Wearing Black Scrubs in Pediatric Hospital

Specialties Pediatric

Published

So I have these scrubs that are black with blue/green flowers, blue bubbles, and yellow spongebob on them. The other one I'm interested in is a black and grey scrub top with tweety bird on them. I got the spongebob ones because I found them pretty and was showing my mom but she stated that black might be inappropriate a color for a pediatrics hospital as it can be associated with death and dying and that parents might not want me around their children in the color? I didn't find anything wrong with the scrubs.

What say you guys?

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

The 'breakfast nurse' was able to secure chicken nuggets, fries and ranch dressing for my little friend. Didn't want to leave any of you hanging! :)

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

The only scrub requirement I've ever had in all the places I've worked, is one place prohibited black scrubs. It had nothing to do with kids as pts.

In our culture black is usually associated with death.

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Specializes in Acute Care Pediatrics.

We are required to wear black (or white) pants. :) I wear solid black all the time - usually with a fun t-shirt underneath the top.

And I secretly love buying cartoon scrubs. LOL

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Our hospital has just gone to nurses wearing all black or all white. We don't like it. Esp. the Peds and L&D nurses think it is morbid. I think black is certainly a bad choice but hey I'm just a grunt. They let us vote on the colors and then we were told black won. We couldn't find anyone that voted for black and the work was out before the votes were in. Any large corporation will do whatever they want and our hands are tied. The public absolutely hated the black scrubs.

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I find the trend to wearing black uniforms inapropriate for nurses. I first noticed it in 2005 at a large hospital in New Orleans. Hospitals relaxed uniform requirements for nurses as it is cheaper than giving raises and leads some nurses to believe administration is concerned about their rights, etc. Black is a symbol of evil and ill things in this society and it is a kick in the face to your patients, etc.

So I have these scrubs that are black with blue/green flowers, blue bubbles, and yellow spongebob on them. The other one I'm interested in is a black and grey scrub top with tweety bird on them. I got the spongebob ones because I found them pretty and was showing my mom but she stated that black might be inappropriate a color for a pediatrics hospital as it can be associated with death and dying and that parents might not want me around their children in the color? I didn't find anything wrong with the scrubs.

What say you guys?

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I don't think there is one person who associates sponge bob with death. Just saying....

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I work WEO on a 40 bed Peds unit, we can wear any color scrubs except WHITE. Most of us wear cartoon or Disney print tops & the docs often wear silly ties or goofy surgeon's caps during rounds.

I also work pool/prn on the Women's Health Unit, in the same hospital. This is not Maternity or Post Partum, but we receive the Fetal Demise Moms after delivery or Ectopic pregnancy's. There is a no black scrub policy on this unit.

There is also a Palliative Care unit in the hospital & they follow the no black scrubs rule too.

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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

The cartoons on the scrubs make the difference-I'm sure the in-between age kids think they are very cool.

I agree that judgement should be exercised in wearing all black, especially on certain units.

And Halloween? that's another subject. I remember a co-worker telling me about nurses wearing costumes and ending up having to code a patient. Can you imagine waking up from a code and the first thing you see is a skeleton or devil? Even an angel, or clown for that matter. Just sayin".

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I think the kids will see the cartoon not the color. I have to add my own story though. I've always heard red can agitate dementia patients but I never had a bad response to my all red scrub set, they actually often commented on it positively. But I did have a dementia patient become agitated and scream at me that I was the undertaker while I was wearing all black.

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Specializes in peds palliative care and hospice.

Im pretty sure the kids will notice spongebob not the blackground :)

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As a nurse , part of our job is to set the patient to be in an environment conducive for his early recovery. So if the guardian, parent or the patient themselves would comment on something that may create a negative effect on them and may worsen their emotional status, that would be the time for you to follow their suggestion. Others may not care about what you do or wear but if it will help heal the emotional status or just uplift their spirits ,for you just to follow their request, give in to their request so at least you have satisfied a patient and gave them a nice environment to help them recuperate.

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Here's a pic of the scrub top. I'm really pleased with it as it's a really nice picture and pattern. But I'm an adult and I've never been one to associate colors with morbidity per se, especially because we wore peach to my grandma's funeral at her request. But here's a pic:

Cherokee Scrubs 6713C V-Neck Top SpongeBob Mystical Sea

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