Uniform Question For Seasoned Nurses...

RNperdiem, RN · Jul 17, 2009

I started out wearing white pants and tailored white tops.

They were not white scrubs, they were real uniforms.

Scrubs were always worn in specialty areas ,and by the late 1990's, scrubs were seen all over the hospital.

Nursing uniforms follow the very general trends of fashion.

By the 1990's scrubs resembled the relaxed fit khakis and Gap one pocket tee shirts a lot of us were wearing.

I functioned just fine in my older uniforms, the only problem I had is when some rusty-colored water got into my washing machine, a whole batch of white uniforms got discolored and were never wearable again.

pawsomepooch47 · Jul 17, 2009

I had the same rusty water problems too, don't miss them.

Be_Moore · Jul 17, 2009

My grandmother (LPN) and my mother (RN) do not miss them at all. And I'm glad they no longer exist as well. I hate wearing white in a profession that deals with body fluids, few of which are white.

pawsomepooch47 · Jul 18, 2009

And if you have your period.....well, much better in dark colored pants!!!

JDCitizen · Jul 18, 2009

My only white uniforms were those worn in school: 100% polyester. The shirt had a zip up front. Not comfortable at all, too hot, too hard to keep clean ( I looked like a dentist from hades)... Two days after graduation I built a fire in my back and burned those suckers; they threw up so much smoke you would have thought I was burning tires.

boggle, ASN, RN · Jul 18, 2009

I wore white uniform pantsuits or white tailored uniform tops and white pants, rarely a uniform dress. I really liked them, the way they looked and fit, and how they identified me as "the nurse". I stopped wearing them when they were no longer available and the ones I had looked dated. I wish they were available again.

I don't miss all that polyester though. :)

Midwest4me · Jul 18, 2009

First, let me say I'm sorry to hear of your layoff. Second, yes, the white uniforms were as functional as the scrubs of today in my opinion. I started out wearing white uniform dresses as well as pants; preferred the dresses(I wore them well below the knee). Yes, I was kind of sad to see the scrubs take over...especially since not just nurses wear the scrubs. You could more easily identify who was a nurse back then...of course we nurses usually wore our caps too.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Jul 18, 2009

My school scrub outfit included a white lab coat. I wore it a lot, mostly because the rest of the uniform (a royal blue polo shirt and matching pants) had a total of 2 pockets. It was also warm.

It's too bad people associate white coats with doctors. I wish nurses had lab coats of their own.

CanuckStudent · Jul 18, 2009

Just to clarify, I am a student, NOT a 'seasoned nurse'. But I have to agree that the uniforms of yesteryear were very regal and professional looking. I like the caps as well. With those, you either love them or hate them.

Dresses, while rare, are not dead. In fact, some nurses still wear dresses and 'old school' style uniforms as long as their workplace doesn't have uniform restrictions or requirements. In fact, I knew of a care aide who only wore the dresses. I also heard of a nursing student who wore a vintage nursing gown for all of her clinicals (no, I don't know how she was able to not wear the school scrubs). She said that her older patients really liked it. You can still buy dresses and older styles of uniforms, but they do tend to look dated. However, if there are no restrictions on what you can wear, it's up to you.

All of that said, there are many good reasons for scrubs. Some people care, some people don't. There are valid reasons for each side, and it's not all about the appearance. The fact is, nursing is not what it was. Old nursing has gone out with the cap and gown. Before nurses would have 1 or two patients, and have time to give backrubs. A dress would be fine. Nowadays nurses are used to a higher scope to care for sicker patients. While the nurses in the 50s likely stood back and watched the MDs perform lifesaving measures, it's nurses now who would be jumping in. A white gown is simply not practical for many/most acute situations, where you will be bending, jumping, etc. That said, if you work in LTC for example, there is no reason why you can't still wear a more traditional uniform.

Search online or have some custom made. I know Avida Healthware (in Canada) still offers some of the 'old school' uniforms.

allnurses Guide · Jul 18, 2009

I wore white pull up polyester pants and various types of tunics. Usually had nice big deep pockets. Never had to iron them either. Did get kind of hot.

As things loosened up, I changed to wearing white jeans and white button down collared shirts. I live in jeans, so getting to wear them work was nice.

Now I make my own scrub tops out of material I like (no cartoons!) with an extra panel to cover that deep cut that puts the vee in revealing. Have to iron them if I don't get to the drier at the end of the cycle fast enough.

Now in my ER, people don't even wear scrub tops, there are jerseys and polos and sometimes too short of tees, (but not logos or funky sayings on them). Sometimes its hard to tell who is staff and who are visitors.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2009

I find that some of the newer uniforms, though very cute, don't look too professional. I wouldn't go back to the old days, but some of our newer nurses don't "look" the professional part (i.e. hair everywhere, crocs with the holes--really you can get blood all over your feet, yuck!)