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

mattsmom81 · Dec 11, 2003

Originally posted by Speculating
Sure sounds good to me when everybody has to do the same. The people in the financial office should wear green suits. The people in lab should dress all in red. The people in middle management should wear blue because that's the color I get whenever I try to talk with them. Nursing well we should wear brown because when your getting #@!& on all the time by management what other color could beater hide the stains. Hummm...upper management well they should all dress like clowns and kiss my @$$.:roll

:roll Thanks, I needed that!!

CarpathianHeale · Dec 11, 2003

I think most hospitals have a dress code already; I always make sure I introduce myself to my patients and they know who is taking care of them for the day. White uniforms? In this day and age?I don't thinks so!!!!!!!!!!!! Even if one does not work in OR, by the end of the day? Oh Yak!!!!!Specially those of us working 12 hrs!!!!!!!

Carpathian Healer

leprecaun · Dec 12, 2003

IN all my years as a nurse in australia we have been compelled to wear uniforms.

In the past 10 years it has been the subject of much research, so now we have moved away from the sterotypical white and into trendy colours, easy wash and wear tops with navy bottoms, either skirt culottes or long leg shorts. Some institutions have different colour bottoms, green, maroon, black and checks. Colours depict the particular area you work in from housekeeping through to RN.

A large survey was done of patients and they unaminously agreed they wanted to see nurses in uniforms of some type. Research also has shown that infection control is assisted by uniform material type, and removing uniform into street clothes when travelling to and from work.

Our scrubs (only used in theatre/recovery and some wards are non crush material, nice colours and look very professional on any fiqure type.

A uniform is not only a professional choice but also gives clear direction, patients and other staff know who is a hospital employee as opposed a visitor to a patient. we all wear photo ID, only problem is you have to be on top of the person to read it or in some cases ask to access it as they hide them in pockets and under lab coats.

we are also given a good uniform allowance each pay for laundering and upkeep and in the particular facility i am employed by a bonus allowance to purchase two sets of uniforms when commencing work.

EchoOfThoughts · Dec 12, 2003

A distinctive uniform worn with pride, dignity, and demeanor promotes the ideals of the organization it represents. Traditional nurses' uniforms immediately identify the wearers as educated, caring individuals who have dedicated themselves to preserving the health and well being of their patients. The performance of the people who have worn this uniform for centuries have earned nurses an enviable reputation around the world.

I am nearly the only person who works at my hospital who does not wear scrubs. Unless I know someone personally I don't even know what their profession is. I walk down the halls of the clinics every day and see department secretaries, nurses, housekeeping all wearing the same things. Sometimes the badges are flipped over, or I am not close enough to read if there are letters after their names; and sometimes people just don't wear badges.

Given that one usually chooses dress consistent with one's attitude toward the person or the occasion, professional dress can then reflect caring and ultimately work toward sustaining the caring image of the professional nurse.

MunsonNV · Dec 17, 2003

:rolleyes:

I have been in Nursing for over 30 years now, as an LPN then as RN-BSN . I have watched our uniform standards change drastically. When I started, Nurses were not only required to wear all white but (gasp!) a cap as well. The first items to go were, thankfully, the caps and white hose. Then uniform standards were relaxed.

Now, it appears that anything goes. Our professional appearance has gone by the wayside. I would never wish to return to the 100% cotton, starched uniforms. However, I think we need to consider this basic requirement of professionals. Other professionals DO have dress codes--suit and ties, appropriate dresses--their "uniforms". Why shouldn't nurses have the same requirements? Not only do other professionals have corporate dress codes, but they are given an initial degree of respect purely tied to their appearance.

I know that others will say there are more important things to worry about (rather than whether the nurse is in scrubs) but I truly think Nurses need to re-evaluate their appearances. I will never be seen in wrinkled, ill-fitting, baggy scrubs. And, no, I do not even own a traditional white uniform! I do wear scrubs, but they are clean, appropriately sized, and ironed!!

This is not intended to offend others, only express my thoughts. We need to present a professional appearance before others will treat us as the professionals that we are.::roll

nurses4Bush · Dec 17, 2003

I think every should be required to wear their name tags. That would be the best way to identify who every is. As long as your scrubs or clothing are pressed and clean, it shouldn't matter what you wear. But everyone should have their name plates displayed.

MunsonNV · Dec 18, 2003

It is the law in our state of Nevada that all staff wear a name badge that has your name and title clearly readable from 2 ft away. Clean and pressed uniform is expected, but, of course, there are those who abuse this!

nurses4Bush · Dec 18, 2003

I'm a student, where I do my clinicals in Massachusetts, nobody wears name tags. So you don't know if someone is a nurse, a tech, housekeeping or a Surgeon. Unfortunately, if I don't know the person I tend to profile them by their sex. If they're a male, I'll assume they're a doctor, and if female a nurse......and I'm a male nursing student!!! But I've been in other facilities in MA and RI and MOST people wear the name tags. I agree, however, some standards need to be applied regarding nursing uniforms. Like what has been written. The business industry has standards even dress down standards....the same should apply in healthcare, particularly nursing.

4nurses · Dec 20, 2003

The only dress code that I think hospitals should have is that the nurse look clean, neat, tidy, professional and comfortable for the job that they are doing.

The fake finger nails must go however, found one stuck to a patients bum one after noon. Not mine I don't wear them.

Why hospitals are concerned with such an issue at this time is beyond me!

Still cannot figure out how to vote. Is there a place to actually cast a yes/no vote?

4nurses:confused: :

HomeNurse4kids, LPN · Dec 21, 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!

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.:)

So eloquently put! and I would have to agree. However, I also agree that it IS important for the patients to easily differentiate between nurse and housekeeping/dietary/therapist/etc......

sbic56, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2003

At a time when hospitals are having such a hard time finding nurses, I think it is pretty irresponsible of them to mandate some sort of dress code on top of it all. Professionalism is not about how white the uniform is, but how right the care is. I just left a position where administration insisted on color coded scrubs to indicate who was who on the floor. To make matters worse, the nurses had to wear white scrub tops. Cookie cutter perfection. Yuk. I felt like I was working at Burger King. Utter foolishness, IMO.

Rock, LPN, RN · Dec 21, 2003

Nobody said it has to be white. But it should be uniform. Patients, family, etc. must be able to identify who is a RN,

who is LPN, who is janitor.

Enough said!!