Uniform color by discipline

codeblue22 · Oct 7, 2011

I think it's good for staff to identify each other, but it doesn't work on patients. Patients assume anyone in scrubs is a nurse or physician.

I agree with Murse.. Imagine how many people in scrubs patients see during the course of their hospital visit: phlebotomists, xray, transport, housekeeping, discharge planners, house supervisors, CNAs, RNs, MDs, etc.. I WISH our hospital had uniforms by dept.. Instead, everyone dresses free-for-all, and patients are so confused and overwhelmed.

Also, if they have complaints or comments, they may not be able to identify the staffer without a uniform color. Personally speaking, I have been blamed for a bad blood draw by a phlebotomist, and it was next to impossible to get myself out of the hot seat. so infuriating.

WillowNMe · Oct 7, 2011

I like it. The scrubs have to be "mostly" the selected color... Mine is Navy, and I have some cute scrubs that have white, pink and navy... I like it because pts are more likely to remember colors of scrubs vs. names, faces, etc.

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2011

I don't mind it. I just wish that I didn't work in my healthcare system for 7 years before we changed the rules. I have an entire closet full of different colored scrubs!

cacentralvalley · Oct 7, 2011

As a patient, I loved it. It made it easier to know who I needed to direct my questions to; especially in ICU where I had lots of people in and out of my room doing different things (labs, respiratory, etc). I wasn't able to read name tags, my eyes couldn't focus and I don't think I would have asked every person in my room to lean in so I could read their name tag.

abakrn819 · Oct 7, 2011

The hospital I work at is going to change their uniform policy in Jan 2012, and I am looking forward to it. Right now, each floor chooses their own policy, and the floor I work on is "wear your own scrubs." Our hospital also provides scrubs for some floors, and most people on my unit just wear those anyway, so its VERY confusing for patients and employees alike!

Our new color coded scrubs will separate everyone out nicely, lab will wear one color, aids will wear one, housekeeping will wear one, RN's will wear one, ect...and anyone considered "surgical" (like NICU, GI center, L&D) will wear the hospital provided scrubs. I think it will look very professional!

I am one that wears the hospital scrubs, mainly because I cannot find any other ones that fit me comfortably, and lucky for me I will start a new job that is considered "surgical" in 3 weeks so I will continue to wear the hospital scrubs :) Yay for me!!

PediNurse3 · Oct 7, 2011

I do agree that it "takes away freedom" to wear what you want, but those who feel strongly about it are free to work at a different facility.

The first hospital that I worked at was color coded, and while I did hate being limited to royal blue and white pants, and tops that were "90%" royal blue or white, it was nice, because I could quickly identify what position someone held just by the color of their pants.

When I changed jobs and went to a children's hospital, the staff was (is) free to wear whatever they want. I went crazy buying fun scrubs, but itt was really difficult for me to get used to. There were a few times that I almost felt panicked because I couldn't tell who was who with a quick glance, badges would be backwards, etc. There was discussion of color coding and the nurses revolted. :lol2: Now we have to wear royal blue hang tags behind our badges that say RN in big white letters...or we are supposed to. I work in the clinic now which is attached to the hospital via sky bridge and there are quite a few nurses in my clinic that don't have them, and other clinics as well, which I think is especially confusing to patients and their families because they have nurses easily identified as nurses saying that they are nurses, and nurses not as easily identified saying that they are nurses, so there is a lot of , "I gave it to the nurse", and, "The nurse said...", when the "nurse" might have been a medical assistant or even the staff that works at the desk.

There are pros and cons to both. I don't like the color coding but can appreciate the benefits of it.

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2011

I think it looks much smarter and more professional that a mix match of scrubs

0402 · Oct 7, 2011

I don't mind it, but if they are going to color code one set of employees, they really need to do it for everyone. In my hospital, the RNs, PT/ OT, PCTs and Transporters wear a specific color. RT, lab, MDs, etc- don't. I see people who are not RNs, PT/OT or PCTs wearing the colors assigned to those groups. What's the point if it doesn't apply to everyone?

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Oct 7, 2011

we are so over that. We now have a tag that hangs off our badge indicating "RN', "LVN", RAD, LAB, etc depending on your dept. Everyone can wear any color as long as it is solid (no cutsey cartoons). Pedi staff can wear designs on the tops only. So the badge indicates our dept or discipline and rest does not matter

abrn348 · Oct 7, 2011

I don't mind it. At our hospital, the pants are color coded and the tops just have to "coordinate". So, as long as there is a color in there that matches the pants, you have a lot of freedom in what top you wear. It makes it easy to identify each other.

vashtee, RN · Oct 7, 2011

I wouldn't mind it at all, I think it looks more professional, and honestly, I think a lot of the mix & match scrubs with prints look pretty frumpy. Our facility has tossed around the idea of single colors, and my hope is that they will choose a color, and let us pick the type of scrubs we like to wear (I hate those big, boxy shirts.)

Sparrow23 · Oct 7, 2011

I really like it. When random people come up to me and ask what's going on with my pt, I can actually tell them pertinent information instead of... oh say telling the dietitian how well the pt is ambulating after mistaking them for PT, or mistaking the CHF nurse for the doctor. I can't keep track of who's who otherwise! And we look sharp!