Going Back To Wearing Whites and The Cap!

[live4today]

Yeppers......strongly thinking about it!

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?

Thanks for ALL replies!

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by Julielpn

Renee~

I know I'm WAY outnumbered here.....

I'd love to see the caps and all white again! Looks professional and earns respect, in my book.

But also~ clean, pressed uniforms (no matter the color) and neatly done hair also shows professionalism and pride in your chosen profession.

Too many times have I seen nurses where I work come in looking like they've slept in their uniforms and/or not even matching at all! Hair a mess, and looking totally disheveled.

That's sad, in my book.....

If you wanna wear your cap....GO FOR IT!!!!

I agree!

However, I am very pale, w/ pale bonde hair. I look totally washed-out in all white. I do wear colorful scrub tops, white pants, white clean and polished shoes w/ my hair up in a bun at work. Most of my scrub tops are custom made, and are prettier (IMHO) and made from bettter fabrics than most store-bought scrubs, but they're still scrubs.

I got my carpets cleaned a couple months ago, and the carpet cleaners were wearing scrubs!

On the PayPal home page, there is now a picture of their office staff, and guess what? They're wearing scrubs!

Seems that scrubs have become an all-purpose generic uniform for just about everyone.

I think a nursing uniform and cap look really sharp and professional, but I do understand how some feel this would be a step in the wrong direction for nurses.

So, if everyone is wearing scrubs, and the cap and all whites is outdated, what could we wear to distinguish us as nurses?

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

The caps would be a big tip off to the pts. that you are the nurse.

Our housekeepers have to wear smocks that say "housekeeping" on the front and back. They also have only one style of uniform they can wear (light blue top with navy pants) and are not allowed to wear any sort of prints.

No nurses are allowed to wear "O.R. green scrubs" to distinguish themselves from the doctors, and no lab coats either.

And most of all, you must have your name badge that has your job title on it. If i were the pt. i wouldn't trust anyone without the badge and "telling" me they are the nurse. How would i know for sure?

[babs_rn]

Originally posted by justjenn

If I am lucky enough to graduate school next year, I WILL be wearing white's, cap & yes, even cape. It was a dear friend of my Nana's. I have always been different & walk to my own beat, so it would not bother me.

.

justjenn

Umm..I have a feeling your employer might have something to say about that. I can see that cape now while you're leaning over somebody pumping up and down on their chest or running down the hall with a stretcher. I'm sure the infection control nurse will just LOOOVE you! :) You'll shed that thing in a hurry, hon.

[dosamigos76, RN]

I believe justjenn was referring to wearing the smock during her graduation ceremony as more of a symbolic gesture.

Cheryl

[opalmRN]

Originally posted by babs_rn

I'm sure the infection control nurse will just LOOOVE you! :)

Oh I think if infection control wants something to jump up and down about then perhaps the issue of inappropriately long artificial nails should be at the top of their list!!

C

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Originally posted by opalm

Oh I think if infection control wants something to jump up and down about then perhaps the issue of inappropriately long artificial nails should be at the top of their list!!

C

DEFINATELY!!! Last year, we did cultures from a nurse's artificial nails that had started "lifting" (where the part around the cuticle is no longer attached to the real nail). You wouldn't believe the germs!!

[babs_rn]

Originally posted by dosamigos76

I believe justjenn was referring to wearing the smock during her graduation ceremony as more of a symbolic gesture.

Cheryl

Well, that makes more sense.

[iluvsnoopy]

I am a new grad who was allowed to where whatever color or print I liked while training. I love the look of a white uniform, but unfortunately I am too ghastly pale to ever wear one and pull it off. I am soooo very glad we are not required to wear white anymore.

How is this for interesting- one of my classmates and best friends has decided to wear all white and has purchased a cap and is wearing it. I think it looks totally ridiculous on her as the girl is 22 years old and did not graduate in the era of white and caps. My question is: Do you more seasoned nurses think it is admirable/insulting/ridiculous of her to do this???

thanx.

[live4today, RN]

ARIKO.........Apology accepted! :)

Mannnnnnn....I've been off the computer times two days since I had to work and all......just getting caught up on the threads here, and I am totally sold that I should wear white and a cap again. The only problem I am having is finding a place to buy my school's cap.

