The hospital has decreed that all nurses will wear white in the near future. Despite a petition to administration voicing the opinions of the nurses that overwhelmingly the majority of nurses working at the bedside do not want to wear white, the policy has stood firm and the deadline to change to white is rapidly approaching.
My quesion is......do you think that nurses should be forced to wear white? Do you think nurses should all wear the same uniform?
I finished nursing school in 1977 so I actually wore white uniforms (no scrubs) and a cap. It didn't take long to lose the cap and slowly, the trend to wear colored scrubs evolved.
The thought of wearing white all the time just really turns me off. I find it totally impractical and over time, it will gray and stain and tend to need more frequent replacing.
Here's what The Science and Art of Nursingpublished 1935 has to say on the matter:
Personal Attire: Of course, while on duty, the nurse is attired in a uniform as prescribed by the customs and rules of her institution. The student nurse should early become familiar with the various insignia adopted by her hospital, such as the different kinds of uniforms and the distinguishing marks on the nurses's caps.
Needless to say, the nurse's uniforms, caps, stockings, and shoes should always be immaculate. No jewelry is worn by a nurse while on duty. It is not in keeping with her uniforn or with her work and therefore is not in good taste. Jewelry may become unsanitary or it may interfere with the handling of linens, bedclothing, and other articles. It is also possible to scratch or injure a patient with a pin or a ring.
The hair whould be arranged neatly, and if long, securely. Fluffy curls, fuzzy locks and fashionable head-dresses are out of place in the sick-room. Uncombed and disarranged hair is inexcusable for a nurse. The hair should never need rearraning while giving service to a patient. The ends should be pinned back so that the arrangement gives a picture of neatness and simplicity. Dyed hair looks out of place in nursing-service, especially if the patient's attention is attracted to it.
The uniform should reflect dignity, sincerity, and professional confidence, as should the poise and carriage of the one who wears it. It's style and neatness inspire confidence in the mind of the patient. It should be well-fitting but it shold not conform to the lines of the body to the extent of emphasizing the physical form of it's wearer. It should be of regulation length, the buttons should be where they belong, the collar fastened properly, and the belt according to regulations. Each nurse of the same rank should wear the uniform in the same manner. The center of attraction in any sickroom must be the patient and not the nurse.
The shoes should be a plain Oxford. For a group of nurses to wear different styles of shoes is not in good taste. The shoes should have cushioned, rubber heels and there should be no squeaks in them. This should be thought of in purchasing, as well as fit and comfort. Many schools patronize a company which caters to the proper fitting of nurse's feet. In this way a uniform style is insured and better service is given in fit and wearing qualities.
Stockings should be of a serviceable kind for economical purposes as well as for use and quality. The color should be the same as the shoes, white or black, according to the regulations of the institution. They should not be sheer or of chiffon and they had better not be rolled. If they must be worn this way, the roll should be high enough to prevent exposure of the bare legs when rendering nursing service.
The nurse should wear an underslip, or petticaot, if her uniform does not include an apron. This necessitated the wearing of a long garment underneath to make the uniform shadow-proof. Everything that is suggestive should be guarded against by the nurse.
The cap should be so arranged that it does not give the impression of "coming down" every minute. It should be so put on and fastened that it needs no attention to keep it where it belongs.
I think each type of staff member wearing a different uniform is really helpful to the patient. Patients don't necessarly understand who is a nurse, a PCA, etc. I've also had a lot of patients think that I'm her doctor (even though I'm wearing the same pink scrubs as everyone else and a Hello Kitty jacket). When we are short on PCAs and I had to do my own vital signs, I always did the assessment first and then the vital signs, otherwise the patient assumed I was the PCA all day long.
We are going to white tops and navy pants (scrub tops and bottoms). I too "grew up" wearing whites and a cap. Personally, I think the white looks really nice, but I'm thankful for the navy bottoms (think colored underwear!)
We have such a mishmash of scrubs now on the unit that it makes your head spin when you look down the hallway. As everyone is switching over to the new dress code, I think we look much more professional and have recieved may positive comments from patients, families and physicians.
