Hats, err, caps off to those of you...

[Purple_Scrubs]

...who wear/wore white!

I'm a school nurse and for Career Day I decided to go "old school" and wear whites. I even bought a generic cap for the occasion (my nursing school did not have caps). Here is my experience so far:

- The only white stocking I could find are compression stockings. They roll. I did not make it out of my door before they rolled all the way down my rear end, threatening to make an appearance below my skirt. So I'm now bare legged with ankle socks.

- This stupid cap is ridiculous to keep attached! I read every thread on attaching it, googled how to do it, asked my mom for advice...it still would not work for me. So I ended up slipping a small headband through the tabs that are meant for bobby pins and attaching it that way It STILL slips!

- I always thought the argument that whites show dirt was bunk. My thought was if my clothes have some type of body fluid on them, I want to know about it and get rid of it! But what I did not take into account is the non-body fluid type gunk. Makeup smears, dust, generic dirt...everything shows!

- It is seriously hard to cath a student (who is seated on a toilet) in a skirt. I really don't know how you all did it. With all the bending and stooping we have to do, skirts are not at ALL practical! I thought it would be OK for me since I am not in a hospital setting. Nope, still a pain in the rear.

- My top is long sleeved. It is HOT out today. 'Nuff said.

Anyway, just wanted to give kudos to those of you who lived through the days when nurses were REQUIRED to wear this getup! I admit, I like the look, but it is going to be a looong time before I attempt whites again. I have an all new appreciation for my scrubs.

[Fiona59]

Here in Canada, it's usually a special ed situation, ie: a developmental delay programme that requires cath skill. But more and more it's an aide type job.

My hospital had a couple in whites and caps for nurses week. Never saw a cap fall off and they went home pretty clean.

Oh, and I sometimes wear white hose. Hanes makes a light support hose can't remember the name of them for the life of me but you just buy your regular size. They go up to Queen plus. (You can tell how often I buy them).

[LegzRN]

I thought this thread was going to be about nurses who chart in ALL CAPS!

[DogWmn]

LOL, at the OP, a big thanks. I had a nursing cap that was like the flying nun:uhoh3: and I started work before we were allowed pants uni's...ugh at 5'8" during the time mini's were "in" trying to find a dress long enough not to show EVERYTHING was a real.... well you know.

I never had any problems keeping my cap on, thanks to an instructor who showed us a great trick. 1st, get one of those old fashion combs and tie it into the front of the cap (there is a little thingie to tie it to), 2nd, get a couple of packages of white bobbie pins (I actually saw some in Wallyworld the other day), 3rd, now put the cap on then with one hand flip it over on your face and attach the comb to the right area of your head (you know the old weave it in thingie), 4th, flip the cap back over, 5th, now here comes the first bobbie pin trick on each side of your cap secure by make an X with the bobbie pins, 6th, now at the corner of your cap where the fold is on each side shoot another bobbie pin in and if your really good you can make a semi-X, so in total to hold your cap in place you need 1 old fashion comb and 6-8 bobbie pins, with a little practice it won't blow off even when you go out to the 'copter to deliver a transport patient:D. That actually happened to me, everything is flappin' around but my cap stayed put...tah dah:up:.

I wore hanes white supports, they used to make a really strong support pair, I don't know if they make them anymore but they were pretty indestructable and of course we all carried clear nail polish just in case.

The dresses were a whole 'nother issue as I mentioned I'm tall and "minis" were popular...ugh. I worked an Ortho floor and we had tons of traction patients and it was quite a chore to bend, lift etc. and not get tangled up in the traction with the cap and doing all while in a dress and keeping everything covered:icon_roll. Finding one to fit and not look like a sack was a real trick.

Then of course there was the keeping clean issue, pens leaking, betadine stains, and list of other goops along with body fluids...sigh. Often we were crawling all over the bed and floor putting together a traction bed.

[jmqphd]

I teach nursing. I proudly wear my pin on my scrubs. (I even where a collared shirt under my scrub top so that I can wear it properly... and my bra doesn't show when I bend over.) I have my official circa 1971 cap... unlike any other cap that was ever invented in the whole history of caps...on proud display in my office and my students think it is so cool. (Sort of like an interesting fossil in a museum.)

Back in the day...

Your pin and cap told everyone around you about your background and education. Doctors and other nurses and frequently patients and families knew what part of the state you hailed from and what kind of degree or diploma you had earned.

Because I went to the finest nursing school in the state (I'm not exaggerating!!!) I was very proud to wear the regalia.

It really did have a purpose.

I'm wondering if in throwing it all out, we have reinforced the notion that we're all alike and a nurse is just a nurse is just a nurse.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

I remember being a CNA in the late 70's. It was all white with nude or white pantyhose. One nurse showed up in SUNTAN! Gasp!!! The HN took one look at those pretty golden legs and told her to go home and change. She was also written up.

Now people show up in sloppy scrubs and nobody says a word.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I just want to know what kind of school you work at where you have to cath students!

It's really just a regular neighborhood public elementary school. One of the kids I cath has spina bifida and is not even considered special ed (has no mental defect or learning issues, gets around fine with a walker). The other is special ed with various issues like ADHD and high functioning autism, but she gets cathed due to a neurogenic bladder that was discovered a few years back. She kept having accidents and it was found when they investagated that she does not feel the urge to urinate.