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

JefferyRN · Nov 20, 2003

Hospitals should not have to dictate a uniform code to professional nurses. As individuals in the field of nursing we need to care about our image in the professional world and in our individual communities.

I agree with the one comment that scrubs look like pajamas. Although, that is the mandate of the hospital where I am employed. They have made an attempt to separate all departments by assigning scrub colors to each. For nursing, it is royal blue. This helps to differentiate departments for the patients.

White has been the traditional color associated with nurses in the past. No, white is not appropriate for the OR, ICU, L&D, ER, Cath Lab settings because of the duties performed by the nurse in those areas. In my opinion, white uniforms should be worn by all other nurses. And you can give up your argument that white is so hard to keep clean. I wore white uniforms for 10 years and never once had any trouble keeping them clean and/or white. I worked on a number of different units changing soiled dressings, cleaning patients who were incontinent, etc...

I am disappointed that a good number of younger nurses and some older nurses as well, don't see the value of white uniforms. It is both good for our professional image and good for patients. I would wager that anytime an individual entered a patient's room in United States wearing white, the patient would automatically know that that person is a nurse.

Be proud of your profession! It is a wonderful and exciting one! Embrace your heritage! (And don't give me that handmaiden argument either. This is about the uniform of the professional nurse.)

Jeff, RN (The Good Humor Man) LOL!

uk_nurse · Nov 20, 2003

Sorry but I agree with uniforms. If we wish too we can wear a tabard on top (it is a childrens ward). I for one would not like to wear my own clothes to work it would work out more expensive! Parents and children (patients) can identify us nurses straight away. If we had our own clothes they would not know who were parents and who were the nurses. Even tho i dont like mainly white, it is clean and 'fresh' looking and above all we all look smart and should be proud! :)

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Nov 20, 2003

Again I say: those who believe nurses should wear whites or uniforms, ought to wear them. Enjoy wearing them, glory in it, look down your nose at the rest of us slobs......but PLEEEEEEEEASE don't try to make us conform!

I may not LOOK like the starched-white professional nurse in my patterned work tops and solid colored pants. However, I can catheterize anything, hit the spindliest vein with a 22g angio from across the room, and smooth over some of the most ruffled feathers with a few well-chosen words. I can counsel the grieving, teach the willing (and sometimes even the UNwilling), and coach the newly ambulatory total-knee patient with the best of 'em. And I'm sorry, but wearing whites or a uniform doesn't make you a nurse any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

And that's all I have to say about THAT.:)

RNKPCE · Nov 20, 2003

I remember when I first started in nursing some 20 years ago I actually wore dresses. With the tightness of patient rooms and the climbing I do some nights, you will never catch me in a dress again.

I have had several older patients compliment the patterns of my scrub tops. They have used the word "cheerful" to describe them.

We can show our individuality and wear colors that suit our skin tones.

All white reminds me of one of my older nursing instructors that still stood up when a doctor walked on the unit.

I agree with what someone said that there should be a strict dress code but not a uniform code.

gingerzoe · Nov 20, 2003

Yes I think there should be a visible difference in who is the RN, LPN, nurses aide, cleaning person, clerk whoever works there. I don't know if this would be uniforms, or visible name tags. I think whatever your classification, it should be noticable by the patient. I think nurses should see this as a positive issue. Let people know your classification and be proud or your title.:)

mother/babyRN, RN · Nov 20, 2003

Why???That is what the introduction and the name badge is for..Next we will be having dresscodes for the nutritionist or physical therapist that comes to visit, which will be different from that of their assistants..To me this assumes the patients are idiots, who can't remember which nurse introduced his or herself....Sorry, but this gets to me when it gets to this....Everyone in the street should have different uniforms so I can pick them out of a crowd when I have a specific question to ask...

