Should I give up scrubs?

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I love wearing scrubs because I look like a nurse, they're comfortable, I can wear tennis shoes (I have feet and back issues so dress shoes kill me), and I don't worry about getting anything on them. Plus the pockets are great for all my keys, phone, etc so if I have to run to another area of the building I'm not holding everything. However, I had a kg student who got hurt freak out because he thought I might give him a shot when I was trying to check him out. I've had a few other leary kids worried as well but they didn't flip out like the one did. Plus I've had several teachers ask about my scrubs because I guess the nurse before me did not wear them. Some joke about wearing my pajamas (I don't know abt you but I've never worn mine as pajamas), that it must be nice to wear them (it is but they say it sarcastically), why I'm wearing them in a school, etc. I had another district nurse say now that the cooks and sometimes janitors wear them we don't look as professional as we used to in them. I don't want the kids who must come to me daily for meds and treatments feel like they are sick or there's something wrong with them (had that come up from someone as well-does the uniform make them feel like that??) What are your thoughts?

Specializes in Adult ICU/PICU/NICU.
When I have teachers say stuff to me about it being nice to wear "pjs to work." I tell them, it must be nice to have a duty free lunch and a planning period.

School nurses who are unionized have that too.

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I'm not unionized and I have a free lunch time and prep time.

Two nurses ago (before me) . . the nurse fought to keep the nurse out of the teacher's union but getting the same benefits and she won.

I'm grateful.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
School nurses who are unionized have that too.

i'm unionized - i'm supposed to get a duty free prep, but it doesn't happen. Lunch barely happens. I had to fight for that

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Maybe that's one reason to be sorta grateful to be the nurse for 11 campuses from K-12; including Continuation and Special Ed.

There is no way I can stay on one campus all the time.

I have some freedom in driving the 25 miles between one town and the next. I can stop and get lunch!

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School nurses who are unionized have that too.

We are unionized but my lunch still get interrupted on a regular basis. I bring it up to administration and their advice is to leave the building for my lunch. I should NOT have to waste my gas to enjoy a legally mandated break. And there are no planning periods for nurses in my district (we are on a different contract than the teachers).

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I'm not unionized and I have a free lunch time and prep time.

Two nurses ago (before me) . . the nurse fought to keep the nurse out of the teacher's union but getting the same benefits and she won.

I'm grateful.

What is the reason they've wanted to be out of the teachers' union?

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What is the reason they've wanted to be out of the teachers' union?

Didn't want to pay union dues in a teacher's union. :)

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Didn't want to pay union dues in a teacher's union. :)

Ah, yes that would be great. Unfortunately for my union (different than the teachers) we have very little membership so our union is very, very weak. Many don't want to pay the dues (approx $520/year) but benefit from our negotiations (pay raises, sick time, ect)

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Ah, yes that would be great. Unfortunately for my union (different than the teachers) we have very little membership so our union is very, very weak. Many don't want to pay the dues (approx $520/year) but benefit from our negotiations (pay raises, sick time, ect)

I'm on a par with the teachers; same benefits, etc.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.
Ah, yes that would be great. Unfortunately for my union (different than the teachers) we have very little membership so our union is very, very weak. Many don't want to pay the dues (approx $520/year) but benefit from our negotiations (pay raises, sick time, ect)

Our union- even if you don't join - i believe you end up paying 80% of the dues out of your pay - so there is no reason not to join. Joining you get access to the benefits - their legal reps if you get sues, membership discounts. etc.

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I'm on a par with the teachers; same benefits etc.[/quote']

Ah! That would be sweet! I am currently hoping that we will take a huge leap up to 90% of what a brand new teacher would make. As it stands, a first year school nurse (no matter how much experience he/she has in another nursing specialty) makes

Our union- even if you don't join - i believe you end up paying 80% of the dues out of your pay - so there is no reason not to join. Joining you get access to the benefits - their legal reps if you get sues, membership discounts. etc.

Many districts have a fair share clause that means everyone is a part of the union so everyone pays dues and has access to all benefits.

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I just posted about this...I am new to my district and the other nurses wear casual clothes. I am in the special ed. population and there is a lot of spit, drool, etc., I feel it would be more appropriate to wear scrubs. I don't know how to go about making the change...maybe just come to work in scrubs one day?? The teachers here usually wear jeans and tshirts as they are dealing with getting their clothes pulled at or students try to bite, spit...and more!

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