Doing away with Scrubs

[Kcwestportboy]

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

[jojo489]

There is no way I could function in business clothes. By the way....are we wearing dress pants and sneakers? Because flats hurt my feet and I could not survive in heels!

Where I work, they do resident surveys every so often and right now the residents are very happy with colorful scrubs. My dress code is a solid pant and print top. But the dress code is very lax, they are actually ok with other stuff. Like last night I wore my "believe in heroes" wounded warrior project t shirt with a button up sweater open for Veterans Day. We can do things like that, which I like. But I would not want to be expected to dress like that every day....or really wear anything but scrubs. I love my scrubs.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I worked at an Assisted living facility where we had to wear the polo shirt and khaki pants. I hated that uniform especially when I was on my cycle.

I'm almost afraid to ask, but why would that matter?

[Farawyn]

I'm almost afraid to ask, but why would that matter?

It's the khaki. Some days ya gotta wear black.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Yikes...I can see the rationale IF it is to keep it more homelike for the residents. Although, I can't see doing wound care or incontinence care in business casual. Plus all of my clothes that I'd call business casual don't look right w/o dress shoes...NO to working in dress shoes!

But the rationale that you're providing a service like a waiter or hairdresser?!??!??!??!?!?!??!!?!?!?! (Did I add enough ?s and !s for emphasis?) OH. HECK. NO.

We are professionals. We are not customer service reps. This is one of the worst examples from the customer service model that I've seen in a while. The day they told me that I can't wear scrubs will be the day I bust into that old country song "Take This Job and Shove It"

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I simply couldn't get past the part where we're no different than the hairdresser and server.

There are two types of clothes in my closet. Jeans and sweatshirts, and scrubs.

I have the "funeral outfit" and the "wedding outfit". Business casual doesn't exist in my world.

Believe me, my scrubs look much nicer than anything else I could wear.

I guess I could rotate my wedding and funeral clothes.

[laKrugRN]

Oh goodness I would miss my scrubs so much. I LOVE wearing pajamas to work everyday

I never wear jeans or street clothes when we are allowed to once a week (i work in a prison)

I do wound changes and get all sorts of yuck. I wouldn't want to ruin jeans. My scrubs are a bit tougher

[westieluv]

I can remember when I was an after hours on-call hospice nurse working for a company where we had to wear business casual, even in the middle of the night. How many times did I do post-mortem care, bathing of dead bodies, and changing poopy briefs in my business casual clothes? TOO MANY!

Stupidest policy I ever heard of. If Grandpa dies at 2 AM, who really cares if the nurse who arrives to care for his body has on dress clothes or scrubs?

[amoLucia]

Where I work we have a choice. I at the moment choose not to wear scrubs but I do wear black or grey trousers/slacks etc with brightly coloured tops. These I wear separately to my normal clothes

this was me (I). I'm a BIG girl and uniforms and scrubs don't fit too well on me. I found simple navy (or other dark) slacks and some simple lite colored tees. That's what I wore. And that was all I would wear them for - nothing else. Simple and inexpensive, but they looked like 'street' clothes. At the end of the week, I did my laundry - a tub of my slacks and a tub of my tops. If something were soiled or torn/snagged, I would just replace it - no super big cost.

If you have a union, do you get a uniform allowance? And I'd check to see if they could be counted for tax deductions.

[opdahlamber]

It's a choice where I work too. Most of the support staff wear street clothes. Administration does business casual. DON and Nurse Managers..also do business casual unless the DON is actually on the floor, then she wears scrubs. The CNAs kinda waffle depending on personality. We nurses, we ALWAYS wear scrubs. We all know what's on them. And personally, I would like the visitors that come in to know that yes, I am a licensed professional, am am competent to care for their loved ones. We also made a fuss until our titles were put on our name tags. CNA, LPN, RN, Activites, etc. I think that is a big deal.. to know who to ask for mom's morphine.

[ponymom]

I washed my scrubs in Pine-sol and hot water and dried them on 'sanitize' heat. I don't think business casual clothes could survive that. Scrubs are more comfortable and practical when you're running around overworked and understaffed.

Another ridiculous idea from another clueless idiot...

[PMFB-RN, RN]

They need to make scrubs that look like business casual I guess. That way the problems are both solved.

You are right that WAY too many people are wearing scrubs. However redesinging scrubs to look different won't solve the problem becuase the problem is with out of toutch, lazy and stupid managers and administration.

I noticed the OP called her patients "clients". This is part of the same mentaliety.

[gzussu]

I'm in psych and I love that I don't have to wear scrubs. I hate wearing scrubs. But if I was in medical, I sure as hell would not want to wear my street clothes. NO way.