i am on a committee in our hospital that is looking at the dress code, specifically for nurses. as is, the policy states that nurses will wear navy, white or a combination of the two, pcts (cnas) will wear hunter green, white or a combination of the two, dietary wears cranberry, peds wears purple, etc. i don't think this policy is necessarily bad, there is just no enforcement. people have started wearing print jackets and tops, and/or different colored shirts under their tops. also to be addressed by our committee are the "crocs" shoes. we are looking for literature on dress code/uniforms in nursing. we want to put together a dress code that is appropriate yet enforceable.
a couple of questions:
(1) how is the dress code enforced at your facility?
(2) do you know of any literature addressing dress code or footwear in
nursing?
(3) do you find that, or know of any literature regarding, patient preference
We generally wear clean scrubs Shoes are whatever the individual can stand to wear for 12 or more hours with a poorly designed floor that is one hallway with 25 room down each side!
Neat and professional is our code here in NC. Sure some of the young kids coming in push the envelope of professional decorum WAY to far but they are just kids and usually shape up after a talking to. If your facility wants you to wear specific colors then they need to provide them for you. That's why every so often some hotdog new NM who wants to do some low brain power, high visability initative to set their immediate stamp on things drags that old idea out. Cost always shoots it down, there is a law, federal I think, that mandates employers who require uniforms provide them. Our RT's all wear one color but they get issued two sets, same as pharmacy techs but the cost for nurses keeps that kind of thinking at bay.
I would have to draw the line with someone trying to say I couldn't wear my crocs. My foot and leg comfort is more important than some arbitrary dress code.
As for the caps - if nursing wants to go back there, they will have to go without me.
I work in a LTC facility that requires all nurses and aides to wear white. Nurses must wear caps...I work weekends so I can usually get by without wearing my cap all of the time because the administrator is not there:rotfl:. It's a great place to work, so I'm willing to make the sacrifice. Wearing a cap and a white uniform does make you feel very professional. This facility enforces this dress code because most elderly people are used to seeing nurses wear white uniforms and caps. In a hospital, NO WAY! Even if wearing a cap was a requirement, you would still have somebody to ask, "Who is the nurse?"
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We generally wear clean scrubs
Shoes are whatever the individual can stand to wear for 12 or more hours with a poorly designed floor that is one hallway with 25 room down each side!