is no joke to corny.....

ljds · Aug 23, 2005

The comment that "Most people don't understand the differences between the nursing staff" is right on, and I think that it would just complicate things further. Why am I being cared for by an LPN, when yesterday it was an RN? And what about a different color for a BSN, too? Because there are more years difference in schooling between an RN and a BSN than between an LPN and an ADN. And what about those nurses who have special certifications? Should they, too, wear a different color?

I think all licensed nursing should be identified just as nurses to the patient. When I write my name on their board, I write "nurse" after it, and I introduce myself, and explain whether I will be working with an aide (rarely) or by myself as total patient care provider. I am IV certified, so I rarely have a patient that my covering RN must deal with. But if that is the case, *then* I explain to the patient that I am an LPN, and then procedure must be done by the RN, so she/he will be in to do it. If I am working on a team with a RN *and* an aide --very rare but happens occasionally--then I will introduce myself as the LPN, one of the three people caring for that patient for the day.

I'm in school to complete my BSN, and after I am done, I still have no intention of writing "BSN" after my name on the patient's board. I'll still be their "nurse" because most patients don't know the difference, and I don't want to confuse them. And my experience as an LPN has been that the difference between the work that is expected of me and of the RNs on my floor is minimal. Basically if I make changes to the care plan, they co-initial. That's it for a routine night.

I personally LIKE the clothing that distinguishes nurses from techs from dietary, etc. I like that at a glance I can see who someone is, and so can most of the patients. Once a patient got angry at a dietary aide, whom he thought was a nurse, because she wouldn't check his IV. She told him "I;ll go get your nurse to do that." and he thought she as a nurse blowing him off, that she was just being lazy. That's one incident of many where I can see that being able to differentiate by clothing would help.

But, whatever. I understand the comfort and personal expression argument, as well. Our hospital requires navy or white scrub bottoms, and any type of scrub top. I personally am a solid scrub type of person, and I don't think in the hospital setting a scrub top with loud print looks professional (except maybe on the pediatric floor). I think my confidence in a nurse would not be high if he/she came in wearing a Winnie the Pooh Halloween scrub top. But, alot of the patients *do* like them, and it does brighten up to floor. To each their own.

Lori