mandating uniforms

Nurses Uniform/Gear

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I work in a small wisconsin hospital and the hospital is going to mandate that we wear certain color and certain print top? They are going to have some choices that we are able to vote for the 2 colors and 2 prints.

Are they able to do that and not have to pay us for the uniforms?

Has anyone had this happen to them? Do you know of any law that then

requires them to pay for the uniform?

appreciate any reply

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I don't think they are required to pay for your scrubs; however, you can take a deduction for stuff you buy in relation to your job - scrubs, shoes, steth, etc.

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most nurses make enough money they would have to buy a "heck" of a lot of scrubs......to reach the deduction floor...

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One of my employers adopted a mandatory uniform and we got to vote for the color from a short list available to us. They said they were going to provide us with two tops. This never happened and they didn't implement the uniform change while I was employed there. I've invested a lot of money in my uniforms so I hope I never get dictated to again concerning uniforms.

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What do they say is the purpose behind this change?

My large urban hospital did away with specialized colors a couple of years ago. The staff hated the limitations, and research showed the patients didn't know what the colors meant anyway.

Morale has improved since we have been able to wear the kinds of scrubs we want. Admin even brings in scrub companies and has on-site sales.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

morte,

Really? I must not make that much money then! ;) Between scrubs, shoes, and my AWHONN membership, I'm at least able to take a little out.

We wear our own scrubs at work. I can't really imagine why a hospital would want to mandate colors anyway. It's not the public knows who's who.

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A lot of hospitals are doing this now. I've worked at several hospitals in Georgia that have colors for areas (RN, unit secretaries, x-ray, etc.). Others assigned colors by area worked (purple for postpartum, navy blue for med/surg). I've been working in Missouri for 2 years now and it's the same here. Later this month, I am starting a travel position to Oklahoma and guess what? Colors are SOLID BLACK OR SOLID TURQUIOSE.

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Specializes in Psych, ER, Resp/Med, LTC, Education.

I am in Rochester NY and all but one hospital has gone with certain colors and the only one that has not --I am at now and in psych were I can were street clothes or scrubs--and they had a unit do a trial a bit back to see if the patients liked it. I worked at a hospital in psych and nures had to wear white on top always and white or navy on the bottom and techs in all navy--they thought this would help with identification of staff types for patients. It didn't help AT ALL !!! Like some have said we knew but the patients didn't! I think they may have decided to go with the badge holder things we have now-- hte clip is square and has the pull cord for your badge--they say RN or MD, or NP etc. and the letters are really big. I like this idea and I think the patients can actually tell who is what this way.

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Specializes in Emergency.

We do this. I am forced to wear navy blue scrubs everyday : (

I would complain, but Im just happy to have a job. I would wear bright yellow as long as I keep getting a paycheck with the way things are these days.

Maybe you can get cute nametags to express your personality.

This is a great site. We all love these and do a lot of group orders.

http://www.teddysrainbowinc.com/

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