The hospital where I work is instituting color coded uniforms for all staff (except MD's) in patient care areas (RN/LPN-royal, PCT-teal, Radiology-black, Transport-brown, etc) to help patient's be able to identify who is who. Tops and bottoms are the same color. They are providing all staff with a ONE TIME only stipend toward buying the new uniforms. Full-time staff will receive $100, part-time $60, and per diem $40. Staff will be required to buy the scrubs online through the hospital and there is one brand (Cherokee) with 6 styles to choose from. If your scrub order costs more than your stipend, you pay the difference. The scrub prices range from $12-$24 each piece with the unisex being on the low end and the more fashion forward and maternity scrubs being on the high end. You will not be allowed to go to your local scrub store and buy another brand of scrubs, even if they are the correct color. If you choose to wear a shirt under your scrub top, it must be the same exact color as your scrubs or black, no prints. Also, no jackets are to be worn over the top.
Currently the hospital provides scrubs to the OR staff at no charge and will continue to do so. They also provide uniforms to the environmental staff at no charge and will continue to do that. If they are limiting our attire to one specific brand and specific styles and we have to purchase them from the hospital that seems like a uniform and not a dress code and the hospital should be providing them like they do for the other departments wearing uniforms. As far as I know, other companies outside of healthcare that require uniforms actually provide the uniforms.
I, like many of my coworkers, am fine with the required colors but am upset that I have to use my own money to buy the scrubs and can not even buy what fits me best. I wear tall length Koi cargo scrub pants, they are available in royal blue (I own 2 pairs) but I can not wear them. Instead I must buy pants I don't like for $24/each, because that is how much the tall length pants are through the vendor. My other option would be to buy the cheaper regular length scrubs and have them be 2 inches too short or buy the unisex pants and worry about my butt showing every time I bend over or feel gross and unprofessional because the crotch is sagging halfway down my thigh. According to the head of the uniform committee, staff should feel lucky though that they did not dictate what type/color shoes we must wear.
For those of you that work in hospitals with color coded scrubs, can you buy whatever brand fits you best as long as it is the right color? If your hospital does require a specific brand/color, do they provide you with the scrubs or do you have to purchase them from the hospital?
Obviously I am going to suck it up because I love my job and certainly am not going to quit over something like this, I just needed to vent my frustration and also wondered if this was the norm.
My hospital pays for my flight suit, helmet and boots (flight nurse here) with that said, if they didn't, I'd be happy to buy it myself, no reason anyone should expect the hospital to pay for your cloth. You are still dressing up to go to work and would have to buy cloth anyway. Most people just get upset about being told what to wear. In my case I could not care less.
My hospital pays for my flight suit, helmet and boots (flight nurse here) with that said, if they didn't, I'd be happy to buy it myself, no reason anyone should expect the hospital to pay for your cloth. You are still dressing up to go to work and would have to buy cloth anyway. Most people just get upset about being told what to wear. In my case I could not care less.
Its not just being told what to wear, the OP is also being told where they are required to shop.
If you had to buy your own clothes for work and ruined a uniform wouldn't you be a little upset if you were forbidden from purchasing a new one at your local store and told you had to buy it from the hospital, maybe at a higher cost even?
And sorry if the hospital is dictating the color, brand, and style I have to wear then they should pay for it.
I never complain about buying scrubs because my employer lets me where whatever scrubs I choose. If they made me wear a specific uniform/scrubs I would expect them to provide it.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
At least you got to pick scrubs that fit you. If I am going to spend $25 on a pair of scrub pants I want it to be something I like and can wear if I ever leave the company. I forgot to mention that the scrubs will have the hospital name embroidered on them so if you want to work a second job or leave the hospital you will need different scrubs. I would have thought there was a law against that. Grrr
sorry no law. They are providing a uniform allowance. IN the old days we got a stipend and wrote the rest off income tax.
Its not just being told what to wear, the OP is also being told where they are required to shop.
If you had to buy your own clothes for work and ruined a uniform wouldn't you be a little upset if you were forbidden from purchasing a new one at your local store and told you had to buy it from the hospital, maybe at a higher cost even?
And sorry if the hospital is dictating the color, brand, and style I have to wear then they should pay for it.
I never complain about buying scrubs because my employer lets me where whatever scrubs I choose. If they made me wear a specific uniform/scrubs I would expect them to provide it.
sorry no law. They are providing a uniform allowance. IN the old days we got a stipend and wrote the rest off income tax.
I didn't actually think there was a law, just venting my frustrations. They are not actually providing an allowance. Only employees greater than 6 months get the money and it is only a one time gift.
Just to be clear I am fine with wearing a uniform just upset that in order to comply with the uniform I will need to spend money that I set aside toward something else. I already own very nice royal blue scrubs. It is wasteful to buy new scrubs just because they are not Cherokee brand.
Not sure urban dictionary would be the site I would have used to reference but ok. I knew the definition and understood the reference. Wouldn't the third worlders roll their eyes at the thought of making a person buy new clothes just because they aren't the right brand? I have perfectly good attire while others have none.
I started the thread saying It was a vent. Its great that you would hypothetically be fine with buying your own flight uniforms regardless of the circumstances. I on the other hand am disappointed that my employer decided to push off the burden of their new policy onto its employees with very little notice.
Obviously there are bigger problems in the world but that doesn't change the fact that I'm frustrated with this one.
Not sure urban dictionary would be the site I would have used to reference but ok. I knew the definition and understood the reference. Wouldn't the third worlders roll their eyes at the thought of making a person buy new clothes just because they aren't the right brand? I have perfectly good attire while others have none.
I started the thread saying It was a vent. Its great that you would hypothetically be fine with buying your own flight uniforms regardless of the circumstances. I on the other hand am disappointed that my employer decided to push off the burden of their new policy onto its employees with very little notice.
Obviously there are bigger problems in the world but that doesn't change the fact that I'm frustrated with this one.
My point was to say, don't sweat the small stuff. No disrespect intended.
My point was to say, don't sweat the small stuff. No disrespect intended.
Thank you for clarifying. I try not to sweat the small stuff I just wanted to vent/complain a little. I am sure I will get over it soon enough. It could be worse I know that.
I think Cherokee scrubs are the worst. A few years ago when I was a volunteer at one of our hospitals I had to wear the white Cherokee scrub pants. They were awful and unflattering. You could see through them and they fell apart easily. I hear ya there. I am very short and it is hard to find scrubs just the right length and fit me properly. I am also large chested so I have to get a medium short pant and an extra large top. I found that antidote scrubs work best and look the most flattering on me. Now that I am starting school in the fall we are required to buy scrubs from the bookstore and I dread it. They are some off brand and are very stiff. They are a khaki color and they don't sell petite so I will have to have them hemmed. I would think they would want their nurses to look professional. And as much as I think that wearing all one color works, they should also fit well. There is nothing more unprofessional than someone wearing something too big or trying to squeeze into something too small. It's probably way too late to bring that up as they have made a deal with Cherokee but at some point I would bring up that it is just as important to have well fitting scrubs as it is for everyone to look uniform.
liberated847
505 Posts
My hospital pays for my flight suit, helmet and boots (flight nurse here) with that said, if they didn't, I'd be happy to buy it myself, no reason anyone should expect the hospital to pay for your cloth. You are still dressing up to go to work and would have to buy cloth anyway. Most people just get upset about being told what to wear. In my case I could not care less.