Nurses wearing white

GingerSue · Jan 11, 2005

actually in one of my jobs the colour requirement was navy, and that included our winter coat (which had to be approved by the agency).

I didn't like the fabric of the navy uniforms, so I did what I saw others do - they purchased their own chosen navy slacks, blazers, etc, or had them specially made.

kesneysmom · Jan 11, 2005

I am 26 but "old school" I like white uniforms and I like the hats.

macspuds · Jan 11, 2005

Wow!

Is this "whites" thing really the new trend?

Whatever happened to Pins and ID tags?

White is such a drag and colors always spruces up things.

I always wore white pants with a colored top and white shoes. My lab Jacket was a color to compliment the top.

Just another reason why I love this site. You get many pieces of info on it.

Thanks. macspuds

chip193 · Jan 11, 2005

I would quit! I often wear a white top, but always colored pants. Hell, when I wore all white, I was mistaken for the big Stay-Puff Marshmellow Man from Ghostbuster!

Chip

z's playa · Jan 11, 2005

I would quit! I often wear a white top, but always colored pants. Hell, when I wore all white, I was mistaken for the big Stay-Puff Marshmellow Man from Ghostbuster!
Chip

:rotfl: You made me choke on my coffee!

I'm more worried about my underwear showing through my white pants at clinicals. I hear in some places they actually have an underwear policy. :uhoh3: As if they check! Well no way I'm gonna sport grandma panties . Thong tha thong thong thong! All the way.

Z

luckymichelle · Jan 11, 2005

This is a semi-related topic...

I understand that many facilities are requiring all-white in order to acheive a more professional & put-together look, but I think that you can look just as professional in all navy, all blue, what have you.

In the facilities I've been in, what looked awful were the whites that had been worn a gabillion times and stained. Not to mention that they were see thru and some even had yellow armpit stains! Ew! Then, there were the pants legs dragging on the floor, the no-longer white shoes, and the faded beyond recognition prints. So, just because a facility orders all whites in order to look more professional, it can back fire.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Jan 11, 2005

what looked awful were the whites that had been worn a gabillion times and stained. Not to mention that they were see thru and some even had yellow armpit stains! Ew! Then, there were the pants legs dragging on the floor, the no-longer white shoes, and the faded beyond recognition prints.

Or the see-through whites (don't they make whites you CAN'T see through???!!) in which you can see panty lines or worse, see that someone's wearing a thong (or nothing).

Truly makes me wonder if those who make these policies have some weird nurse fetish or something, know what I mean?

hoppermom3 · Jan 11, 2005

I am another fairly young fan of white. OK, so I am not so young (31), but I wore white as a CNA and have to wear white as a student nurse. The patients really do like it. I actually have a hat too (purchased for me by my classroom buddies) that I plan to wear for pinning and pictures, even though it is not mandated by my school. Several of us are going to do it. We have Mennonite students in our class who wear white dresses or skirts for clinicals. It looks so nice and I have yet to see it be a problem during procedures, etc... I bought myself a white skirt yesterday. One of our students (a wonderful Russian lady) commented after clinical one day that one of the nurses on duty "did not look like a nurse, she looked like a clown."

allamericangirl · Jan 11, 2005

When I enter a medical facility it creeps me out if everthing is not spotless. I think that one of the things most people are concerned with when they have to go for medical care is what else is lurking there that they might catch!

I was the director of a skin care clinic. Our procedures were non-invasive facials, electrolysis, and surface laser. The first thing that the client wanted to know in the consultation was about the cleanliness of our facility and employees. My Nurses, Doctor, and Technicians all wore white. The thing they were most impressed with was the "professional" appearance of my staff.

The tech that gave the best treatments always had the least clients, because she always looked like a mess... hair flying all over and her uniforms never saw the hot side of an iron. She made the least money because of her appearance, not because she wasn't good at what she did.

