Professional in scrubs?

Nursing Students General Students

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Hello,

I just flipped through the April AJN and came across an interesting article r/t history of RN uniforms. An interesting point was made, that although new scrubs are cheaper, easier to take care of and maybe more comfortable there is a big problem with them: We all look alike, nurses, PCT/CNA, respiratory techs, housekeepers, etc. Patients have a difficult time distinguishing among healthcare professionals, and so do we.

Personally I do believe we should go back to nursing uniforms-it's a great tradition, maybe aside from the cap :chuckle We are professionals and our uniform is our singnature, after all if we respect it others may too. Now don't get me wrong, I do not wish to be looking like Florence, but a new, professional, clean cut design would do it for me. (Maybe that's why I'm going to the military? :rotfl: )

What do you think? :p

Hello,

Personally I do believe we should go back to nursing uniforms-it's a great tradition, maybe aside from the cap :chuckle We are professionals and our uniform is our singnature, after all if we respect it others may too. Now don't get me wrong, I do not wish to be looking like Florence, but a new, professional, clean cut design would do it for me. (Maybe that's why I'm going to the military? :rotfl: )

What do you think? :p

I think you're being very vague. Is that deliberate?

How about being much more specific - what does

"professional, clean cut design" mean **exactly**?

Everyone I've asked in the last couple of days defines a

professional look as suit and tie for men and skirted suit

for women.

It's been my experience that the medical people without

scrubs on are not going to make you feel better. They

just come around for 5 minutes and charge an fortune for

their time. I've observed that the people dressed in scrubs

do the real work. They're the ones who show up first when

the pain hits.

Samantha

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QUOTE "If nurses are to be taken seriously as professionals, we have to get away from the uniform idea. Do we put our physicians in a uniform? How do we know that they are physicians? Their paychecks!" QUOTE

I do believe our physicians are in uniform. Street clothes and a white lab coat generally signifies a physician.

But would we really take that physician (or lawyer, or banker, or any other professional) seriously if he / she were wearing what looks like pajamas with Sponge Bob Square Pants or Scooby Doo motifs on them to their office each day??!!??

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The articicle mentioned also suggested that on our scrubs, we wear a badge that says "RN". Working in home care, a uniform is totally out of the question...vermin, insects, dirty animals and just plain dirt is NO match for a uniform...

Sorry, but if you think a uniform is right for you then by all means join the military. Personally, I always introduce myself as the nurse and the coorndinator of care in the home. I did the same thing in the hospital (in rehab, we often wore a T-Shirt and sweat pants due to the nature of the work). I do not feel the need for a uniform to make me feel or act more professional:-)

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Scrubs look a lot like pajamas,and cafeteria workers, maintenance people etc. I resolved the problem for myself by wearing either a colored or print scrub top with white pants only and white jacket only. I think this looks professional and patients don't mistake me for someone who just got out of bed.

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As a student I did find it a bit unnerving at the psyche hospital clinical rotations that I could not tell staff from patients. Maybe staff has just been there too long? Whos's trying to get in and who's trying to get out? One needs to know who the patient's are!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I cannot recall the last time i saw an MD in their white coat. It was either the blue OR scrubs or street clothes.

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Specializes in ICU.
I cannot recall the last time i saw an MD in their white coat. It was either the blue OR scrubs or street clothes.

I can! - but it was on TV:D

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I've seen MD's in high heel boots with points and mini skirts, with a tight sweater to deliver a baby but if they want to kill their feet that's up to them. I still like to see some white mixed with the colors. A white jacket or pants.

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I don't think it makes a difference what color you wear...it dosn't change the care you give to your pts. At our hospital, they want all nurses to be in white by the year 2005. I have alot of uniforms that are colorful and will still be wearable by that time. I don't see them offering to by ME new uniforms to accomidate their dress code. Not to mention white underwear! Besides, I don't have that much confidence in "Always" to be in white all the time if you know what I mean!!

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Specializes in ICU.

We wear uniforms to work BUT they are most usually either skirt and top, pants and top or shorts and top (ours is a sub-tropical climate). Although we usually have chambray shirts as regualr uniforms many places have taken to ordering cotton drill weave T-shirt style shirts with the unit logo on the shoulder. Team these with a pair of pants and you look as professional as possible with all the freedom you want.

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I don't think it makes a difference what color you wear...it dosn't change the care you give to your pts. At our hospital, they want all nurses to be in white by the year 2005. I have alot of uniforms that are colorful and will still be wearable by that time. I don't see them offering to by ME new uniforms to accomidate their dress code. Not to mention white underwear! Besides, I don't have that much confidence in "Always" to be in white all the time if you know what I mean!!

Lysa...I totally agree with you. It doesnt matter what color you wear. The care you give to your patients is what the patients will remember. And one step further, if the patient has had 2 good nurses in white and one bad one with an attitude wearing scrubs she/he will remember and talk about that one bad one more and that white uniform will not make the least bit of difference. But back to the original scrubs issue. The ones wanting to dress in the "all white uniforms", well most of them are young or new at nursing. I have been a nurse for 26 years and have seen many changes in nursing, including the uniforms. Comfort means a whole lot more to me. But I think no matter what is worn it all should be clean and neat to uphold the "professional" appearance.

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To all who said that what you wear doesn't improve the care, the patient outcomes, or guarantee professionalism: you're right, but....

whether we like it our not, appearance does matter and does contribute to what people think about you. That's not my opinion, it's just the way it is. I love scrubs, although I think sometimes we get a little..."goofy" with them...spongebob, etc.

I wore white for years after graduating, and never experienced a laundry problem. I worked an ortho/trauma unit with plenty of blood, drains, and body fluids. Never noticed a big problem with stains, etc.

I like white pants with a print top for nurses, and blue pants with a print top for nursing assistants. Just my opinion. :)

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