I do remember using hairspray, h202 and a myriad of other things to get stains out of whites, but with the newer stain release treatments on fabrics I have not had the same problems.
all i can say is that with all the talk aound here about nurses not getting to go to the bathroom all shift, i know there are certain times of the month that i DO NOT want to be wearing white pants when i become a nurse if i don't have a prayer of getting to the bathroom at least once or twice per shift!
well gee , so what. Patients don't know who is who with everyone wearing scrubs, whatever the color. At least in whites you LOOK like a nurse. whats it gonna take, an janitor hooking up an IV before someone gets serious. If ya wanna be paid as a prof then dress like one. Uniforms are a tax deduction anyway, lets get professional everyone, and quit acting like a kid in pajamas
why does it have to be white? why not make the janitors wear white? do you really think that a janitor is going to feel that confident to start an iv because he is wearing scrubs. i know its all about security your dept is not that big that you dont know who is suppose to be there. say hi to those hard working people once in a while and get to know them. they have to clean up the vomit off the floor and the mess after the nurses. if it is about security, then its the nurses you have to watch closely at, i havent heard to many cases where a lab tech, admitting clerks or janitors were intentionally hurting pts because they were wearing srubs. cut they hype!!!!!!!!!
I wear a colorful patterned top (floral or abstract patterns only) with solid matching pants in an array of colors. In the winter I wear a long-sleeved shirt under which matches the outfit. Danskos are oxblood brown (forget the BS about white shoes, they don't look so good with poop on them!). Socks are often wild and don't match the rest but you don't really see them. I was told by one patient that I looked like "a dressed-up nurse." Works for me.
:chair: Aside: Is it just me, or are some of the opinions on this thread deja vu? I'm beginnning to suspect that some folks don't read the entire thread before posting.
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Mystery5
475 Posts
Here's what The Science and Art of Nursing published 1935 has to say on the matter:
Personal Attire: Of course, while on duty, the nurse is attired in a uniform as prescribed by the customs and rules of her institution. The student nurse should early become familiar with the various insignia adopted by her hospital, such as the different kinds of uniforms and the distinguishing marks on the nurses's caps.
Needless to say, the nurse's uniforms, caps, stockings, and shoes should always be immaculate. No jewelry is worn by a nurse while on duty. It is not in keeping with her uniforn or with her work and therefore is not in good taste. Jewelry may become unsanitary or it may interfere with the handling of linens, bedclothing, and other articles. It is also possible to scratch or injure a patient with a pin or a ring.
The hair whould be arranged neatly, and if long, securely. Fluffy curls, fuzzy locks and fashionable head-dresses are out of place in the sick-room. Uncombed and disarranged hair is inexcusable for a nurse. The hair should never need rearraning while giving service to a patient. The ends should be pinned back so that the arrangement gives a picture of neatness and simplicity. Dyed hair looks out of place in nursing-service, especially if the patient's attention is attracted to it.
The uniform should reflect dignity, sincerity, and professional confidence, as should the poise and carriage of the one who wears it. It's style and neatness inspire confidence in the mind of the patient. It should be well-fitting but it shold not conform to the lines of the body to the extent of emphasizing the physical form of it's wearer. It should be of regulation length, the buttons should be where they belong, the collar fastened properly, and the belt according to regulations. Each nurse of the same rank should wear the uniform in the same manner. The center of attraction in any sickroom must be the patient and not the nurse.
The shoes should be a plain Oxford. For a group of nurses to wear different styles of shoes is not in good taste. The shoes should have cushioned, rubber heels and there should be no squeaks in them. This should be thought of in purchasing, as well as fit and comfort. Many schools patronize a company which caters to the proper fitting of nurse's feet. In this way a uniform style is insured and better service is given in fit and wearing qualities.
Stockings should be of a serviceable kind for economical purposes as well as for use and quality. The color should be the same as the shoes, white or black, according to the regulations of the institution. They should not be sheer or of chiffon and they had better not be rolled. If they must be worn this way, the roll should be high enough to prevent exposure of the bare legs when rendering nursing service.
The nurse should wear an underslip, or petticaot, if her uniform does not include an apron. This necessitated the wearing of a long garment underneath to make the uniform shadow-proof. Everything that is suggestive should be guarded against by the nurse.
The cap should be so arranged that it does not give the impression of "coming down" every minute. It should be so put on and fastened that it needs no attention to keep it where it belongs.