To scrub or not to scrub...?

Chesterton1 · Mar 26, 2015

I would wear business attire to a job interview, and if there really is an opportunity to job shadow on the same day of the interview you could possibly bring a pair of scrubs to change into if the opportunity arises.

Jules A, MSN · Mar 26, 2015

That is a tough one but if you can do as the above poster mentioned would be ideal. You definitely want to have scrubs for the shadow portion but I don't like wearing scrubs in the HR portion of interviewing. Good luck!

CTnewgrad826 · Mar 26, 2015

Wear business attire, change into scrubs for the shadow. Good luck!

springchick1, ADN, RN · Mar 26, 2015

They wouldn't have told you to wear scrubs if it wasn't ok. We tell people this all the time and expect them to show up in scrubs because of the shadowing.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Mar 26, 2015

That's different. If they tell you to wear scrubs, OK, otherwise it's best to wear business attire. The days when you could go from work to a job interview at another facility are gone for good (to say nothing of infection control issues, ugh). The conventional wisdom is to dress a step up from what you would ordinarily wear, and you can't go wrong with a conservative suit or jacket/slacks, so like other posters have said you probably should take a pair of scrubs to change into.

Best of luck.

flyersfan88 · Mar 26, 2015

I've had this opportunity before. I brought scrubs and changed.

mommy2anangel · Mar 26, 2015

We teach all of our students to dress one step up from the job they are seeking. As a nurse this would include business attire. Our curriculum says they should NOT wear scrubs to a job interview. I agree with the other posters; take the scrubs with you.

VANurse2010 · Mar 26, 2015

You should bring scrubs to change into, although HR should really clarify this to avoid confusing applicants who they (presumably) want to work for the organization. My hospital's HR department states explicitly to wear business attire to the interview and have scrubs on hand for the shadow. However, I do not think nurses are being naive or unreasonable for getting confused by this, because it's not illogical to think scrubs are acceptable if a shadow happens right after.

SierraBravo · Mar 26, 2015

A shadow experience is just that, you shadow a nurse on the floor. You won't be getting your hands dirty or doing any patient care (or at least you shouldn't be since you're not employed by the Institution yet, or maybe you are and are looking to transfer). Either way, consider it a hands off type of experience. You should absolutely wear business attire and try to absorb everything you can including the team dynamics, patient population, etc... It will be tough, but use this time to determine if this is a place that you would be happy working.

Jules A, MSN · Mar 26, 2015

A shadow experience is just that, you shadow a nurse on the floor. You won't be getting your hands dirty or doing any patient care (or at least you shouldn't be since you're not employed by the Institution yet, or maybe you are and are looking to transfer). Either way, consider it a hands off type of experience. You should absolutely wear business attire and try to absorb everything you can including the team dynamics, patient population, etc... It will be tough, but use this time to determine if this is a place that you would be happy working.

Agreed shadow experience is hands off but I don't think it would be appropriate to follow a RN into a patient's room in business attire.

NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN · Mar 26, 2015

I was in the same situation (sort of) and wore brand new, ironed scrubs.