The retro nurse's outfit has returned

NGeorgia · May 5, 2010

Do. Not. Like.

Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN · May 5, 2010

If my facility does this.. which I hope they don't. I will be very non compliant.

The nurses in the picture look great don't get me wrong...

But I think I look funny in hats(even my nursing cap that I wore on graduation).. and I HATE HATE HATE pantyhose.. We were supposed to wear pantyhose under our clinical uniforms. I wore socks.. because I cannot stand pantyhose. Thank god no instructor ever checked to see if we were wearing them.

I make sure I look put together and nice when I go to work though. I iron my scrubs, clean any dirt on my sneakers, make sure my hair is tied up and neat and my makeup is moderate and my nails are short.

SharonH, RN · May 5, 2010

I have gone on record before as saying that there is nothing wrong with the white uniform. When I was working the floor, I wore white scrubs. There was never any chance of not fitting in(I floated to different units), I looked professional and I felt comfortable.

Plus, he said, "It lets people know how hard they worked to get where they are."

I like that.

But the cap is going overboard.

mustlovepoodles, RN · May 5, 2010

I love the traditional look. Personally, I hate all the color coded scrubs because i find that most patients can't tell the housekeepers from the clinical specialists. They're allll "nurses" in the patients' eyes. No wonder they don't know what nurses really do? I work in an elementary school now, so the all white traditional look would probably scare the starch out of my little kids. However, when I worked in the hospital I always wore the white dress, hose, shoes and most of the time my cap. Sometimes I was the only nurse on the floor that looked like a nurse and I have to say, I got some respect for it.

cicatrixx15 · May 5, 2010

I wonder if they are going to go to all white with the caps after the trial period. I'm going to keep checking on this. LOL. Just curious.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · May 5, 2010

Yes, I agree they all look great.

But I'm sorry, I'm not giving up my soft, cool, comfortable scrub shirts and dark colored pants for ANYTHING. I look like the Pillsbury Doughboy in whites, and I don't do dresses.........period. Besides, if I'm going to do my work properly, I need to be able to climb, stretch, stoop, bend, and squat.........stiffly starched uniforms aren't exactly compatible with all of that.

I think the nurses who WANT to wear the traditional uniform are wonderful. I just don't want to be compelled to do so, thanks.

nursemike, ASN, RN · May 5, 2010

So, people can't tell nurses from housekeepers because everybody wears scrubs. Solution: nurses shouldn't wear scrubs.

Is it just me, or has the world lost its mind?

Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN · May 5, 2010

So, people can't tell nurses from housekeepers because everybody wears scrubs. Solution: nurses shouldn't wear scrubs.
Is it just me, or has the world lost its mind?

So what do we wear then?

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · May 5, 2010

I don't mind a white uniform, if I can wear pants. I will not wear a skirt, or even the cap.

uswoman · May 5, 2010

Personally, I love white uniforms and nurses caps. I'd stick with pants and white tops, though. The last time I wore a white dress uniform I had to do CPR and it was not a good thing, LOL!

I worked hard to get my cap and be able to wear white and I do think nurses had more respect back then.

By the way, male nurses wore white shirts with black chevrons on the sleeve and white pants. Looked nice, too.

Do-over, ASN, RN · May 5, 2010

I've worn a solid white uniform for the past two years in nursing school - people have really liked them, especially the older folks.

I guess I wouldn't mind whites at work, but I'd rather not wear the cap - I am already very tall and my school's traditional cap adds about 3 inches... Add that to some clogs, and I'd have to duck to get through the door...