Standardized Uniforms?

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Currently at the hospital I work at, we can pretty much wear whatever we want. Most of us wear scrubs, some wear a top with scrub pants and jacket, etc. Very few wear "street clothes." And those that do - it doesn't look that bad. It's not like they come to work wearing jeans and a blouse.

A committee is forming to "discuss the option" of going to standardized uniforms for nurses. I'm sure there are good reasons to do this, and the transporters and EVS have already switched. I think they look nice, but I didn't really have a problem with the way they looked before.

I don't particularly want to wear something mandated by my hospital, but it's not a deal breaker or anything. Some nurses act like it is... like it threatens their very identity as a nurse to have to wear something that they did not pick out themselves.

Has anyone else been in this situation, where nurses were invited to go to a committee to voice their opinions? What were most of the opinions? If nurses were against it, how did they change administration's mind?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

Never been a part of a committee. I came into a hospital that already had a dress code in full force. I have to say I love it! Especially as a new employee. Everyone is color coded based on profession...i.e. RNs-ceil blue, LPNs---Lavender, Respiratory---Dark Blue, Attendants---Green (I think all that is correct) etc, etc So when you need a certain discipline in a pinch...easy to grab who you are looking for. Only persons not uniformed are the docs who come in business casual with white lab coat and name tag!

I would never ever wear my street clothes to work even if I had the option. I keep my scrubs separate from all the other laundry in the house, and I keep white leather shoes no matter how ungly because I can wipe them down with bleach and easily see when they have been soiled.

Sounds like the nurses in your facility are a little spoiled to being able to just wear whatever and are afraid of change. Wearing uniforms is not as bad as it sounds and perhaps they should protest for the ability to pick out which uniforms will be enforced.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

My facility tried that a fewyears back. It lasted about 2-3 years,, but because of the changes in staff (its hard to get a guy to wear raspberry), it fell by the wayside.

First they started letting people wear patterned tops if they were with white pants. Then they went to colored pants if they were with a solid top. Well its gone now. Everyone wears whatever they want again.

Biggest probly we saw was if they were going to mandate colors for different depts/units, they needed to pay for them. When they paid for them like they do in OR and OB,, then they could tell everyone what color and types to wear.

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i'm not sure i like the idea about forced compliance with dress code. i work in a facility where dress is not enforced however scrubs are the clothing of choice. i like the option of being able to pick what i wear and occasionally i'll dress in professional atire. my clothes are bought specifically for hospital use and like asoldierswife05 i keep them seperate from the rest of my everyday wear. i would hate to go to school for 4 yrs and still come out stuck in a uniform :rolleyes:

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