Our facility is looking to go to white uniforms for RN's because of uniform recognition. Research shows that when test members are shown pictures of people in scrubs, they almost always pick the person in white as the nurse. Currently, we have no restrictions as such; except our ICU's wear blue and OB/OR wears hospital issued. There is a group of us that do NOT WISH to wear all white.
What color do you wear at your facility? I am looking for where you are from, what type of nursing you do, and what the rationale is for what color you wear.
Location: Pittsburgh PA
type of nursing: Progressive Cardiac Care Unit - post ops, step down, telemetry
color of scrubs: maroon
rationale: I wear maroon because that is our floor color :redpinkhe
Thanks in advance for your help. I am attending a focus group committee and would like some data to take that helps our cause.
We can wear anything we like as long as it is neat and clean and along the lines of a uniform. Some of the younger nurses wear non scrub tops that are a little on the fitted side but hey they can so why not.
I applied for some jobs in Pittsburgh. The biggest problem I found with white scrubs, aside from the ones mentioned, is that no one makes Steelers scrubs in white.
I LOVE this reasoning for choosing a color for scrubs! Suspect there would be quite a fight on my unit over which NFL team colors would prevail!
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i don't work in acute care anymore but when i did i always wore white because that was my preference, it was much cleaner and more professional than scrubs with cartoon tops and garish flowers. also i used to float a lot, so it was practical because every unit had their own colors. i don't know why some nurses go all to pieces about wearing white.
if you're wearing white because you want to wear white, more power to you. i hate wearing white and would never do it of my own volition. what i object to is the idea that management thinks they can mandate the color i wear to work. i'm a professional; i can figure out what to wear to work all on my own, choosing colors that flatter me. i earned the right to choose my own clothing; i have an education, two college degrees and a license.
if the problem is that the patients can't tell the nurse from the housekeeper, pharmacy tech or dietary assistant, perhaps they could wear the mandated attire and let the professionals continue to dress themselves.
i too hate garish colors and prints, cartoon characters and snuggly stuffed animals on scrub tops -- unless you're working peds. it looks unprofessional and childish. perhaps nursing school should include a class on professionalism including how to dress like a professional.
what i object to is the idea that management thinks they can mandate the color i wear to work. i'm a professional; i can figure out what to wear to work all on my own, choosing colors that flatter me. i earned the right to choose my own clothing; i have an education, two college degrees and a license.
ruby, you are an employee therefore you have not earned the right to choose your own clothing. management can mandate the color you wear to work and as an employee, you will wear what you are told to wear no matter how many degrees you hold. when you go into business for yourself, you can then wear whatever you want. i'm sorry as i can be to have to break it to you, but that's just the way it is.
rationale: There is no requirement at our hospital for certain colors, and that makes me VERY happy!!! I used to work at a hospital in Greensboro and we had to wear this hideous teal color. I hate not being able to show my individuality!!!
if you're wearing white because you want to wear white, more power to you. i hate wearing white and would never do it of my own volition. what i object to is the idea that management thinks they can mandate the color i wear to work. i'm a professional; i can figure out what to wear to work all on my own, choosing colors that flatter me. i earned the right to choose my own clothing; i have an education, two college degrees and a license.
if the problem is that the patients can't tell the nurse from the housekeeper, pharmacy tech or dietary assistant, perhaps they could wear the mandated attire and let the professionals continue to dress themselves.
i too hate garish colors and prints, cartoon characters and snuggly stuffed animals on scrub tops -- unless you're working peds. it looks unprofessional and childish. perhaps nursing school should include a class on professionalism including how to dress like a professional.
rubyvee you are a dear woman and one is really quite devoted to you already, however must disagree with you on this.
ever since there have been formal hospitals there have been nurses, and ever since hospitals hired those nurses, there have been dress codes. failure to follow the assigned dress code can have consequences and repercussions.
in short let me break it down for you like a fraction. one is advised of a dress code upon being hired, failure to adhere to dress code (being out of uniform) can mean a written warning placed in one's file. outright refusal by an superior to comply with dress code when ordered to do so is insubordination and can lead to dismissal.
should your hospital hire a new don next month, and she decides (along with the powers that be) nurses will be in all white and even throws caps in for good measure, you will either comply or leave. those are your only two options. the only hope one has in such situations is to take legal action on grounds the dress code is sexist (such as requiring female nurses to wear dresses or skirts only, no pants), or some how infringes on rights given by either statue or case law. given how nurses have historically worn white (at least in the united states), one is probably going to have to come up with something more than "i don't want to", or "i don't like ..." *lol*
regarding mandatory white uniforms:
from what one has been hearing there has been considerable "noise" that once nurses were released from whites and formal uniforms in general, the pendulum perhaps swung a bit too far in the other direction. same thing in the business world with "casual fridays" and indeed the whole casual clothes trend for office workers.
in offices one had girls showing up for work in flip-flops, and what not, hospitals had nurses showing up in belly shirts and t-shirts best left for either sleeping in , or worn to contests where the wearer would be hosed down with water.
hospitals are moving towards a "customer service" model (yes, i know). patients are now "clients", and it is almost all out war between hospitals to attract doctors and by extension patients. advertising focuses on new state of the art equipment, new wings/units and often features smiling professionally dressed nurses as part of the lure.
on the other front, as other posters have stated, the scrub thing may have gone a bit too far. everyone and their mother, whether directly or indirectly involved in patient care (or not), is wearing scrubs. who can blame patients for not being able to tell whom is their nurse when several times an hour someone in scrubs is running in and out of their room.
Management had already decided we are moving to white even though we were supposed to be "discussing it".
So, April 1 we are wearing white pants, white shirts, and we can wear a colored/printed warm up jacket. The color/print must have an open front, meaning it has snaps/zippers etc. We are responsible for our new uniforms but the hospital will provide a few on-site uniform sales with payroll deduction.
Instead of working on the real solution of why patients can't identify who their nurse is - you know, because we have 8-10 patients, and spend most of our time charting and documenting on the computer vs doing patient care - we're going to put a bandaid on it. I'm wondering what we'll have to do next when our patient satisfaction scores aren't improved in this area.
Again, thank you for your help and interest. I greatly appreciate your feedback.
Management had already decided we are moving to white even though we were supposed to be "discussing it".
"Discussing it" is management-speak for "we've already made a decision but are going to make you feel all warm and cuddly and empowered by pretending to give a darn about what you think."
"Discussing it" is management-speak for "we've already made a decision but are going to make you feel all warm and cuddly and empowered by pretending to give a darn about what you think."
I know. I guess I was just naive in thinking they would actually listen. And care. Ohh how I hate to be wrong.:chuckle
I am in Alaska and working in psych. We are free to wear jeans and a tee shirt as long as we have our badges. I personally try to dress a bit more professionally, it seems I get a little more respect when I do.
IMHO, I think only doctors and nurses should be able to wear scrubs, not housekeeping, or dietary, or transport or what have you. Then, patients will have no problem in deciphering who the medical professionals are, no matter what color the scrubs you happen to be wearing. Just because it's convenient doesn't mean everyone should be wearing scrubs. Just my :twocents:
I LOVE this reasoning for choosing a color for scrubs! Suspect there would be quite a fight on my unit over which NFL team colors would prevail!
:twocents: 
lwd338
46 Posts
We can wear anything we like as long as it is neat and clean and along the lines of a uniform. Some of the younger nurses wear non scrub tops that are a little on the fitted side but hey they can so why not.