Doing away with Scrubs

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Hey everyone, I don't know if its just me having this issue in my state or if everyone is having it. I currently work in long term care and they did away with scrubs saying that it was too "sterile and clinical" that we were providing a service to the patient just like their hair dresser or server was. My friend works in Hospice they did away with her wearing scrubs and now she is required to dress business professional....Here is my take on it WHY???? I am sorry but I don't want to be get my nice business clothes dirty taking care of clients and I feel like going through nursing school I have earned the right to wear scrubs. I am just seeing this more and more places I go and it kinda makes me sad. I feel pride when I put on my scrubs is something I am very proud of. To me it would be like telling the army or marines they couldn't wear their uniforms. So I was just wandering what others opinions and thoughts were on the topic

Its not just my place several facilities are in my area are going this way all over I mean I have friends doing wound care (for home health) but their company wants them in business professional... REALLY that's absurd to me....and for most of us I would say we have more scrubs than "regular" clothes lol or at least I do I think I have 12 sets of scrubs 2 pair of jeans and one pair of slacks with maybe 6 shirts lol but I'm a guy so I guess it's different

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Completely understand that's why I think its crazy this place is a new job for me but I still am like wow flip side its the most money I have made in my life to date lol

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I feel that scrubs are great to wear when working. In healthcare. I would feel out of sorts without them.

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Specializes in Emergency/ICU.

What about the pockets? Gotta have big pockets!

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Me too Rosemary...I feel like we earned these scrub I would feel like a leopard with out his spots lol

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Specializes in nursing education.

Scrubs allow freedom of movement, easy washing out of anything LTC might throw your way...as I've been in case management/DM for some time now, I gradually morphed into business casual, but that is what makes sense for my role.

Maybe they need to ask the residents and families what they would prefer to see the nurses wearing, if their comfort is the main concern. (of course, they might say "white dresses and a cap" but if you don't ask, you end up with what the CEO wants, no?)

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I do not have the money to buy business clothes to wear to a job where it is a matter of time, not a matter of if, I will get them covered in bodily fluids. Feces can leave permanent stains. If my facility were to pull this one on me, I would move on down the road for another job.

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At one facility where I worked, they got away from all white uniforms to make it seem more like home. Now that uniform change made sense.

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Ask the people who made this decision to do your job for a few days in their fancy clothes and see what happens. :roflmao:

In all seriousness, the notion that scrubs are "too sterile/medical" or "scary" is just silly. Nurses who provide direct patient care should be able to wear scrubs---think of all the bodily fluids we are exposed to! That's just common sense. I'm a school nurse who recently moved to a different part of the country and was told at my new job that "school nurses in this area never wear scrubs, too scary for the kids." Have you seen my fun cartoon and holiday prints?! I had to buy a week's worth of new clothes ... not that I'm complaining. Thankfully I work with older kids so there aren't that many bodily fluids flying my way, but if I worked pre-school or elementary, I probably would've asked them to reconsider.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

When I worked in Assisted Living, nurses were discouraged from wearing scrubs because they were too hospital-like. I wore either casual clothes or a scrub top with non-scrub pants. Now that I work in home health, I wear washable casual clothes. I prefer a scrub top with my own pants or a skirt.

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

Should I stop wearing gloves also?

That's silly. I like wearing scrubs. Residents used to compliment me on certain prints or colors I would wear when I worked LTC.

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NO WAY I'm going to change an incontinent pt in my business clothes. Pffff, what are they thinking?!

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