The Today Show

[bklynborn]

Anyone watch this morning? Their medical expert was on giving tips to patients on how to prevent errors while they are in the hospital.

One thing she mentioned was that hospitals (nurses especially) need to go back to being more professional. She mentioned nurses wearing caps or at least going back to wearing white in order to be distinguished from other hospital staff. Matt Laur said he had recently been in the hospital and that nurses are dressing much to casually. Hmmmmmm.......................

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

I really do feel it is a age thing too. My younger pts love the scrubs and don't seem to mind us not wearing white! In fact, we have a nurse that wears the full dress whites with cap and find her to be starchy and old fashioned (no offence at all...I don't, but my younger pts have said so).

Were as the older pts tend to do just the opposite. They find scrubs to be far to casual, and want the "disaplined" (as I hear a few pts say) uniforms.

Mid age I find a mix! But typically more understanding of either.

Oh well I say...I wear scubs and am a darned great nurse...so if you judge me by my uniform I choose to wear, well that is their choice...I will still give great service and care either way :).

Would I wear whites or a cap? NO!!!!!!!!!! Never was my thing really, I highly respect it, but just not me by any means (I actually look sick in white...all pale and brings out dark circles under my eyes...I never wear white). Heck, my pts call me NURSE _____ and I love it...they don't have trouble knowing who I am!

[billaboo]

I agree that mistakes will not be affected by our clothes...interesting.

However, I think the real problem is not nurses being dressed too casual but the fact that EVERYONE wears scrubs now. Even at my childrens schools...the lunch ladies wear scrubs. I did work at a hospital where they color coordinated job title by scrub colors. Each position had a few color options...ie. RN wears green, purple, and navy. However, I think only staff knew that fact!

Tricia

[jemtown]

Our facility just went to a dress code for all RNs. The majority of the uniform is either black or white. It makes the students stand out as we are in all blue. No matter what you're wearing though there's always the potential for errors. TV shows like Today leave a lot to be desired for getting information out to the public-how good can it be if you only have 2 minutes to say it all? :)

[jb2u, ASN, RN]

Why, I don't know. But the older people will always say its nice to "see a nurse".

Oh, and I have a far harder time getting stains out of blue for some reason than I do white.

When I worked as a CNA in a nursing home I had to wear all white and the residents did not like it. They thought that it looked too "institutional" and I agree.

As far as the stains, Yes, they come out, but I've had to work many shifts at the nursing home with tea, resident's coffee, pee, and poop on my uniform for the whole shift. If I had on dark blue, no one would have known, but with whites, I have to explain what happened to everyone so they wouldn't think that I was just some unwashed slob. When you constantly have residents spilling food, spitting food, knee deep in poop, etc...it really is hard to keep those whites white while ON Shift.

When it comes to respect/perception, I feel that if you carry yourself as a professional and do not allow pts to belittle you then the respect will follow. Yes, some people will disrespect Nurses no matter how professional you are OR how white your uniform is, but for the most part, scrubs are a part of the profession now and if they are ironed, fit properly, and clean, then they are acceptable. I agree that no one should come to work unkempt or wearing "low riders" or half shirts, but to say scrubs in general are unprofessional is incorrect. They are now a part of the profession. Time changes, things change. I don't think we should stand at attention when a Doctor walks onto the floor, I don't think that men should be excluded from military nursing, I don't think Nurses should wash windows, and I don't think that Nurses should have to wear all white or a Hat!

Yes, time changes and sometimes for the better.

[Jenny67]

I was watching the Today show a couple weeks ago and a specialist was talking about Dr's offices and telling people that in this day and time there is no good reason for a person to have to wait to see the doctor..

When I got to work that morning I told my Dr about it who laughed and made the comment that he must not be working in Family Practice.

Seriously, the reason why patients end up having to wait is simple:

1. There truly is an emergency situation because a patient is having a heart attack and decided to drive to the office vs the hospital because they feel safer with their doctor.

2. Patient walks in because he has just about cut his hand off and it was quicker to come to you than drive to the hospital.

