Fictional-Hospital Scrubs for Real-Life Nurses

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So you're about to have surgery. You're probably nervous. But the medical staff seems calm and competent, and that's reassuring, because you're counting on them to make pretty serious decisions. You glance over at a nurse, and you notice the tag on her scrubs. "Grey's Anatomy," it says.

Whether you're a fan of ABC's hit hospital drama or not, you might find this . . . notable. How odd is it that a profession that asks people to trust its members to take life-or-death actions would advertise a brand based on a TV show on the job? Even if you enjoy following the private tribulations and messy love lives of an imaginary hospital staff during prime time, you would probably prefer to see the people delivering your care as laser-focused pros leading a personal-distraction-free existence.

But it turns out that "Grey's Anatomy" scrubs have been popular with medical professionals pretty much from the moment they were first produced, in 2006. For most patients, the branding is probably too small and subtle to notice, and I suppose if it made my caregivers happy, I would be fine with anything that put them in a good mood. But if this catches on and medical uniforms routinely reference medical-themed entertainments, let's just agree on this: no "Nurse Jackie" scrubs, O.K.?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/magazine/03fob-consumed-t.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

How funny. I am surprised that this captured the attention of a NYTimes journalist enough to write about it.

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

it's not advertising the show, it's a brand. I like them because they are soft, durable, and comfortable, but trust me, if I could rip that GA tag off I would!

I hate when journalists write with an air of condescension about something they clearly failed to research extensively.

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I took it as a tongue-in-cheek article, more amusing than critical.

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

My Grey's Anatomy scrubs rock. I've only tried watching the show once, but it just wasn't for me. Now, Nurse Jackie, I love--mainly because her humor/worldview is as warped as mine. I have to say, though, that I found this quote really offensive:

"you would probably prefer to see the people delivering your care as laser-focused pros leading a personal-distraction-free existence."

What?? Does this journalist have some sort of weird Madonna/***** complex in regards to nurses? We aren't allowed to have personal lives, now?

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Well actually doesn't it seem like Nurse Jackie wears GA brand scrubs. That's what it looks like to me.....

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Specializes in LPN, Peds, Public Health.

I don't think its that we are not allowed to have private lives, its that the patients want to THINK that we don't. I don't go out for drinks in my hometown because I don't want patients seeing me out that way. I'm sure they feel the same...

When we go to the Dr we want to think that they are upstanding citizens and never do any wrong, and I think a lot of people want to look at nurses the same way. I have no problem with people wanting to hold us to a higher level of standards.

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.
I don't think its that we are not allowed to have private lives, its that the patients want to THINK that we don't. I don't go out for drinks in my hometown because I don't want patients seeing me out that way. I'm sure they feel the same...

When we go to the Dr we want to think that they are upstanding citizens and never do any wrong, and I think a lot of people want to look at nurses the same way. I have no problem with people wanting to hold us to a higher level of standards.

But why allow patients to believe it's okay to think that way? I'm not an angel, and I won't ever pretend to be. Additionally, I don't think that my MD is some sort of god that should be put on a pedestal, either. We're all human with our own foibles.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
But why allow patients to believe it's okay to think that way? I'm not an angel, and I won't ever pretend to be. Additionally, I don't think that my MD is some sort of god that should be put on a pedestal, either. We're all human with our own foibles.

*GASP*!!!! What?!?! You mean MDs are NOT gods? :eek: Oh how my world has been carelessly SHATTERED! Does this mean that there isn't really a Santa too? Please please please say it ain't so!;)

I doubt my patients care what brand of scrub cap I am wearing. They are more worried about waking up after surgery to give a good goshdarn about my attire.

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Well they also have other themed scrubs, such as tinkerbell and Child Disney movies xD

If the scrubs were comfortable, I would wear Grey's Anatomy scrubs even though I have never seen that show in my life!

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Specializes in PeriOperative.

Nurse Jackie scrubs would be way too tight to work in anyway...

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Nurse Jackie is wearing Greys Anatomy scrubs! I've got some too.

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