miss scarlet · Nov 20, 2003

Uniforms (scrubs) could be beneficial in identifying nurses; however, other hospital personnel wear them as well. Some patients have commented they don't always know who is who by the uniform because even the housekeeping staff wear scrubs. Anyone entering a patient's room needs to identify himself or herself to the patient and their role in patient care. This does not always occur, hence, we have patient confusion. Therefore, I think mandatory coloring of nurses versus other personnel is not necessary. The hospital where I work is considering a dress code at present because some nurses just wear large t-shirts over scrub pants, have become laxed and wear open toe sandels, "cluncky" clogs, and revealing clothes (you can see EVERYTHING). My opinion is to take that person aside and speak with them personally by having them stand in front of a large full length mirror and ask, "What's wrong with this picture?" To add to the issue of dress code, I think there definitely needs to be attention paid to how much perfume nurses (and other hospital staff) wear. Even a pleasant scent can be noxious to sick people, not to mention the effect of the allergy stricken. I hate it when someone comes in wearing too much perfume, causes my patient to be sick, and then I am left with the aftermath!!!!

mother/babyRN, RN · Nov 20, 2003

Your point is well taken, but it would seem to me that nurses who are willing to present themselves in manners such as you describe wouldn't necessarily benefit from a dress code...Sounds as though they really don't care what appearance they present. Isn't that sad? We get confused for housekeeping personnel all the time due to the scrubs we HAVE to wear..

StreetRN · Nov 20, 2003

We'd all like to think that everyone has certain social graces and good taste. However, unfortunately, this is not the case. We've all witnessed this with too tight clothing, inappropriate or no underwear, unkempt appearance, etc. If there is not a specific dress code, enforcement is difficult if not impossible. It's not against the rules to be tacky, however, it could be against the dress code. :cool:

joyflnoyz, LPN · Nov 20, 2003

>Why???That is what the introduction and the name badge is >for..Next we will be having dresscodes for the nutritionist or >physical therapist that comes to visit, which will be different >from that of their assistants..To me this assumes the patients >are idiots, who can't remember which nurse introduced his or >herself....Sorry, but this gets to me when it gets to >this....Everyone in the street should have different uniforms so I >can pick them out of a crowd when I have a specific question to >ask..

That is the height of arrogance.

Having been a patient, it is NOT easy to pick out the nurse. As stated before, everyone from housekeeping to CNAs to nurses and laundry personel wear scrubs. (Matter of fact, about the only time I saw a "nurse" was when it was time for meds..that was over 10 days)

A patient is under a considerable amount of stress.. To begin with, he is ill enough to be pulled out of his home and palced into a situation where he has almost no control as to what happens to him. no choice in meal times, tests, meds, even getting up.

Add in a whole slew of people all dressed alike except for different colors. those who WORK in the facility know the meaning of the colors, but unless the facility furnishes a "scorecard" of who's who, how is the pt to know?

Name tags? most of the time the writing is too small for a pt to read. Most of the public does not know the difference between an LPN, CNA, RN, NP. and the initials don't mean squat to them.

Your job is to care for the patient, and make his stay "easier" for him. It's too bad you are more concerned with what YOU like and how YOU "look"

uk_nurse · Nov 20, 2003

Originally posted by mjlrn97
Again I say: those who believe nurses should wear whites or uniforms, ought to wear them. Enjoy wearing them, glory in it, look down your nose at the rest of us slobs......but PLEEEEEEEEASE don't try to make us conform!

And I'm sorry, but wearing whites or a uniform doesn't make you a nurse any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

Sorry am i missing something here? I do wear a uniform and just cos i wear one i DONT look down my nose at anyone! , from what i have read so far i dont see anyone trying to conform anyone else.

On my ward if you wear a nurses uniform u are a trained nurse! and i must say they are all able to carry out their duties as a nurse.

blue280 · Nov 20, 2003

I know I go against the majority, but most people in the hospital would like an easy way to identify the people taking care of them and color seems to be the easiest. Elderly people have poor eyesight and sometimes their memory is not so good. we have the NOD system where we work (Name, Occupation and what am i going to DO for you) and we are supposed to do this each and every time we have a patient encounter. It can be useful if everyone uses it but so far taht has not been the case