The Today Show

i couldn't copy the actual video link but here is the link to the right page...

about 1/2 down click on 'what your hospital doesn't want you to know' and it will play the video.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032633/

added: what your hospital doesn't want you to know

karen

...but that being said...am I the only one who wishes the nursing staff would at least all wear the same color scrubs? (I'm ducking now for the beating I'm anticipating by daring to utter these words!)

This is actually the policy for the facility where I work. All nurses wear purple scrubs, CNAs/techs all wear yellow, unit assitants wear pale green, etc. It is helpful for staff but doesn't seem to help patients, except that we can ask "do you recall what color the person was wearing?" and then explain the color system to the patient (not that they ever remember it). I don't have anything against the policy, makes shopping for work clothes easier

RNin'08

~my reality check bounced~

I could go to work in a white uniform or go in naked... What difference does it make? What we need is more staffing , better nurse to patient ratios and less paper work ...That will let the nurse have time to think, breath and she might even get to eat during her shift. Now all of America will want their nurse to dig up the hat and white dress while in the hospital because they will feel in danger ....

This is actually the policy for the facility where I work. All nurses wear purple scrubs, CNAs/techs all wear yellow, unit assitants wear pale green, etc. It is helpful for staff but doesn't seem to help patients, except that we can ask "do you recall what color the person was wearing?" and then explain the color system to the patient (not that they ever remember it). I don't have anything against the policy, makes shopping for work clothes easier

RNin'08

~my reality check bounced~

Do you have to buy your own uniforms in the USA then??? Slightly off topic I know but I'm just curious. Here our hospitals provide them (usually with a small deposit taken from your first paycheck - which you get back when you return them).

wearing white and looking smart. pleeeeeeaaase.my floor requires a lot of very physical movement on my part .i want to be cool and comfortable. i must pay for my own scrubs only to perhaps get any kind of body fluid on them. don't do white. don't do prissy. don't do caps. a comfortable nurse is a happy nurse less likely to make mistakes.

I work in an acute care setting on the ortho floor, wearing white or navy scrubs, with a 3 inch round tag our name badge hangs from, that says "RN' I always introduce myself clearly, my purpose, and write my name on the white board, including how long I will be their nurse that day. Unfortunately, even younger pts. can't remember me sometimes. But the interesting thing is this: I wear a red-gingham checkered cover on my stethescope, which is usually resting around my neck when not in use, and this has been a visual clue to my patients many times in instantly recognizing me.

It is mandatory for all staff, including MD's and ancillary personnel to wear their tags/badges,and to knock, introduce themselves, and explain their visit.

On a side note, during Nurse Appreciation week, each day the hospital would have a theme. One year, it was to wear your hat that shift. Only 3 of us in the hospital still had one! I felt really stupid wearing it, but my little old lady patients really, really like it!!!

There really is a lot of public ignorance regarding health care providers and protocols/procedures, that we have to dispel each and every single day. Yesterday, a patients wife wrote an angry note about her husband not being able to get into an MRI that day, and returned it with his supper tray!! Does she think there's elves in the kitchen??? Fortunately, it DID get intercepted and sent to the right authorities, and the CEO of the hospital himself came in that night to visit with her and the pt., which helped a lot. (Both the pt. and her have mild to moderate dementia) This, despite many explanations by their nurse, head nurse, and supervisor beforehand. (The public really doesn't understand the triage system and how it will affect the timing of tests...)

Anyway, I'm going to write The Today Show also, and add my voice...

True, our clothing doesn't distinguish us from other staff. But here, we all introduce ourselves to our patients each morning and tell them, "I'll be the RN caring for you today."

I'm a manager, but if I happen to go in to hang an IV for someone when I'm wearing street clothing, I stop and introduce myself as the manager and an RN to reassure them that it's okay for me to mess with their IV.

I don't do caps, I don't do white, and I definitely don't do starch!! Nor do I expect that of my staff. I do, however, expect professional conduct.

I just finished sending an email to the Today show after I viewed the episode. I didn't just blast them for what we should or should not wear. I also was not happy with her telling people to have the wrong extremity marked for surgery. My hospital only marks a yes the feeling is if both are marked then there is still room for a mistake. Someone might mistake the no or just see the marking and think ok that must be the right on.

The hospital where I worked had certain colors for each dept. ie: royal for nursing, tan for aides, etc.

The first job I took as a nurse was in a LTCF - all the nurses still wore the caps - well, except for the male nurse. I refused to wear one unless he did, and pretty soon no one wore them.

I think there was some research done (at least our instructors said so) that indicated that a "professional looking" nurse was less likely to be sued. That may be a bit much, but I have to say, I always wore a clean, pressed uniform, polished my shoes, had my hair done, and kept my nails clean. Did it make me a better nurse? Nope, but it made me feel better.

I have to admit that I hate to see a nurse in a dirty uniform or lab coat. Just a personal pet peeve.

I'm not wearing the hat. It gets caught on the curtains between the patients beds, and that makes me cranky.

I occasionally wear my nursing cap. I work in a LTCF and when I do, the residents are just beside themselves with compliments.

It is most likely a good thing that I do not watch Daytime TV, if I did I would be constantly writing someone about something.