Scrubs: Are Colorful Ones Unprofessional?

[purplegal]

So, I recently accepted a position where the dress code is very laid back. Any style or color works, and you can even wear front prints. While I am able to and plan to wear my navy scrubs from my previous nursing job to this one, I had thought about buying one or two "fun tops" for the weekend. However, someone advised me to stick with the navy blue so I look and feel more professional. What are your opinions? Are colorful scrubs less professional than more neutral/traditional colored scrubs?

[Soooo Tired :(]

I feel like most institutions (at least in my area) are going back to uniform colors. Some are even requiring scrub tops with the logo of the hospital on the chest. I'm also noticing the fleece thing (Name, RN on one side and the hospital logo on the other side). Although it does seem very corporate, I kind of like the way it looks. Neat, organized, etc.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Over the years I've gotten away from wearing printed scrubs. I prefer solids these days, although prints can look professional depending on the wearer. Since I work with an adult clientele, I would never wear cartoon prints to the workplace.

[Fiona59]

Over the years I've gotten away from wearing printed scrubs. I prefer solids these days, although prints can look professional depending on the wearer. Since I work with an adult clientele, I would never wear cartoon prints to the workplace.

Thought you'd left the bedside and had discovered business, casual?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Thought you'd left the bedside and had discovered business, casual?

I still work PRN at the rehabilitation hospital a couple of shifts per month, so I continue to need to wear scrubs on occasion.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

LadyFree - are "belly shirts" those shirts that are too short and show off a person's belly if they lift their arms at all?

My t-shirts are long enough - they are actually called "Boyfriend shirts" and I get them at JC Penney. They have cuffed short sleeves and the waist is a bit more roomy than the tighter fitting t-shirt to hide the menopausal muffin top

I'm 20 years away and have a mini Budda belly from my laparotomy; I have a "traditional C-Section scar" from it, so I LOVE the boyfriend shirts to help with the extra curves...

[NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN]

No patterned scrub (except maybe bikini-clad ladies in martini glasses) could be more unprofessional than poorly fitting scrubs. I worked at a place that went from employee-bought navy scrubs of any cut to branded scrubs in one fit only. I'm short and have a small torso, so a small unisex scrub top has my top half swimming in loose fabric but is too tight to cover my hips, and standard length pants drag on the floor unless I hem them. It was gross.

[dec2007]

Whatever scrubs make you most comfortable are what you should wear. Just wanted to add, it's nice if you can wear RED on Fridays to "remember everyone deployed"!

[DeeAngel]

I hate seeing nurses in so called "fun" scrubs unless they work pediatrics or maybe maternity with baby themes. It doesn't look cute or fun to me, just unprofessional. I always take pride in my appearance at work, and present myself as a professional. Appearances and perceptions count and sometimes in nursing you only have seconds to make a good impression on vulnerable, ill and frightened people.

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

I completely agree with the posters who have mentioned that having clean, neat, appropriately fitting scrubs is important to a professional image. The way we present ourselves and our behavior also contributes to the professional image.

I did wear scrubs with prints when I worked LTC. I avoided characters and large prints like the plague (except a few holiday tops that I wore just prior to the holiday), but had quite a collection of prints. I tended to favor geometrics and patterns for my tops, with a solid jacket or sweater over (either black or navy to patch my pants or white). I also looked for prints that were appropriate to the season (typically brighter colors in the spring/ summer, darker colors for fall/ winter). I also made sure my shoes were clean/ polished with clean laces if I was wearing lace up shoes and my hair pulled up/ back neatly. I got a lot of favorable feedback from my patients.

I remember one particularly dignified lady commenting to me that she enjoyed the prints and looked forward to seeing what I was wearing each day I cared for her. She mentioned that she could see I was detail oriented and that offered her reassurance that I was detail oriented about the care I provided to her.

[Julius Seizure]

... the nurses are all assigned different colors depending on which unit you work (ceil blue for ICU, red for step down, navy for ED, teal for general med surg, purple for oncology, hunter green for surgery, etc). ... I think it's a good idea in theory, but I personally don't see that it matters. And it's a bit awkward if you have to float to another floor - then you're wearing a different color than the other RNs!

I used to work at a children's hospital where all RNs wore one color scrubs, hospital wide. EXCEPT NICU, who for some reason got to wear a different uniform - they got to wear black and pink instead of all royal blue. SO when you floated to NICU, you stuck out like a sore thumb!

I wore prints for maybe my first 2-3 years of nursing, but at some point I changed to solids. I feel more "adult"* and professional, and I take myself more seriously. Plus, it felt a a little weird for me when we had a patient death and here I am wearing cartoon scrubs while my patients family is saying goodbye to their child.

*not that anyone who wears prints isn't adult, but I just haven't really gotten used to thinking of myself as a grown up yet and so wearing solids helps me to feel like I am succeeding at playing the role of a grown up

[Bob Loblaw]

I like the hospitals that provide me scrubs, so they can take care of cleaning.

[Pat_Pat RN]

I used to wear all different types of patterned scrubs. But now that we were bought by a larger hospital, we have a "scrub uniform", resistance is futile, you will be assimilated.

I had one top with this pattern on it:

I don't really care what someone is wearing when providing good care.