I went to the website titled "Kays Caps" and I couldn't really tell if my old cap was among their selection. So, soon as I find the hat and get the right stripe on it, I'm in business. Now...if I could just find someone to press my white uniforms for me, I'll be in business as I do NOT iron! :chuckle

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

Well, cheerful, you had better learn how to iron. I am all for promoting the professional image of a nurse. I just think it does not matter what color you wear, but how you act and care for your patients. I hope wearing the "whites" is a great experience for you. Please let us know how your patient's react. But, you still have to do your own ironing.

[JefferyRN]

Professionalism lives in how we perform our nursing functions, not in what we wear. I do, however, have an opinion on whites.

I stood by and watched as the administration took away our white uniforms and our professional edge.

I am a professional. I operate under a specific body of knowledge. If you take the time to notice, there is a certain amount of respect that patients offer anyone wearing white. When I wear a white lab coat with my royal blues, I get more respect from the staff and the patients I serve. My scrubs are always starched and ironed (by me) because I take pride in who I am and what I do.

In the United States, history dictates that nurses wear white. It WAS our universal uniform. I lament that loss. Let the units keep their scrubs. On the floors, I would like to see all white! I don't care if women perfer dresses or pant suits. I would like to see nurses who take the time to take care of themselves and their uniform before they go in to take care of debilitated patients.

Working in a hospital as a nurse is not a fashion show!!!!!!! We are nurses!!! We go to work to take care of the imfirm!!!! We don't go to show off our new Sponge Bob Square Pants Scrubs and shoes!!!!!!!!!!

If white makes you think of "the doctor's little helper," then you now have an opportunity to turn the white uniform into a badge of honor. Claim it as your own!!!

BE PROUD! FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO WEAR WHITE!

[live4today, RN]

well alright jeffrey!!! speak your mind and don't hold back brother!!! :chuckle

thumbs up to you for being strong and passionate about our much needed profession of nursing. the sick could not do without us, the doctors cannot do without us (that's a given understatement if i say so myself), and we as nurses love what we do........it's how we are made to do our jobs that sucks!

we've lost our autonomy...or have we ever had it, and can we get it back? how?

it is quite obvious that education doesn't help because there are more than enough well educated nurses in nursing today.

what is holding us back but we ourselves?

we don't need unions to fight for us! what we need is to fight for ourselves and stop relying on some "nursing savior" to come along and wave her/his magic wand and turn our profession back around to a much respected one today.

before the two and four year degree grads became popular, the nurses who cared for the sick were mostly diploma grads wearing white and the caps and receiving mucho respect by their patients.

can't expect much respect from some of the docs now can we, so it's up to us to draw the respect we need from every health professional we work alongside each shift we serve. if you are a nurse who allows a doc to intimidate you, why do you allow him/her to 'dis' you? do you feel any "less" a person than he/she? what is your worth as a person? what is your worth as a nurse? do you truly value yourself and what you have to offer to the public, to your inpatients, to your clients, to your peers, and to your "upper management"?

there is absolutely nothing wrong with the white uniform and white nurse's cap we honored for so many years before it got boxed up for the colorful scrubs and cartoon characters our kids love (and some of us too...go ahead...admit it). (my personal favorite is tweety bird).

the problem....or challenge i prefer to name it...comes in the attitude projected from ourselves towards being a nurse in today's employment market. it also stems from the way we carry ourselves: our manner of appearance and presentation to those we work with...the patients we care for while on duty. yes.....we are on duty! and, duty requires much of us. what are we giving towards that duty we are called to protect and serve? we are not doormats, maids, handmaidens, peons, and people without a voice! we are in this profession to give that which others cannot give themselves when they are sick. we don't do it for free, but our hearts must say we are passionate about giving to the sick. if they don't, then we shouldn't be nurses.

let's fight to regain control of our profession! we don't have to let "the powers that be" tell us how to be nurses, or what to wear, or how to function. did we not successfully pass the nclex exam? do we not hold the privileged title of being a licensed nurse? no matter your educational level of how you sat for those same state boards; what matters is that you were awarded the privilege of being a licensed nurse, so let the level of respect start there with yourself, with one another, and then perhaps the level of respect will come from your patients and some admin who have chosen to forget the respect nursing once held.

the docs of "yesteryear" may not "get it" where nursing is concerned, but i am noticing that the new wave of docs coming on board today seem to respect nurses so much more. perhaps many of their moms, aunts, cousins, sisters, brothers, uncles, and school friends were or are nurses themselves, and they hear and see how rough we have it in today's world of nursing.

the change will only come if we make it come!!! what's holding you back?