Dress Code

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Once upon a time, the hospital at which I work provided all our scrubs. They paid, they picked! Then they decided it wasn't an infection control issue any longer, so we'd have to get our own. So, they gave us 5 sets of scrubs and said that's it! It's about 15 years later, and there are some folks still wearing those clothes!! I can tell you what brand of undies they get, too. They then tried to tell us what we could wear, color, etc. I am a large economy sized nurse, and I couldn't FIND what they wanted me to wear, and the 5 sets weren't in my size. So, I decided that, since I was now paying for my own clothes, I will choose what I wear for myself!! I am a grown-up, after all! The hospital no longer tries to tell us what to wear. They do have a dress code, I think, but every time they revise it, and try to enforce it, the unions, and just about everyone else in the building has an absolute fit!!

Moral of the story: Pick your battles!!

P.S. Housekeeping, Food Service and Maintanence DO have they own uniforms; Maternal-Child Health has a different name badge: that is a security issue.

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In a past life I managed an ED with about 100 staff from unit secretary, technician to RN. We instituted a dress code for all levels of staff, meaning all techs wore one color, RN's another and unit secretaries another. Each staff level chose the color scrub they would wear, a vendor was located and we went "live" in about 2 months after all the details were worked out. Additionally, the hospital logo was embroidered on the left upper chest, with "Emergency Services" underneath. Each level of staff wore their scrubs with pride.

And, as a manager, having the various colors representing each group of staff, it made identifying staff easier, who may have had either positive or negative feedback from patients or families. They would almost never remember names, but surprisingly could say what the "nurse" (female employee),or "doctor" (male employee)was wearing. Having a dress code for our department worked for us and it was surprising to see other departments in the hospital follow our lead.

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Thanks for your perspective -- it helps to put a more positive light on the issue -- I will certainly share it with the committee.

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I've done both color coded and not color coded. Currently the hospital I work at gives us scrubs- so that is what I wear- prior to that I did wear (gasp) WHITE- because it was required. I found that even with the nurses in all white, and the aides in maroon- the patients still did not make a distinction between nurses and techs- and neither did the MD's. But if the hospital is not going to pay for the scrubs,I think all they can expect is Clean, Neat and Whole as a dress code.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, MED, SURG, TELE, HOME HEALTH.

our hospital policy gives enough room to individualize. Nurses can wear any color blue or whites and any printed jacket we like. Assistants can wear any color raspberry or whites and printed jackets. Respiratory wears teal.

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Of course, white stockings and "duty shoes" (Clinic 411s) with the

perky white cap always makes a fashion statement that can't be faulted..... biggrin.gif

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About 2 years ago the LTC facility I work at decided to let all of nursing decide what they wanted to wear. We can wear anything as long as it is scrubs. Many of us have taken to making our own and I have to tell you, the residents love the vibrant colors and designs. My husband also works at the facility as a QMA and one resident told him she would have to live till tomorrow, just to see what he is wearing. Of course the fabric choices must be in good taste and so far no one has not complied. I have at least 40 different tops and all colors of pants, including yellow and orange, my residents favorites. They always say, "Here comes Sunshine." Spirits are higher and I really think the dress code has improved, everyone looks nicer. I have always thought that the person who decided nurses should wear white had a sick sense of humor. I cannot tell you how many uniforms I had ruined due to the many "stains" I encountered. I like it much better this way.

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Our new VP of Nursing has decided that she wants to be able to recognize clinical staff by the color of their uniforms (i.e. nursing assistants, nursing techs, RN's), and has appointed a committee to develop a dress code. Many of the staff are angry that soon, in addition to being short staffed, overworked, and underpaid -- that we will no longer be able to wear the scrubs of our choice. Any feedback on this subject?

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My hospital has had a dress code that has changed twice in as many years because of the complaints. The original idea: identify employees by color. Med-surg-ceil blue. OB-purple... No patterns. Basically, we wore what we wanted on the weekends when admin. wasn't there. Code has relaxed somewhat with each unit allowing patterns in the original colors.

My opinion? My patients don't give a hoot what I wear (within bounds of decency and neatness) as long as I deliver. Administration shouldn't care either. Just please, please, don't bring back the caps!

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Originally posted by TracyRN:

My hospital has had a dress code that has changed twice in as many years because of the complaints. The original idea: identify employees by color. Med-surg-ceil blue. OB-purple... No patterns. Basically, we wore what we wanted on the weekends when admin. wasn't there. Code has relaxed somewhat with each unit allowing patterns in the original colors.

My opinion? My patients don't give a hoot what I wear (within bounds of decency and neatness) as long as I deliver. Administration shouldn't care either. Just please, please, don't bring back the caps!

I had a DON tell me one time in an interview (years ago) that caps were not allowed in that facility because of infection control concerns. I had never thought of that before but it seems valid enough...we don't exactly wash our caps in the machine with our uniforms. Before anyone even THINKS about bringing caps back they should consider that.

Babs

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I think there's something about moving into a new facility that makes administrators go crazy with changes. I have been unfortunate enough to have worked in two such facilities...in one, the ED went to RED (yeah, let's really up those blood pressures!) and in another, it was hunter green. EVERYBODY in the ER wore those colors..nurses, techs, EVERYBODY. When I was doing agency nursing, I worked in an ER in a facility in which the ER staff wore hunter green and the cardiopulmonary staff wore red...looked like Christmas in there every day! lol...

Seriously, I do take issue with facilities arbitrarily developing policies regarding "departmental colors" and then not providing at least a uniform allowance to cover it. Most of us have lots of scrubs already and they're not the cheapest things in the world.

Babs

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The day the guys wear upsidedown urine hats on their heads (like the girls do or did) is the day I will put a nursing cap on as well. Our nursing school class did not even have our pictures made with those hideous things on our heads. I agree with the fact that if the hospital is not providing the uniform, then all they should expect is clean, neat and professional--how THAT translates into all white is beyond me!

(And why specify a specific color? THAT doesn't work with pulling staff or staff transfers, etc. In an ideal world maybe. I do try to wear the "color of the day" but if it is dirty, I wear what I have and I have never been sent home, imagine that!)

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