PE-RN

CaLLaCoDe, not a hypocrite, just a realist. I don't prefer to hug, but when a patient of mine finally succumbed after taking care of her for several shifts, her husband was very emotional. I went in to offer my time and he insisted on the manly hug. More of a slap on the back while facing each other. Didn't mind it a bit. I liked the family and they were good people. Occasionally it's not a bad thing.

I agree to differentiating the nurses from the rest of the staff. I've agreed from day one about that, however there are better ways then to wear white. It just seems that no one in management wants to hear it. We have our bonuses taken away from us and no PTO accrual for the next pay period, DUE TO ECONOMIC HARD TIMES. However during the same economic hard times we are still required to purchase all new uniforms and undergarments. In addition to that, just to keep the whites white, we are going to have to purchase additional laundry detergent. I guess the hard times are only OURS....... Unfortunately it has pushed me to the point of removing myself from the profession that I love. I do not have to work as an RN to make a living; as nursing was my second career. I just chose to do it, at lesser pay, than my first career. Maybe some day, nursing management will take their heads out of their back sides and realize that maybe the staffing shortage is because nurses happens to be the least satisfied work force. Thanks for all your comments......

Since our staff meeting is this Monday, I plan on making a run to the library this weekend to do some proper research. However everything I have found on the web does not show a clear winner of white versus other. From this I plan on drafting a letter to my boss and her boss detailing my findings. If this doesn't persuade them to take another look at it, then I'll take it higher. Hopefully I can post my findings on here. Thanks PS As for pediatric hospital dress codes, my wife found some research that children respond better to people in street cloths then those in any type of uniform.

Actually according to my manager, there has been a lot of research into what color a nurse should wear. The problem is the only clear winner is that patients want to identify their nurse, whether it be color or a big ID badge, they don't seem to have a preference. It just seems that nurses prefer the autonomy of what they wear to be comfortable, and the facility like passing the cost of identification to the employee. The main reason i chose to work at this facility is because they didn't wear white. Thanks everyone, keep it coming. I'm compiling info to pass along to my managers, it just doesn't seem like they care. I guess i have to go to their bosses.

Thanks. I agree with the color coding for easy recognition. However an overwhelming majority of the staff does not want to go white, yet management doesn't seem to want to hear it. They say the clients want to see there nurses in white and keep refering to the article they handed me. Unfortunately the research in the article shows all the options presented to the clients are all within a small percentage of each other (2-3 percent), including street cloths with a white lab coat. So white does not really win out. PS The hospital is not paying for the uniforms or laundering.

Being male and an RN, I prefer the slap on the back and a well done over a hug anyday........ Even better, a little note slipped to my boss stating how great I am.

I have worked at a hospital for over two years where the staff has always had the choice of wearing one of two colors or mix and matching the two. This including nursing and support staff. Now all of a sudden they want all nurses to wear ONLY white and each support staff will have a designated color. The only problem I have is that nurses should not wear white, any other color except white. I voiced my concerns and was presented with an article that I was told supported the nurses in white. Except the article in my opinion was inconclusive. Has anyone seen any other research into this matter?