There's a nurse on my unit who wears her starched white nursing dress, white stockings, white shoes, and her nursing cap every tiime she works.
Everytime I see her, something in me gets "quickened"...so to speak. I start reflecting back to when I first donned my nursing attire as a nursing student all excited about my first day of clinicals. I never tired of dressing for my clinicals throughout college.
Once I graduated and landed my first job, I got to experience that thrill all over again but of course at that time the only ones NOT in whites worked in ER, L&D, and the various ICUs of the hospitals I worked in.
Then, I started seeing less and less white uniforms and nursing caps over time to the point I hardly see any anymore.......until I saw the nurse where I work. I'm impressed by the way she dresses, the way she carries herself, her assertive manner, her take no crap style, and her dedication to all she went to school for and her pride in earning her cap and uniform to this day long after finishing school. I don't know how old she is, but if I were to guess, I'd say she was mid-thirties or 40 maybe. Hope I'm not wrong......she's a great person. Maybe I'll ask her how old she is, and tell her how much I admire her "style" as a nurse.
I have loooooonnnnggggg lost my nursing cap. I cannot remember what I did with it. Probably got lost in all the moves I have made over the years. Now, I want to return to my Alma Mater's bookstore and buy me a nursing cap with full stripe and wear it again. I don't even own a white uniform anymore. Alllllllll scrubs of various colors and prints.
I'm just wondering how many nurses posting have felt the need or desire to don that cap and uniform again....if only just for a shift or two........ya know....like "dressup Friday"?????
I already can hear the millions of voices saying already "NOOOOOOOOOO WAY........those days are history"........so I respect your point of view on that, too. But, how many of you even think about wearing your cap and uniform on occasion?
heh heh... good points, Roxannekkb ! And what is a "real lady", anyway ? I've seen many a welldressed woman, but would hesitate to say that all were a "lady"...
Guess I will always be a rebel. When I was in Nursing school, we were forced to wear hats and starch stiff Mary Poppins dresses that resembled a Catholic nun more so than a nursing student. Some of the older nurses have told me that "back in the day", wearing a nurses cap was an honor because you were capped AFTER you finished nursing school. When I was in school, I couldn't wait to finish so I could take the darned thing off! I bumped my hat on every freaking thing I came near. I think the children enjoyed it during my Peds rotation - they laughed and pointed because I had a "marshmallow" on my head. I do not even own a dress uniform - I love scrubs. I agree white uniforms do look nice and professional but where I work, they are not practical. (charcoal anyone? lol)
I also wore all white in school, and remember this one nurse I worked with that always wore her dress and cap. She was stunning!! Even the other nurses would compliment on her awesome attire!!
I'm a new grad and have recently started my job in an ER, and I wear white pants and solid colored scrub top but with a dressy white overcoat ( not a scrub coat, but not a lab coat)
White is completely classy for a nurse. I enjoy wearing it, it differentiates the nurses from the rest of the staff.
Also there is no color code where I work, and my school did not give caps.
I'm lovin' these comments nurses! Some for and some against and some don't care one way or the other and.......keep it going.
I'm still going to show up at work one day soon wearing my full garb. Won't do the dress thing I don't think. I hate dresses outside of work let alone at work. I wore a nursing dress at graduation though because it was required. Then, I would wear a dress on occasion as a traveler when I had one less body to carry around on me. :rotfl:
So, guess I'll get the pants and labcoat with white top and the hat and a real nurse's watch with the red second hand and white band. I'm simply bursting with joy over here in "realityville" where I live. :chuckle Can hardly wait to see the faces on the staff!
heh heh... good points, Roxannekkb ! And what is a "real lady", anyway ? I've seen many a welldressed woman, but would hesitate to say that all were a "lady"...
And what about, um, those pesky male nurses? Would putting them in a starched dressed and cap make "real ladies" of them too?
Or will it make them into "real men?":roll I'd love to see a guy in the large starched cap that supposedly will garner him great respect!
In the sevice, the guys (mostly medics) had to wear starched whites... and they all looked like cooks ! :chuckle
Men in "white".......have you seen up close and personal those fine Navy men in their very white starched uniforms and caps? If not, you've got to see one............you'll never see a man "in white" as a cook again honey. Promise you that! :kiss
Hey bedpan...how about male nurses wearing sailor caps? They're white caps, too. Men wear hats in many professions....why should nursing be any different?
Don take it seriously....me luvs to tease when I get in the mood to tease and all...:chair: :chuckle
jnette, ASN, EMT-I
4,388 Posts
heh heh... good points, Roxannekkb ! And what is a "real lady", anyway ? I've seen many a welldressed woman, but would hesitate to say that all were a "lady"...