Okay seriously now--

Too many of our patients arrive past their scheduled time and too many patients have a long list of everything they want to cover during this appointment..

[PANurseRN1]

I had to join in on the conversation but apoligize that I have not read all the previous postings.

I fell in love with nursing because of the shoes, uniforms, & most of all the caps. However, that was 51 years ago & I was 4 years old at the time. I have gotten over that love affair. I am now about to start nursing school FINALLY, & am thrilled that I won't be wearing a cap or a startched white uniform. But I agree that the present lack of uniformity, is confusing to patients & family members. My sister was a patient in a large magnet hospital this summer for several weeks. It was impossible to tell the respiratory therapists, nurses, or CNAs apart by their atire & we often asked questions that could not be answered by that person, nursing questions to a RT, etc. My sister was very sick & once she was moved out of ICU, often I had to find the nurse. Several times I wasted lots of time trying to figure out who was a nurse. Heck, it was hard to tell some of the doctors from the nurses! Their nametags didn't help much as it often was impossible to see them much less read them.

It seems to me that it would be so much easier all around if each profession had something to make them distinct, be it color or whatever. They do it for school. I'll be wearing a navy polo & white uniform pants (not scrubs, my teachers informed me). Another school has their own uniforms. There will be no problem differentiating us from "real" nurses.

Dixie

What are facilites supposed to do...make some sort of announcement in the pt. handbook that says who wears what color? We're not schoolchildren, and I hate that comparison.

There is no reason for housekeeping, dietary, etc. to wear scubs. Sometimes I wonder if it's the hospitals' way of giving the appearance of having more nurses than they actually do.

[PANurseRN1]

I'd rather go hunting with Dick Cheney than to go riding with Ted Kennedy.

Sick.

[swanganz]

Regarding the prevention of medical errors is simple....you cannot completely prevent errors. They happen, from all angles from the docs, the pharmacists, the nurses... I hope that Matt Laur was trying to spark conversation and truly doesnt believe that dress and medical errors are related. Most people are just ignorant to what responsibilities nurses have.

[justpoorfect]

How about scrubs that have an imprint of 4 inch letters that say "RN" or "AIDE" or "RESP"? If that's offensive, how about a red cross armband or something?

[BRANDY LPN]

I am tired and kind of lazy tongiht, so forgive me for not reading the whole thread, and if this has already been mentioned I'm sorry.....

How in the world will being able to differentiate between staff decrease med errors?????????????????

I don't care if you wear cutoff shorts and a tube top to work, how many of you have heard of a med error meing caused by an aide, or housekeeping?

What a bunch of crap, another of the long list of reasons I am no longer practicing.

Sorry, continue on.... I am all done griping now, and I feel a little better for venting that.

[LydiaNN]

Wow, and here we've been all along thinking the keys to preventing medical errors were things like safe ratios, adequate training and supervision, staffing levels that ensure no one is forced to come in and work while sick, etc. and it turns out that all along the problem has been our SCRUBS! I don't know about anyone else, but I sure feel silly!!!

[DusktilDawn]

Regarding the prevention of medical errors is simple....you cannot completely prevent errors. They happen, from all angles from the docs, the pharmacists, the nurses... I hope that Matt Laur was trying to spark conversation and truly doesnt believe that dress and medical errors are related. Most people are just ignorant to what responsibilities nurses have.

No you can't prevent all medication errors, but creating a working environment that enables nurses to do their jobs is one place to start, instead of criticizing our professionalism because we no longer wear white dresses and caps. You'd never hear anyone criticizing lawyers and judges for their lack of professionalism because they do not wear powdered wigs. I found it interesting that workload issues, staffing ratios, acuity, continual interruptions, etc were not even mentioned. Gee folks, instead of treating the nurses like maids, allow them to do their job.

Your right most people are just ignorant to what the responsiblities of a nurse are. Too bad neither Dr. Snyderman or Matt Laur took the opportunity to have a nurse explain that.