I work in a psych unit and our nurse mgr decided that we needed to wear black uniforms. I have had negative responses from pts as well as other people that I have come in contact with about this color.
One pt refused to take medications because I was in black, calling me an "angel of death". When I broke policy the next day and wore white, the same pt referred to me as an "angel of mercy"! After relating to my mgr this information, the mgr smiled and pollitely went about their business.
What are colors that have been used in other psych units and pt reactions?
To be honest, she came from an icu background. Her rational is that it "looks good" on us and is slimming!
Slimming? Oh dear, pts. do not care if their nurses are donning strategically slimming attire. They are admitted to receive support, insight, and tools in hopes that they will leave with improved safety and functioning.
We wear street clothes, business casual, and we are discouraged from wearing one sole color, especially black. I am not aware of any research that supports or opposes this, would be an interesting read.
I work inpt psych and our dress code is just scrubs or scrub pants and t-shirts, no specific color. Most of the older nurses tend to stick with very traditional scrubs while some of us newer nurses have taken the scrub pant and t-shirt route. We have had many of our pts tell us they feel more comfortable talking to us because we look less "clinical". I definitely agree that all black scrubs sound like a terrible idea, however on the other hand with mentally ill pts you never really know what "outfit" might upset them.
Our unit recently switched to scrubs from street clothes. Some of the nurses don't like while some do. We have a choice of wearing black, pink or white and any combo of the three including prints. This is great for the women but being a guy, pink and white are not very appealing. Black is my only choice and finding something with multi colors is difficult. The only problem I have ever had with being in black is that after med pass, one of the patients thought I was passing communion.
Wow, that's really dumb. I've seen the best results with scrubs, with a mild color like the ceil blue (pale blue). Street clothes...that can be hit or miss, sometimes, a lot of times, people don't dress appropriately and it really attracts the attention of the patients and other staff--not in a good way. And scrubs rule out all that. It also separates staff from the patients...in an emergency you don't have to look for a tiny badge or to see if the shoes have laces.
mystory, BSN, RN
177 Posts
Slimming? Oh dear, pts. do not care if their nurses are donning strategically slimming attire. They are admitted to receive support, insight, and tools in hopes that they will leave with improved safety and functioning.
We wear street clothes, business casual, and we are discouraged from wearing one sole color, especially black. I am not aware of any research that supports or opposes this, would be an interesting read.