Question: Why don't hospitals color code the scrubs?

[DolceVita]

This is my first thread so please go easy on me.

It is so hard for me to know who is what (it is all about me after all ) -- RT vs Tech vs RN vs housekeeping vs. volunteers vs. lab personnel and so on. Patients seem to find it hard as well.

I know that if you are working on a unit you get to know everyone and such. That's great...really. Also, love the whole express yourself thing (well not all of it), but is it me or are women's scrub tops becoming more and more like fashion tops? I come from a different professional background so the very girly tops, although pretty, wouldn't really go down well.

I am interested if anyone knows the history behind this move here too.

No I am NOT suggesting that nursing goes back to the starched caps etc.

[rn/writer, RN]

One of the two hospitals I work at used color codes for years. A few years back, as the color required for nurses was becoming harder and harder to find, the powers that be did some research. I'm guessing they thought that if they were going to mandate a new nurse color, it might be nice to know if color-coding really made a difference.

Guess what? That patients usually didn't have a clue. The color coding went bye-bye and staff morale improved greatly as we were allowed to depart from what had been a really blah color scheme and liven the place up a little.

Introducing yourself, writing your name on a board in the room, and wearing a name tag with your title in large letters have all proven more effective than color coding.

As for white making a big comeback, this is one of "those" ideas that management trots out when they are grasping at straws. It sounds like we would all look soooo professional and it would make the older folks happy. But it's similar to bringing back the old nuns' habits. It might offer a bit of nostalgic comfort, but it really isn't practical. Some will take the time and effort to look good and keep their scrubs white and bright, but many will end up looking dingy and dirty. And it's a whole lot harder to maintain modesty with white.

Those who don't have color coding to answer to can wear white if they choose. Just because it isn't required doesn't mean it can't be done. Of course, co-workers might want to beat your booty if some bigwig sees you and thinks it would be good for the whole staff.

Personally, I like a bit of color. Yeah, some can go overboard with the cartoon look, but we have a lot of fun with our scrubs now, where before we just hated the chosen color. I still won't wear it three years later.

[MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN]

Hate white! Color isn't the problem, we need to eliminate scrubs from the job descriptions of others in the hospital. Real uniforms for housekeeping, golf shirts or street clothes with a hospital jacket for secretarys, CNAs if wearing scrubs should be wearing the an oddball color so they stand out to the patients as helpers, and nursing needs to enforce their dress codes so that nurses are neat and professional looking!

We do color code between department but each person isn't wearing a big sign around their neck, and nowhere is it listed for the patients. While scrubs are comfortable, they were made for those of us who require durable, easily washable and moveable clothing. This rules out most of the hospital, so why are they wearing them?

[frellyou]

They had a big investigation in NSW, Australia into the hospital system (the Garling report) which recommended that each profession wore a different colour, with charts all around the ward showing patients what the colours meant. His research revealed that patients were basically clueless when it came to knowing what each member of staff did and this added to the general confusion of being admitted to hospital.

Of course we all wear uniforms over here anyway, and did so in school, so maybe we'd be more amenable to the idea?

[jRN2be]

The med surg nurses at the hospital I work at are required to where white. If your a tech, you wear hunters green, no matter where you work. ER RNs where purple.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

The hospital I work for has color coded scrubs. RN's wear ceil blue, NA's wear wine/burgandy, RT wears hunter green, Externs wear white, House keeping female staff wear purple scrubs, men in house keeping wear a janitorial uniform, dieary wears a blue and white button down shirt with navy pants. MRI and CT and X Ray wear whatever they want.

[nursel56]

It's a cap not a hat It's a cap not a hat It's a cap not a hat. . . or maybe now it is a hat. Like Minnie Pearl or something. You see, I was sucked in to a time warp many years ago, and while I was gone, uniforms turned into scrubs, cute little med cards turned into a Pyxis, Chux became Depends(diapers!), cursive permitted for nurses notes, and all other manner of heresy.

But seriously, all-white was already fading out. I thought it was really cool that I could wear colored tops because I worked at a pediatric hospital. People always seem to find a way to individualize whatever it is they are wearing. Our uniforms actually fit, though, instead of looking like boxy pajamas. :uhoh21:

One final note, white scrubs on guys,mmm. . . no.

[ayla2004, ASN, RN]

its intresting one part of the UK Wales now is going with a national uniform for nursing staff, within the nhs. the AHP already have stanard uniforms in the UK.

however although we wear tunic the style of uniforms is the same for nursing staff and ahp and in my trust cleanars patients still don't know. Female ina tunic = nurse.

[Cherybaby]

I love wearing all white. The other nurses give me a hard time over it, telling me I look too "nursey" But I feel more professional when I wear all white. I just make sure to wear a more fitted top so I don't look like a big white marshmallow as I am coming down the hall.

My pet peeve? Nurses who wear white...without checking what color undies they have on! Ack!

[MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN]

Sorry, white on guys = orderly, ice cream truck, and Outbreak in my mind. On women I think of those ladies collecting money (dressed in cap and cape) for some fake charity organization, nursing school uniforms(UGH), and something that my perimenipausal self should never be wearing!

I have yet to see one nurse actually look good in white, and doubt I ever will. I don't even wear pastels as I am likely to get something on me during the day, be on the floor for some reason, or miss the hole I call my mouth when attempting to drink coffee : )

White would be the reason I would leave anywhere!

Ugh!

[Cherybaby]

Don't sweat the scrubs. It could be worse!

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/nursing-hat-ruffles-256250.html

[back2bRN]

Have to comment, I am one of those who wear the pretty tops, colorful scrubs ect and never have I been told I am unprofessional, I find the clothes you wear don't matter, it is how you introduce yourself and carry yourself that determines your professional status. Color coding while it appeals to the ocd in me just doesn't seem to work. People need to introduce themselves and their designation, I don't introduce myself as a nurse, I am an RN and proud of it.

White, I love it, but can't launder it !!

[MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN]

Don't sweat the scrubs. It could be worse!

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/nursing-hat-ruffles-256250.html

OMG! You aren't kidding! If white would make me leave, I think a ruffled cap would make me change careers again!