Survey: Do you think hospitals should require a uniform code for nurses?

[Brian]

Here are the results of last months survey question

Do you think hospitals should require a uniform code for nurses? :

Please feel free to read and post any comments that you have right here in this discussion thread by clicking the "Post Reply" button.

Thanks

[Sarah, RNBScN]

Professionalism should be held in high regard from communication to dress.

Who is going to police this?

We have had a dress code policy revamped and the flack some staff give is awful.

Nobody will monitor this behaviour...acrylic nails, dangling jewelery, perfume, etc...

How are your facilities handling this?

Are you union or private based facility?

I am curious...

[Brita01]

As somebody mentioned way back when, the topic is not whether hospitals should require a dress code. Places of business should have dress codes. The topic is should hospitals require a UNIFORM code for nurses. Meaning should nurses be made to wear the exact same thing.

[Mayo]

Color? Who cares unless it promotes function. White is a stupid color because of the difficult in keeping it clean-looking. I can see the benefit of nurses of certain function or "rank" and then allied health personnel wearing a certain color for immediate identifcation purposes. But outside of that, what does color matter. I understand the some are fanatical about the issue. I am new to the nursing profession as a nurse assistant and I am still trying to figure how to keep my scrub pants from falling to my kees with a weight in them from small equipement that I carry around with pens, miniature flashlight, etc.

[cadeusus2004]

Dear Mayo,

While agree the purpose was originally supposed to make for easy identification of specialty areas- and is supposed to be, unfortunately many have somehow managed to assign more exclusive and competitive meanings to it. That is why in certain places they have returned to white. It just caused too much division. Pretty sad.

White, nor any other color (say black) is stupid. I had mentioned that it makes the adult, particularly the elderly LTC patient, more easily identify us as nurses. Many LTC facilities require it being worn.

I have the same problem with some uniforms with all the equipment I carry around during a shift. Since I am a male I do two things: I wear white suspenders. I also wear the short consultation coat which has a lot of pockets. there are some really stylish ones at various uniform shops and in the catalogues. The white suspenders are hard to find. Also, I wear the British style Nurse watch, that upside down watch that is worn kind of like a medal. Its very practical. Welch-Allyn makes this super light sphyg. Only one tube with bulb. Ny penlight uses AAAs and has a Xenon bulb. Very light. I think C. Crane company still carries an LED type light wich is not only virtually unbreakable, but very light. But, it is also quite expensive. But none of these replace my scissors, clamps, pens, quick references or my palm pilot (they just have to make those lighter) with scanner.

Personally, I love the color Kelly green. It stays looking clean. I wore it for years in Neuro. (Its also called Neuro Green). and, like I say, the patterened ones for Pedi and perhaps in OP are nice. Psych has reasons for not wearing uniforms. But, I say "no" to using it for rank. That's an invitation to trouble. The services have everyone wear the same colors as do other "team" professions. Of course, if you work agency like I do, you can and might want wear any color you want so long as the client approves. See, I'm not so hard and fast after all.

[one student nurse]

WE are a profession!! we need to be professional! If we cannot be easily identified by our clients/patients or if our attire (or hair, jewlery or nails) does not express our concern for safety and cleanliness then a dress code or uniform is probably necessary. I realize that most of us are just that professional, but a few people - regardless of just how wonderful a nurse they might be - don't represent themselves in that manner. I personally like the uniform idea - especially because it leads to something I have seen in a few facilities - - hospitals providing uniforms and laundering - Just an opinion -

[nyapa, RN]

At one stage nurses, and patient care assistants all wore the same uniform, white shirts and black/navy blue slacks. It was very difficult for patients and even staff to tell us apart, as only our ID badges indicated who we were. They had to look closely at our badges. The uniforms have changed now. So it did show the importance of differentiation.

BTW white is very impractical; considering the type of work we do it is so hard to keep clean. Though collars look very smart.

[shmoofins]

I feel conflicted on the issue. I've worked at a hospital that used different colored uniforms for different jobs, like RNs and LPNs wore the same color, aids and unit clerks wore a different color, etc. It's a nice idea but a lot of patients still didn't know what the different colors meant. I think name tags should be clearer about who's who, I think that would solve some of the problems. Also clearly identifying yourself to the patients does wonders.

I personally prefer being allowed to wear different colors, and I definitely think they should use fun printed tops for peds to try to make the nurses less scary (if possible). I do think there should at least be rules about the neatness of uniforms, like no wrinkled clothes, no large or dangly jewelry, no artificial nails, etc.

[patwil73]

My hospital has a dress code - a kind of royal blue for nurses, light blue for aids, rose for secreteries, black for admitting, floral for housekeeping. According to our surveys it has helped tremendously in helping patients identify who is coming in and out of their room.

I personally don't care what color my uniform is. Although having all one color makes it easy to get ready (no time spent choosing the best now).

However, if I could change one thing, it would be to make ID badges that always stay with the picture face out. Why is it that the stupid thing always flips around no matter how I put it together? :angryfire

Pat

[BeachBayNurse]

If it was the other way around and I was the patient, all I would care about is if the nurse was professional looking, I don't care what color that means he/she is wearing.

However, a big pet peeve of mine is seeing nurses in dirty beat up tennis shoes and scrub tops that are extremely faded, some of the patterns I remember being for sale over ten years ago! Scrub tops can be found for less than ten dollars, there is no reason why you should have to wear the same three or four tops every week for a decade!

[jjjoy, LPN]

If it was the other way around and I was the patient, all I would care about is if the nurse was professional looking, I don't care what color that means he/she is wearing.

However, a big pet peeve of mine is seeing nurses in dirty beat up tennis shoes and scrub tops that are extremely faded, some of the patterns I remember being for sale over ten years ago! Scrub tops can be found for less than ten dollars, there is no reason why you should have to wear the same three or four tops every week for a decade!

You think a faded old scrub top is unprofessional. I agree. What about a newer, bright blue and yellow Spongebob top? Is that more professional?

You say that all you care about it is "if the nurse is professional looking." I think some uniformity in dress IS more professional looking, especially in an arena where you want to be able to quickly identify who is in what role. I wouldn't want police officers to be wearing all different colors with any old kind of comfortable sport shoes. I also wouldn't want to see them in baggy, wrinkled, faded outfits, either.

[honeyko247]

Relative to me, I don't find it necessary to have a dress code at the work place. What I deem important is that you act professionally.

[BeachBayNurse]

You think a faded old scrub top is unprofessional. I agree. What about a newer, bright blue and yellow Spongebob top? Is that more professional?

You say that all you care about it is "if the nurse is professional looking." I think some uniformity in dress IS more professional looking, especially in an arena where you want to be able to quickly identify who is in what role. I wouldn't want police officers to be wearing all different colors with any old kind of comfortable sport shoes. I also wouldn't want to see them in baggy, wrinkled, faded outfits, either.

As funny as it might sound, I think a new cartoon top is more professional than one that is obviously a decade old. Perhaps I read too much into it, but an old scrub top conveys to me that the nurse is not paid enough to afford to replace her clothing as it gets older, therefore that she is not a valued professional. Just my .02.