Is it okay to dress like a "nurse"?

[Jo Dirt]

I'm short and about as wide as I am tall. Scrub pants look horrible on me (anything looks bad, really, but especially scrub pants). I am getting older and the sloppy scrubs and big tennis shoes just do not fit who I am anymore.

I'm wanting to find a position in a hospital. I currently work at a nursing home and they are very supportive of my nursing dresses/skirts. They encourage it, actually.

I love the nursing home, love the patients, but I need to move on in my career. I want to work in an intensive care unit. Does anyone know if wearing the dresses/skirts/support hose would be permissible in a hospital ICU?

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

When I was a new nurse, there was a very nice vet. nurse who wore the skirt and even the hat still. She was one of my fav. nurses. She was a champion for starting difficult IVs. In fact, I believe thats what she does now, IV Therapy.

Nobody was bothered by her choice of outfits. To be honest, some people liked it more (family members etc...). I have a story about a student that was shadowing me and her reaction to it, but, thats for the humor section.

[casi, ASN, RN]

I see nurses in skirts and the ocassional dress quite often. Mostly it's due to cultural beliefs, but there is the occassional nurse who wears a skirt for comfort.

No one really seems to mind what their co-workers are wearing. The people in charge don't seem to mind what you are wearing unless it's a gross violation of dresscode (skirts are okay in dress codes, I'm talking you show up in a miniskirt and fishnets)

[systoly]

Some nurses wear dresses or skirts due to religious believes as pointed out by Casi. I've never heard of a nurse being denied to wear dresses or skirts. Of course I haven't tried it yet.

[MultipNP, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

I've seen a few where I work, as well. I don't think there's any problem with it. And I know that I've seen some nurse skirts advertised recently. Go for it!

[Jo Dirt]

I just wonder if a nurse manager will say it may hinder my participation in a code or something...I still can't do the hat thing, though (but I know of two nurses who do wear hats.)

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

I don't think it would be an issue. There is an ICU nurse here that wears a skirt all the time. I think it looks rather nice and I am jealous that you look good in it and you are comfortable in it. (Some of us can't pull it off, ya know! ) :wink2:

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

I just wonder if a nurse manager will say it may hinder my participation in a code or something...I still can't do the hat thing, though (but I know of two nurses who do wear hats.)

I don't think so. That ICU nurse I mentioned before, she can move. When I was on that floor for clinical I was shocked and amazed. She was fast to say the least.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Some places have required scrubs..like...nurses wear blue, aides wear light blue. I do think a nice white uniform would always be appreciated though.

[swirlygirl]

There's a young RN in our ICU that wears a skirt everyday and nobody ever says anything to her! She looks fine. And professional. I just can't pull off the skirt thing. I felt like I was in a clown suit on my wedding day for god sake.

[Mimay27]

I think it's absolutely charming. I just graduated from nursing school and it the white nurse outfit (ala Florence Nightingale look) was all I wore throughout the program. I did it pretty much out of humor, I figured nursing school was soooo stressful, I thought I'd take it easy and have a little fun and dress up like a traditional nurse. I was expecting the jabs and the taunts but much to my surprise most people thought it cute and it was great for conversation starters too. So I say, go for it, GoLytely!

[truern]

A friend of mine is Pentacostal and only wears skirts/dresses. She works in the OR and doesn't seem to have any problems.

I say "go for it!"....you never know until you try :)