Do male RNs have to wear unisex scrubs?

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Jul 16, 2007

Okay, it may sound like a dumb question, but I noticed from reading the "You know you're a male RN when..." thread that several of you were joking about having to wear unisex scrubs...I'm a nursing student (about to start my first year) and I was just wondering - were you guys serious? ie, were you ever in a situation where (either in school or work) you HAD to wear unisex? Or were you simply talking about accidentally buying the wrong kind? Obviously we have uniforms at my school for the clinicals, but as far as I know they have separate uniforms for males. At least, I sure hope so...?

At my school, men had their own uniform, not even close to scrubs. While there are male-specific scrubs out there, 90% of scrubs are marketed as unisex. There is no way you can get a piece of clothing to fit both a man and a woman comfortably. It's also very easy to pick up what you think is a unisex scrub set and realize it's got side splits, low rise, or flared legs.... very confusing at times. If you can wear scrubs at your school, consider yourself lucky!

Stephen

Bala Shark · Jul 16, 2007

I have to disagree that 90 percent of scrubs are unisex..They have a large market for women scrubs..Unisex, means really, it is for men..The scrubs for women are a lot smaller and slimmer and will not fit a man..It can but you need to try it on and see but the fit is not right and a lot smaller..

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2007

A lot of guys wear unisex because their comfortable and they are the cheapest.

They aren't mandatory howver.

Personally I wear men's pants and 5-pocket tops.

Jedi of Zen · Jul 17, 2007

Okay, cool. Thanks to all for the replies.

I work as a tech at a hospital, and I've never had any problems obtaining male scrubs. Actually the scrub place that I've shopped at has good staff. ie, as soon as you walk in the door, they will immediately make sure that you are directed to the men's section and not the women's.

I think my school uniforms are the type that the tops kinda look like scrubs but they are button down in the front, with big plastic buttons. I think it looks kinda lame personally, even on women, but obviously I won't have a choice.

Knoodsen · Jul 17, 2007

I am much more concerned about the color of the scrubs than the style. In fact, the color is often specified by the employer. I have never worked anywhere that mandated a certain style of scrubs. One of the few things in life that I fear is being forced to wear purple or "bubblegum", etc.

The nursing school I attended had us (both men and women) in white pants and white buttondown shirts. I think that it was intended to humiliate us, but I thought it said more about the school than me. We looked like those guys that work at every psych hospital ever portrayed in a movie. We had this battle ax lay down the law about how we had to wear "nursing shoes". No walking, running, or any other kind of shoes. No exceptions. I went to a store that had dozens of styles..........for women. There was one style of men's nursing shoes and my feet just would not have been happy in them. I went with some walking shoes.

I like pants with a zipper.

savage · Jul 24, 2007

Once tried to convince my nurse manager that I didn't want to wear unisex scrubs because a man needed pants with a zipper. Proceeded to go through the motions of having to drop my pants to use a urinal and apparently it worked. Got to wear white pants with side pockets which I have used for my entire 15 years in nursing.

Cheers.

dskrninpa · Aug 2, 2007

I recently switched to Dickies & Landau men's scrubs, especially pants with zippers. What a difference!:balloons: