Should nurses wear white?

[lynn estes]

I have had many patients tell me they are so confused by who is taking care of them. They are never sure whether the person is a nurse, an aide, tranporter, etc. because they are all wearing different uniforms. Many of them are elderly and have trouble seeing the credentials on the badges or have memory problems and don't remember what title you have given when you introduced yourself to them. What is your opinion, should nurses wear white?

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I don't have an opinion on wearing white or not. I think its up to the individual on what they want to wear.

I, personally, always wear white pants and white shoes. My top is usually mostly white with some sort of pastel colors in in but the majority of the shirt would be considered white. I work LTC. The residence and their families are always complementing me on how I look "professional" all the time (my hair is always neat, subtle makeup, ironed scrubs etc) But the nurse who works the other wing of my floor doesn't wear white but she always looks put together and professional too.

I don't think the actual attire a nurse has on will demonstrate she/he is the nurse.

I think my prefrence of mostly white comes from being schooled "old school" years ago by nurses who wore white head to toe, wore caps and didn't take any crap from anyone. The facilities I worked at as a CNA had mandated all white, so now its just habit to wear it.

[peytonsmom]

I think they should be color coded but not white. How do you keep white clean lol? In the LTC facility I worked in nurses wore dark purple, aides were a light teal, kitchen wore very dark teal, and laundry wore pink. That way the residents were able to keep everyone straight.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I think they should be color coded but not white. How do you keep white clean lol? In the LTC facility I worked in nurses wore dark purple, aides were a light teal, kitchen wore very dark teal, and laundry wore pink. That way the residents were able to keep everyone straight.

I honestly don't see how color coded scrubs will work. If people can't remember that you told them you are their nurse and 15 minute later don't know who or what you are..I can't see that wearing a specific color theme will make them remember. My residents can't remember that its 2009, forget them trying to remember that nurses are in purple, aides in teal, kitchen in yellow etc..:lol: Not to be pro white but they DO automatically think NURSE when they see whites..even if the person is just wearing white pants or just a white top..white to the elderly tends to be nurse to them. But being automatically recognized as a nurse because of the white isn't the reason I wear it..I just like how it looks.

Its not hard at all to keep white clean. Honestly most of my "messes" on my whites are my own stupidity, swirling the coffee around to mix the sugar in splashing on me, hitting my legs against the door runner of the car..things like that. But those same things that mess up whites can mess up other light colors too. I have seen many a nurse with colors other than white with spots/stains etc on them.

I don't get dirty at work per se. And any messes that might happen, peroxide is my best buddy..and alcohol wipes too.

[RochesterRN-BSN, BSN, RN]

I have worked in hospitals where they went with the color coding and the patients don't know the system so it doesn't help. Where I am at now they went with getting badge clips--the ones with the pull cord-- to all have RN, LPN, TECH, SECRTARY, MD,NP, etc. on them and the letters are pretty big.I think this has helped a lot. I also worked somewhere where they ordered pins for all the nurses with their name and title in large letters--they had like 300 choices of the background.......floral, seasonal, decrative, cartoons, whatever.....so each could be the taste of each nurse and even per unit--kids looking pics for a peds unit, baby footprints for OB, a heart for cardiac, etc. It was cute and they were easier for the patients to read. and had no last name.

Of course badges needed to still be worn with a pic, etc. for hospital policy but......

as far as whites........WAY too impractical for all the dirty work nurses do.

Having certain colors may help with looking professional but not for identification

I have actually had patients say they like the bright colors and pretty/fun prints. That they find the whites too sterile and a reminder of being sick and that the brighter colors are more uplifting.

Me I like having some choices--course I am in psych where I can wear any colors or street clothes. Which is nice. Scrubs are thin and can be cold in the winter.....

[nervousme]

I am not a nurse yet, but I don't think I would want to wear white.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

There is a TON of available research on this subject - specific to nursing and other professions. It makes for some interesting reading. Basically, clothes DO make the professional - they are a key element in how we are perceived. If our appearance does not match a person's idea of "nurse", we are perceived as less competent and less professional.

Funny but true - a friend of mine (nursing professor) told me. She picked up her mother who was discharged from a well known Houston medical center hospital after a prolonged stay. She asked her dear ol' mom whether there had been any particular nurses she wanted to thank or acknowledge. Well - dear ol mom gushed on and on about the most wonderful and compassionate nurse who spent time with her each night and made her most trying experiences more bearable. When Friend tried to follow up, she discovered that the wonderful "nurse" was actually a night shift housekeeper who welcomed a brief opportunity to get off her feet for a while. Everyone wore scrubs.

In a hospital, white is identified with nursing and clearly indicates to patients that the wearer is a nurse, even if they aren't. It is actually easier to sanitize than other colors because you can use very hot temps and chlorine bleach or peroxide (for blood) without destroying the color.

Maybe we just need better, smarter, more compliant, thankful, agreeable, less messy, nicer patients.

[jackson145]

White isn't very slimming. How about black?

Maybe poop-brown or blood-red? No need to stress over stains then!

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I always wear whites on the floor. Even the most confused person knows who am I am what I do.

[kalamazoo]

As a nurse of 25 yrs I received my nursing cap and black stripe while in a 3yr ADN program. I now have a BSN. I treasured that cap and what it meant. I have seen the times change from having to wear a cap and all whites to an "anything goes" dress code, to facility-based colors for nurses. I think nursing in general has evolved into a very prestigious career. Nurses are given more autonomy and have proven over and over to be the most respected health care member by patients. I see nurses in different roles needing different attire. A surgical nurse must wear scrubs, a nurse educator should wear business attire, a camp nurse must wear jeans or shorts, etc. I have a strong opinion,however,about nurses in hospitals and clinical settings. I think to maintain respect for the position they should wear all white and I would prefer caps. When you saw a person in white and a cap there was no question who that person was or her/his role in the healthcare team. We have been "content" to wear whatever scrubs our bosses thought we should wear. It doesn't matter that the lady in the school cafeteria wears the same one, the prisoner being booked into jail wears it, or the lady cleaning rooms at the local motel. We should be proud of our RN and should be proud to wear the time-honored whites. No, the dress doesn't make the nurse but it sure does look good! Just my opinion!

[kalamazoo]

I like white personally. You can bleach the heck out of it ...can't do that to colors. I think white makes us appear professional and clean.

[LCinTraining]

White would spell a disaster when my monthly hit. No whites for me. The darker the better.