The State/Uniform Rules, opinions please

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Hello, I am a new member. Nice to meet you all.

The State visited our facility recently, and everything went pretty well. They made a few suggestions and we have been complying. No big deal.

One of the things they told my NM and the other powers that be is that they "couldn't tell who the nurse was" on our unit (Peds). :uhoh3: I think it is quite obvious who the nurse is, we are the only ones running around like a chicken with it's head cut off LOL.

So, now we cannot wear any dark color tops, pants or dark shoes. White shoes only. Pastels or white uniforms only. Of course we can still wear patterned tops as we are Peds.

I say that if the hosp wants to change things then they should give us a uniform allowance to get new clothes/shoes.

I'm sure this debate has been discussed on here before. I am tired of the rules changing back and forth at the whim of the State, or the NM or whoever.

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I have never heard of an outside governing body dictating what hospital employees must wear, other than nametags/badges. Were you wearing those?

BTW, I agree with the headless chicken comparison!

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Hello, I am a new member. Nice to meet you all.

The State visited our facility recently, and everything went pretty well. They made a few suggestions and we have been complying. No big deal.

One of the things they told my NM and the other powers that be is that they "couldn't tell who the nurse was" on our unit (Peds). :uhoh3: I think it is quite obvious who the nurse is, we are the only ones running around like a chicken with it's head cut off LOL.

So, now we cannot wear any dark color tops, pants or dark shoes. White shoes only. Pastels or white uniforms only. Of course we can still wear patterned tops as we are Peds.

I say that if the hosp wants to change things then they should give us a uniform allowance to get new clothes/shoes.

I'm sure this debate has been discussed on here before. I am tired of the rules changing back and forth at the whim of the State, or the NM or whoever.

My guess is that the State has been getting this complaint ALOT across the board and they are probably tired of hearing it. Unfortunately this is happening all over considering nearly every dept. in every hospital wears scrubs now.

I have never worked in a facility that paid for uniforms in 22 years.

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My unit went to all nurses only wearing navy and It truly has been a positive impact. We look more professional, we feel a more cohesivness and more of a team. Customers truly love it! (no I am not a NM)

I am for all nurses wearing the same uniform!!! Have you ever stopped and looked around to see what some of the nurses are wearing, OMG - I wouldn't even imagine walking out my door in the dark looking the way some nurses do-shame on you!!! Take pride in being a nurse and yourself!

DLM

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

What state if I may ask? If it's a state facility I would imagine that they have authority. Mostly though what we see is that the numerous employees aren't identified visually. My hospital paid uniform allowances only for the employees whose income was below a certain level. The nurses therefore were given so many months to convert to the "new" colors/uniforms etc. It didn't really work well because we had so many travellers and agency temps that wore what they wanted to.

We have hadthis discussion here for ages and ages. In the bar at the top of the screen is a SEARCH function. Go there and input uniforms, dress code or some such and you'll see what's been said here.

MY suggestion would be to just have some BIG RN/LPN/CNA name badges made and insist that people wear them. They would be a lot cheaper than new uniforms.

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I'm not a nurse (yet!), but having been around several hospitals in the past few years I am very much for separate areas wearing different colors. Even though I may not know a thing thats going on, I atleast know who all the people are and I won't ask someone from housekeeping for my pain meds!

I agree with steelersRN.

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Hello, thanks for replying everyone.

Everyone was wearing their nametags/badges. When I was a new nurse at another hospital they gave us a uniform allowance.

I'd rather not say what state I am in right now.

Sometimes if I am working with my friends, we agree to wear the same color. It looks nice and the patients/staff like it too.

I don't like the idea of other staff members in other departments wearing scrubs. They should be the ones to change. Employees in direct pt. care should be the only ones wearing scrubs.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I'm sick of the useless state telling everyone what to do. They have no business, unless it's one of their hospitals. A bunch of paperpushers with nothing better to do, since they don't have real jobs.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I'm such a skeptic. I get sick of hearing from the higher-ups about what Joint Commission said or what the "State" said. My opinion is that there are a lot of regs that are slipped in as what "Joint Commission" said when it's really just the DON's pet project. I actually pinned our unit down on a regulation they insisted was "Joint Commission" when I knew there was another hospital in the same region that didn't insist on the same thing and they had just passed JC without issues. I got the charge nurse (who really believed it was a JC requirement) to pursue the matter with the NM who finally admitted it was a hospital regulation due to physician preference and had nothing to do with Joint Commission.

I would lay money that the "State" had nothing to say about you guy's dress. I bet your facility's higher-ups have been displeased with the way the nurses are dressing and have used this visit from the State to put some muscle behind their new regulation. After all, you can fuss about a new hospital rule but you can't fight "THE STATE".

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I agree with you....if the facility wants everyone to wear certain uniform colors, then they should provide a clothing allowance of some kind. The facility I work for, we don't have to wear certain colors, even tho I perfer to wear white and pastels because to me, it looks more professional.

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I'm sick of the useless state telling everyone what to do. They have no business, unless it's one of their hospitals. A bunch of paperpushers with nothing better to do, since they don't have real jobs.

AMEN!!

Though, I doubt if this "uniform" rule was mentioned by the Einsteins at Joint Commission or State. Probably something the hospital is trying to do and placing the blame on JC or State. The only thing I have ever heard either one of these organizations require is that you have a name tag on with your name and credentials.

Our hospital made all clinical persons go to navy blue scrubs. That means not only are the nurses wearing navy blue, so are the therapists (physical, occupational, and speech), rad techs, CNAs, resp therapists, lab techs, UR, etc. Anyone with a clinical job has to wear navy blue. Talk about confusing for the patients and families. I think the hospital did it that way to try and trick patients into thinking there are more RNs on duty. :madface: Our administrator said they did it that way so we looked "more professional." Of course, we still have doctors making rounds in blue jeans. :uhoh3:

I wish the powers to be would spend more time focusing on such "trivial" matters as adequate staffing, decent pay and wages, treating their employees with respect, etc than worrying rather that all the clinical people look alike.

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