I need two people to respond to this question about nurses and attire.

[Spikey9001]

I'm doing a general survey for one of my nursing classes and I need the input and opinions of 2 adults in regards to nurses and their attire.

Do you prefer a nurse wear:

-Starched white uniforms

-Street clothes with a lab coat

-colorful print scrubs

Choose one and give me the rationale behind it please. Also, if you don't mind, state your age as well as this factors in to the survey.

Thanks.

[Fribblet]

I think asking non-nurses this question would yield more interesting data.

[himilayaneyes]

I do acute care and I prefer solid color, non-white scrubs. I know that having all the nurses wear white makes it easier for patients to identify us. However, I'm a female...and those white pants aren't my buddy on menstruation days. However, if I was a peds nurse I'd wear colorful print scrubs...psych I'd wear street clothes (no lab coat), home health...street clothes w/lab coat.

[MissJulie]

Personally, I don't think street clothes are appropriate for any professional position, especially in the medical field, even if there is a lab coat over them. Anyway, I think the starched white uniforms are really a thing of the past, and belong there. As for the printed scrubs, those belong in peds and on school nurses! I really believe that each type of nurse should have a specific color that they fall into. Example: CNA in ceil blue, RN in royal blue, Respiratory in raspberry, etc so that patients can know who is in their room a little easier.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I vote none of the above. I wear scrubs, and think they're appropriate, but not "colorful prints." I generally wear a patterned top with solid colored pants. I can look professional and be dressed appropriately to do my job.

[hcox1975, BSN, RN]

I think that the white uniforms are a thing of the past and look like something out of a scary movie. I also think that the printed tops are for peds. I am not crazy about having specific colors for certain jobs either. I do understand the benefits of using one color for each job but it does get a bit boring. I think that solid scrubs with a GOOD fit are the best attire. I am 34.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

I think non-cartoonish print tops would be appropriate.

I love this one.

http://www.uniformadvantage.com/pages/prod/koi-rain-rylee-top-js.asp

Lab coats would be too hot, and whites would be impractical. However, a top like the one above looks professional, even for adult care.

Solids might be considered more appropriate by some, but that wasn't one of the options.

ETA: I'm 40.

[kesr]

It does depend on the work envirnment, and I'm assuming the OP means inpatient hospitals. On a "regular" unit; I'd prefer nurses to wear a version of white uniform. I think we do ourselves a disservice by not looking unique from other support staff, and patients shold be able to recognize us easily. Wanting to be "comfortable" is not an excuse to look unprofessional, and by their nature, scrubs look sloppy. I NEVER want to go back to caps - but it did make us stand out. Scrubs have their place on speciality units, and lab coats should be worn when away from those units.

Street clothes or lab coats go with non bedside positions.

Cutsie scrub tops do not belong on an adult unit (IMHO) but are fine for peds.

I'm a dinosaur, 57 yo, RN since 1972.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

Wait, nobody responded with white hose and a white cap to go along with the white dress. MAN! Guess I am the only one that wants to see this in my hospital.

All kidding aside, I think that a solid color either green or blue looks sharp and professional. I am 40, but I lie about my age to everyone else, so shhhhhhh.

[car2614]

I like printed scrubs better. White shows too many stains and yellows, the goal is to look clean, neat and profeessional.

[JacknSweetpea]

I agree with all of the posts that say that it depends on the type of nursing one is doing. Since my particular facility is mostly long-term psych with an Alzheimer's/Dementia unit.....when I work in the Alzheimer's unit I wear my printed tops because the cute little old ladies love them!!! When I work on the other units I wear solid blue, black, brown, or grey scrubs, you don't want these people to not take you seriously. When I was doing home health, I wore a combination of all of the above. I think it is just important to look clean, polished, and wear scrubs that fit correctly.

[OutlawNurse86, BSN, RN]

I can't stand the starch whites. I also don't like colored print scrubs with all the cutesy drawings. They just don't look too professional in my opinion. I prefer to wear my Navy blue scrubs.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I'm 33. I like solid or non-cartoon prints for unit nurses, and different non-scrub uniforms for everyone else. I don't mind color coding, as long as it's not white, which is too hard to keep clean. Cartoon prints are unprofessional outside of pedi. Home health nurses should wear street clothes, with or without a lab coat.