Are all nurses that wear white dorks?

Nurses General Nursing

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:idea: i just wondered what your perspective on this trend is; i mean here it is that we have stirred away from this trend with diverse patterns and pastels. so, are you a dork? i count myself as one...just want to know that if someone's fluids ends up on me what particular color it is!!??? :trout:
Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

I'm a big old dork and proud of it. ;) I love me some whites!!!!!!!!!!!!

Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

during nursing school, in order to save money i would use liquid paper on dark spots on my white uniform. never washes out and looks a little funny in bright light.:rotfl:

In this case, I know a LOT of Dr Dork's!!

But seriously, the impression I get when I see a nurse wearing all white (no offense, I hope to those that do) is that this person isn't up tp date on current practice, you know, stuck in the 70's, or else they just want everyone to THINK she is a nurse when she isn't.

None taken. But I think you might want to say current "customs" rather than "practice."

I wear white because I work LTC and no matter how fried my old folks' brains might be they recognize me immediately and it helps immeasurably with their orientation and fears. Further, the A&O x3 folks compliment me on how nice I look - I think they find it comforting to be cared for by someone who respects their ways and era.

If I worked in the ED I'd wear the dark green that doesn't show blood. Pedes, cartoons. A doctor's office, whites, to differentiate me from the file clerks and office manager and everyone else who wear scrubs. Straight med/surg, given that it's often the same old folks from or ready for LTC, whites.

I am there for their care and comfort, not my own fashion sense nor to make certain that a coworker approves of my stylin' ways.

I personally don't make judgements of nurses based on their dress. No one at my facility wears all white, but if they did I wouldn't care.

I agree

I like black scrubs. I'd like to know why some people believe that the color black is more scary to patients than any other color. I've seen nurses wearing some pretty hideous colors and prints on the floors, but as long as the scrubs are clean and the hospital doesn't have a strict dress code---then why not!

I think monocramatic white scrubs look pretty dorky. Sure, it's professional and the traditional color of nursing, but it just doesn't look good. Even more, I hate those stupid, infantile cartoon scrubs or even bad '80s patterns of hearts or paint splashes or something. Those make nurses look unprofessional ---- unless, maybe, maybe, you're a peds nurse.

How about just some solid colors? I work in the PACU, and we typically wear the green scrubs. People know you're a nurse and it's professional looking - without the dork factor.

White doesn't look dorky. It looks professional..hands down. We have to wear all white to clinical and we mumbled and grumbled then realized...hey, we look pretty good. I don't think it's a color I'll wear all the time in scrubs, simply because it stains, but I love a nurse in white. I think as long as you look crisp and clean it doesn't matter what scrubs you wear.

I saw a woman at the hospital the other day who had on the white dress, cap and all and I thought she looked really great.

If you look at very early photos of nurses, white was not the original prefered color. Florence Nightinggale didn't wear all white. Nurses from my old nursing books prior to the 20's didn't wear all white. All white came into fashion the 30's.

Specializes in Education, Medical/Surgical.

I have some pics of 1920 graduation classes and they are in white dresses and hats, but black stockings and shoes. Nursing must bow to fashion trends even though it's usually about 20 years too late. When I first started hospital nursing you couldn't wear pants. Even before that when I started University BSN you couldn't wear pants on campus. Frankly white looks better in a starched dress or pant suit, white scrubs usually just look scrunchy.

I personally like a monochromatic look, and I like all white, and I like black, I always have a long sleeve t on underneath, I do think it looks professional, certainly not like I am a throwback to the 70's! In my regular life I can definately be accused of staying up on trends and my taste doesn't change for my work clothes. I don't wear cartoons(won't wear them on my street clothes so I won't wear them to work) or patterns at all, just not my thing, piping is o.k. or the scrubs that have stripes like track pants, definately prefer the straight or boot cut. So no I don't think all white is dorky.

Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.
Our hospital system is thinking of going back to all white. The majority of nurses have said "No Way!" I personally hate the thought of wearing all white. i have some of the most unusual bright colored scrub tops in my unit.

Me too, and I love wearing bright colors. They perk me up and others around me. There is no way I would work anywhere that required all whites!

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

Okay...We had a WONDERFUL nurse that is agency...heck..I remember her as a student at my hospital! She wears the white pants, top and hat! Patients see her as a 'Real Nurse'...even the young ones!

I remember her well..even I listened to her harder and learned much from her as a student.......wow, because she was in whites! Darn tootin...and wow..not typically like me..but I did!

Well...caught her making mistakes a year ago..nothing big, but a few minor infractions I couldn't correct on my own. She had my utmost respect..nice gal..but yes..I too was caught up in the WHITE syndrome!

Tonight was bad..she forgot so many things that I spent half my shift catching up with things that should have been done. That is when it truly hit me...well that and just seeing this post! LOL....I was as caught up in the whites and white cap as anyone else~!

Did I write her up for three writable infractions...no...I really didn't have time! Will I talk to her about it...OH HECK YES! (but she is cool and if I tell her she will correct it...and make good by it!..but not because she wears whites..but because she is a good nurse). But hel*...if it was me and my colored scrubs..write up big time!

So interesting...even I give respect without someone proving it to me because of the whites! AND remember folks..I am RN..if I unconsciously do it..the patients do it big time!

and all night long...as I was silently fixing the probelms..they had nothing but high praises for her...good for her! it is really deserved she is awesome...but...hmmmmmmm how about the one that fixed the probelms that wasn't in whites?

Just something to chew on....

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