I worked 30 years (not as a nurse) but in the business world. My employers expected me to look highly professional. I have heard nurses complaining here that their employeer did not pay for their uniforms or laundering them! What??! I can't imagine expecting one of my past employers to pay for my wardrobe or maintaining it. I have also heard all the griping about the money you make. I will be very happy to enter a field where I know that I will never have to make less than $25,000. a year and by continuing my education I can be assured of making $40,000. up to $70,000. By the way, I can't remember being able to find an outfit suitable for professional business attire on a double markdown sale costing me less than $50. or $60. I have been looking for nursing uniforms on the web and you have to look hard to find one that costs half that. Plus they are washable ... no more dry cleaning bills. You guys need to be grateful for your profession and take a good look at your professional appearance.

I don't mean to be snotty, but ever other profession that I know of has to present a professional appearance, and the public has a percieved conception of what that appearance should be. It's all part of the way business operates. Outsiders really don't want to do business with people who don't look the part. Medical facilities who want to stay in business and be above the norm will have to do it with the image that they present to the public playing a large role. It may be shallow in the scheme of things but it is a fact. Nurses and Doctors represent the health care industry where the public expects to find the atmosphere of extreme cleanliness. You can't project that in black, navy blue, red, pink, green, or any other color but white. What is the first concept of clean? White.

tiredfeetED · Jan 11, 2005

I could not imagine wearing those white uniforms again...especially in the ED..My facility makes us wear white shoes, which i think is goofy. My shoes look like they have been through war! Unlocking and locking gurneys all day or a messy trauma.

renerian, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2005

The floor I worked on was all white while all the other units wore color scrubbs. Was great for betadine and even better when it was your time of the month.........grrrrrrrrrrr.

renerian :imbar

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Jan 11, 2005

When I enter a medical facility it creeps me out if everthing is not spotless.

Have you taken Microbiology yet? Doesn't matter if it looks clean; that's just a perception. Germs can live just about anywhere.

I have heard nurses complaining here that their employeer did not pay for their uniforms or laundering them! What??! I can't imagine expecting one of my past employers to pay for my wardrobe or maintaining it. I have been looking for nursing uniforms on the web and you have to look hard to find one that costs half that. Plus they are washable ... no more dry cleaning bills.

Your past employers probably didn't have you working with infected patients. That's why a lot of hospitals took care of the uniforms--to keep the germs from getting out into the community-at-large via the healthcare workers who had close contact. Also, the hospitals might offer this service or a uniform allowance as a perk so they did not have to pay better wages.

I will be very happy to enter a field where I know that I will never have to make less than $25,000. a year and by continuing my education I can be assured of making $40,000. up to $70,000.

You really need to look at nursing history and nursing issues, AAG, for a better discussion of nurse's salaries. I assure you, we are NOT paid what we are worth, partly because most people don't understand (and don't want to know) what we do.

http://www.pef.org/nurses/shortage_of_nurses_spurs_bidding_war.htm

Our work is dirty, it's messy, it's dangerous, it's HARD. We keep it as clean as possible, but frankly, you might change your tune the first time you've taken care of a GI bleed on Golytely for a shift.

You guys need to be grateful for your profession and take a good look at your professional appearance.

Whoa there! Who said we weren't grateful? Who said we didn't look good? What I might have spent on clothing in the business world is spent on keeping up my skills, renewing my license, and furthering my education. It's spent on stethoscopes and workshoes, cleaning products and hand lotion. I don't get a uniform allowance, so I also have to buy uniforms.

You might find the history of nursing uniforms interesting. We did not always wear whites. Heck, some nurses still have to wear caps! (Yet another "professional-looking" reservoir for germs.... :rolleyes: )

http://www.nurses.info/history_uniforms_caps_badges.htm

I don't mean to be snotty, but ever other profession that I know of has to present a professional appearance, and the public has a percieved conception of what that appearance should be.

Right. Exactly why we need to educate the public about what we do. Because all they think of when they hear the word "nurse" is a pillow-fluffing, back-rubbing, bedpan-emptying doctor's handmaiden. Wear white and you'll never get rid of the stereotypes.

You can't project that in black, navy blue, red, pink, green, or any other color but white. What is the first concept of clean? White.

You have every right to your opinion, but with all due respect, I disagree. I think I look very professional in colors besides white. After all, it's not the uniform that's starting the IV or doing the assessment. It's the hands. And THEY had better be clean, no matter what color they are.