Nursing Uniform Policy

tonet0908 · Oct 9, 2005

The hospital I just started working at has a uniform policy that says that RN's should wear only ceil blue and white in any combination and only short white lab coats. I am complying I only bought those colors even though I have alot of other colors in my closet. I figure I will comply and not cause any trouble.

What if your employer decided that all RNs must wear navy scrubs? No white. No patterns. Just navy blue. LPNs must wear royal blue and all techs wear burgundy. What is your opinion?

jsteine1 · Oct 9, 2005

I think there's a problem when patients (and even doctors and co-workers) can't tell the nurses apart from the housekeepers, lab techs, CNAs, etc. Having color-coded uniforms can help distinguish who the nurses are. So, I am for it!

I'm with you!

jsteine1 · Oct 9, 2005

The hospital I just started working at has a uniform policy that says that RN's should wear only ceil blue and white in any combination and only short white lab coats. I am complying I only bought those colors even though I have alot of other colors in my closet. I figure I will comply and not cause any trouble.

All hospitals and other settings do "patient satisfaction surveys". One of the items that comes up time and time again is that the patients cannot tell who they are dealing with; the RN,the nutritionist, Respiratory, whatever. The predominant age group in hospitals today have memory of the RN dressed all in white. The only problem with these policies is that your employer is not communicating the "WHY" of these changes. If you know that patients experience distress if they cant identify who is who, most everyone would be ok with a dress code policy.

tonet0908 · Oct 9, 2005

I am complying because I remember before I became a nurse I was not able to tell who were RN's from who wasn't and I do agree it would make it easier for the patients and also make the hospital environment more uniformed.

All hospitals and other settings do "patient satisfaction surveys". One of the items that comes up time and time again is that the patients cannot tell who they are dealing with; the RN,the nutritionist, Respiratory, whatever. The predominant age group in hospitals today have memory of the RN dressed all in white. The only problem with these policies is that your employer is not communicating the "WHY" of these changes. If you know that patients experience distress if they cant identify who is who, most everyone would be ok with a dress code policy.

Nemhain · Oct 11, 2005

What if your employer decided that all RNs must wear navy scrubs? No white. No patterns. Just navy blue. LPNs must wear royal blue and all techs wear burgundy. What is your opinion?

I would like it, not just because I love navy blue, but I'm in favor of nurses all wearing the same thing. I'm not, however, in favor of allwhite uniforms, 'cause those just aren't practical.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 11, 2005

I think there's a problem when patients (and even doctors and co-workers) can't tell the nurses apart from the housekeepers, lab techs, CNAs, etc. Having color-coded uniforms can help distinguish who the nurses are. So, I am for it!

I disagree. I worked at a place that had color-coded uniforms and people STILL couldn't tell.

manxmaid · Oct 11, 2005

we must be old fashioned here!! WE wear colour coded uniforms which are provided by the hopsital, some even still wera dresses but no caps!! I say bring back caps & starched aprons;)

Angie O'Plasty · Oct 13, 2005

I can see why they would want to implement a uniform policy--I agree that there's a problem with people not being able to tell who is who. However, unless patients are oriented to the color code etc. it won't help much. I think one good idea would be to let nurses wear whatever scrubs they want that are neat and professional (perhaps there should be some guidelines for this--cartoons are only appropriate in peds etc.), and have them put a big "RN" patch on their top so people can tell who the nurse is. This would still allow individuality but ensure that nurses can be identified. Something similar could be done for other patient care personnel, having them wear a specific patch on their scrubs. And maybe the non-patient-care personnel (housekeeping etc.) should wear something other than scrubs, to cut down on confusion.

ssakd · Jan 30, 2008

I would be very happy about scrubs.In our set up scrubs are available only for critical care areas.The rest of us have to do with navy blue trousers and skirts and white tops.We are dying to have scrubs whichever colour,though we wouldnt accept navy blue because the housekeeping staff wear this.

justme1972 · Jan 30, 2008

To me, there are more important issues to raise a stink about than what you wear.

Anytime you start complaining at any job that puts your head on the chopping block.

Pick your battles. Uniform, to me, wouldn't be worth putting my job at risk.

EmmaG, RN · Jan 30, 2008

Why not 'street' clothes with a lab coat? Similar to what physicians and nursing management wear.

I wonder if this would affect (however subtly) the manner in which we're treated and respected by docs, administration, patients, visitors...

(been reading Nursing Against the Odds... can you tell? LOL)

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Jan 30, 2008

Why not 'street' clothes with a lab coat? Similar to what physicians and nursing management wear.
I wonder if this would affect (however subtly) the manner in which we're treated and respected by docs, administration, patients, visitors...
(been reading Nursing Against the Odds... can you tell? LOL)

Heh. Yes, I can.

And I agree. At my job, some of us do have lab coats we can wear over our scrubs. Mine has my name and title embroidered on it with the hospital logo.

However, it's really too hot for me to wear while I'm doing patient care and it's white, so you know what that means. It wrinkles easily, it's a dirt magnet, and I look like I'm wearing a professional 3-man tent. :lol2: