Oh no they didn't...uniform changes in florida

[pearljammer]

Our hospital has announced that in a couple of months our uniforms will be role-specific: all RNs wear navy blue, CNA's burgundy, ect. There will be no uniform allowance and they have taken it a step further to let us know exactly what company we are to purchase our scrubs through, plus what company we are to pay to have the hospital logo embroidered on it. Is this legal? How do we fight this without risking job loss?

[futureNurse224]

I think some times you have to pick your battles and this is not worth fighting. In today's job market there are too many nurse willing to take your place. I think I would suck it up and fork over the cash for new scrubs.

[nursejoed]

The color code concept isn't all that bad, but not paying for them, yet insisting on a particular company?

I smell kick-back.

[DPSGraduateNurse]

With the poor job market in FL especially for Nurses, just do it. If they asked me to stitch it from toilet paper, I probably would

[steelcityrn, RN]

I like the color coding also, but feel the hospital should at least provide one pair, that you can wash between shifts , to get you started. Not all people have money to go out and buy new scrubs right away.

[tewdles, RN]

They have the right to require you to wear a particular color of scrubs. They do not have the right to require you purchase from a particular company. The hospital does not own the scrubs that you purchase and if they want you to pay extra to have their name/logo embroidered on the scrub top they should reimburse you the cost for that. Otherwise, your name tag indicates that you are an employee of XYZ hospital/company.

When my previous employer complained that I did not have their name embroidered on my lab coat along with my name and letters, I invited them to pay for it...and they dropped the subject. Now that I no longer work for them I am quite happy that my lab coats have only my professional info on them.

[caliotter3]

I would rather deal with this and have a job, than not have to deal with it, and not have a job. Easy choice for me.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

If they require a certain thing, they should pay for it. I doubt you could win such a fight, but if you can get a large number of nurses to agree, and come up with a viable alternative plan, you could present to management. Of course, if they were open to your opinion they would have asked you sooner.

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

I would rather deal with this and have a job, than not have to deal with it, and not have a job. Easy choice for me.

Kinda puts things into perspective, I guess. Thanks for the reminder. :)

[iNurseUK, RN]

In the UK the NHS Trust employing you provides the uniform free. As standard five tunics and five pairs of trousers (or five dresses if you prefer) are supplied in the Trust's particular choice of uniform which usually includes the Trust logo and/or "NHS" embroidered on the right sleeve.

I DO wish the UK would drag itself out of the Dark Ages and go to scrubs. I wore these only when working in ITU and they are so much more comfortable than the fussy nursing uniforms that all UK hospitals demand.

[klone, MSN, RN]

OP what would you be fighting exactly?

I'm not a lawyer but the following seems evident:

A. Your civil liberties have not been violated

And

B. Working there is not a right

Other than that, the change is congruent to many hospitals are doing.

Agree with this.

Our hospital has role-specific scrub colors. It's really not a big deal. It's nice to be able to see someone and immediately be able to identify if they're a CNA, phlebotomist, RN, etc.

[belgarion]

I like the color coding, wish we did it but we're so small everyone knows everyone else so it really doesn't matter.

Forcing everyone to buy the exact same style from the same vendor and using the same outfit to have the logo put on reminds me of school. Some of my classmates looked totally buttoned down and professional in the style the school picked out while other body types just looked silly. At 6'4" my tops hit about the belly button so I had the extra expense of matching t-shirts.

I think someone has been getting way too many free lunches but at the same time, is this an issue that is worth fighting?

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

I can tell you now, that the company has to furnish uniforms if you cannot use them for another purpose.

Since they are requiring you to go through a company and get a logo/embrodery, then they should be eating the full cost for X number per employee.

At minimum, you can fully deduct it from your taxes.

I think that is terrible that they are specifying the company. There are many people on strict budgets and are hard to fit...very, very unfair to them.