Professional Attire for Nurses

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Specializes in Med-Surg Nursing.

Hello everyone,

I would just like everyone's opinion on what you think professional attire should be for nurses and what are the requirements at the facility in which you work. Do you think nurses should wear all white or do you approve of colored scrub uniforms? The hospital at which I am currently employed allows us to wear whatever color of scrubs we choose and I've been having a lot of fun with different prints, especially holiday prints. I get a lot of positive comments from pateints and other staff members. What are your thoughts on this issue?

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I think we just need to agree on something so that we can be reconized by patients families and other health care workers. I never wore a hat (thank god) but back then you knew who the nurse was, Maybe a baseball hat with a big RN on the top (just 1/2 kidding) It could be also used to deflect any flying secretions. (just kidding again) but seriously even if it was that we all wore a large pin on our lapel or something . I don't like white uniforms I can't keep them clean. I don't think we will ever agree on a specific color. I like the pin idea

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Okay, y'all are going to shoot me for this, but I think it would be a good idea for nurses to go back to the 'old days' of wearing all white, caps, white hose, the whole nine. Yes, the colorful scrubs are great...COMFORTABLE...and patients seem to be cheered by them. HOWEVER, I have heard from several nurses about units that had days where the nurses dressed in the all white garb and wore caps...the patients LOVED it. I have worked with a couple of nurses who refused to give up their whites and caps, and let me tell you...they got SO much respect from patients and staff alike!

Okay, you all can let me have it now... biggrin.gif

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Specializes in med/surg, cardiac/telemetry, hospice.

All white? Yikes! But I guess that wouldn't be as bad as the hats... tongue.gif I never looked good in those things.

I do think there should be some type of standard as far as uniform, though. At my last job (LTC), it got to the point where everyone could wear whatever color scrubs they desired, and it was difficult to distinguish between nurses and aides. This was a problem not only for patients and families, but for new hires and ancillary personnel, too. At my new job (hosp.), bottoms are determined by department, and tops are preference. It makes it easier for everyone.

Another thing that helps: my new facility requires an add-on tag worn with the name badge that has big block letters to distinguish licensure (ie: MD, RN, LPN, PT, RT, etc.) Comes in handy when you don't know who you're talking to! wink.gif

Just my $0.02.

[This message has been edited by AHarri66 (edited April 02, 2001).]

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Standardized uniforms...reminds me of another company that has them and can be identified easily...including the hats...MCDONALDS. Gee we wanna be professional but lets get real, are we to relegate ourselves in the same league as those professional burger flippers?, then lets wear standard uniforms just like them

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, Cardiac ICU.

Uniforms!!! When I graduated from private school where we had uniforms, I naively said I never wanted to wear a uniform again!! A couple of years ago our hospital went to a more strict uniform policy from the many colored scrubs available. The nurses were given one color, PT another color, RT another etc. It was supposed to make it easier for the patients to distinguish each group from the other. The only problem is that most of our patients don't ever have enough contact (thankfully) with our system to connect that the nurses only wear one color and the other services wear their own specific color. My nurses are allowed to wear (almost) any design of scrub jacket over the specific uniform which does break up the monotony. I don't even want to think of going back to the hats. There was a lot of grumbling when we went to the uniform code but that has seemed to die down. We just have to do routine dress code audits. Yay. rolleyes.gif

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I'm from the old school and I wear white most of the time. To me and to most of the patients it says "this person is a nurse". There is something very professional about a crisp white uniform. It makes it easy for the patients to tell the nurse from RT,OT,PT,aides,MD,and the housekeeper etc. Even with a name tag sometimes it hard for them to tell.

As for caps. They can stay on the shelf. They were nothing but a nuisance.

CaronRN58

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.

How about comfortable, professional street clothes (dress casual) and a labcoat? Wait, maybe we'd look too much like residents.

Personally, I hate scrubs. Scrubs are provided to me by my unit (Kday you can relate) and they are ill-fitting and are wrinkled. I either look like I am wearing PJs or I just climbed out of a bag. I personally think it looks like s###!!

At our hospital, except for OB, we have to wear solid colored scrubs, but they are color coded. Nurses wear teal, NAs wear purple, RT wears fushia, transporters wear purple too I think. It seems to help the patients identify who's who. Also, seeing as these scrubs are purchased and maintained by the individual, they fit properly and are usually pressed.

But standardized uniforms? I'm against that.

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I'm going to put myself right out there too with the white uniform. It identifies you as a Nurse & peope treat you with more respect. I remember when I was young, watching my Mom get ready for work & how proud of her I was when she was walking out the door attired in her whites!On the flip side though I also remember her up late at night or early in the morning washing,starching & ironing those babies!!! LOL

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Specializes in LDRP; Education.

Are whites more professional than dress casual?

Chris- FNP was just looking for shoes that he could wear with dockers, shirt and tie. I say he probably looks a helluva lot more professional and gets more respect than I do in wrinkly, too big PJ lookin' scrubs. Or even whites for that matter. Besides, in OB, whites just aren't practical.

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Would you respect a person dressed casually as much as you would if that person were wearing Professional Attire? Some of this "Casual Attire" makes Nurses look like some of the Bimbos you see on TV. A total stranger such as a patient can exhibit respect for another stranger, the Nurse, who is professionally attired and will only lose that respect if the Nurse doesn't meet expectations, but you must START with the assumption that the respect will be deserved and earned on first impression. If you dress like a clown, you will be liked and possibly be popular with patients i.e. people, but is there ever true RESPECT?

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cag

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Originally posted by Squeeta2:

I'm going to put myself right out there too with the white uniform. It identifies you as a Nurse & peope treat you with more respect. I remember when I was young, watching my Mom get ready for work & how proud of her I was when she was walking out the door attired in her whites!On the flip side though I also remember her up late at night or early in the morning washing,starching & ironing those babies!!! LOL

This brings back memories for me also . I rember my mom's crisp white uniforms , with long cuff sleeves . I loved to hear the russle when she walked by . I also rember my first "paid " job was ironing these . I wear regular street clothes with a lab coat now . Don't iron anything . Thank God for perma. press.

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