uniforms are killing us

[parklandtrauma]

What do you all think of current nursing wear. it kills me to go up to a adult floor and see RN's wearing all these crazy looking tops with cartoons and teddy bears on them. personally i see why some of the public looks down to a nurse and is always wanting the DR. We look terrible. I think all floors should have set colors for each positon. RN's, LVN's, PCA's, it gives a sense of order. just wanted to know how others see it, because i just was looking at a web site for nursing uniforms, and i couldn't help but laugh at some of them.

[nuangel1, BSN, RN]

Not all nurses are ANA members, nor do they necessarily want to be, so the insignia wouldn't work for everyone. And I've said this before, but I'll repeat it: Starched white uniforms are uncomfortable, they are unflattering to most figures and almost impossible to find in large sizes, they stain terribly, and they project an image which harkens back to the days when nurses were merely assistants to the physician, not professional people in their own right.

No thanks..........I wear street clothes to work, so this doesn't really pertain to me anymore, but I've worn probably every sort of modern nursing outfit on the market, and I'd quit before going back to starched white.

i absolutely agree 100 % .

[nursesunshine125]

I think printed color scrub tops give a sense of uniqueness It gets boring wearing the same color over and over I think esp on peds it is nice to see the different characters and it makes it more kid friendly.even the parents comment on how cute the character scrub tops are.If you want to the pt to know if you are a nurse or not wear your badge or a name tag.

[psalm, RN]

...the idea of each unit wearing a different color scrub seems like a good idea until you remember that many nurses float to different floors. What would a float pool nurse be expected to wear? What about the Cardiac floor nurse who is floated to med/surg for the night?

...we have RN in very large letters to wear under our name tags so the RN shows prominently. I have taken my name tag off to hold it close to a pt. so they can see my pic and my title.

...and I have some tye-dye type tops that really open up some patients. They like the idea of a professional who remembers "back in the day" and it opens up recreational "behaviours" history-giving on admission or when evaluating/assessing a pt.

[fbmom]

Uniforms don't make the nurse, it's what's inside that counts!!

I work a Telemetry floor in a specialty heart hospital and I have had patients favorably comment on my "Snoopy" scrubs.[this is an adult floor]

Patients have said it makes them smile and cheers them up.

I always wear my ID badge and introduce myself as their "Nurse"

As long as the scrubs are celan and neat, it is the nurses attitude and demeanor that makes the nurse

[danigirl58]

i'm sorry i don't know if someone else posted this but i thought i would put in my 2 cents worth here.

i love my printed scrubs and i work in adult medicine. they brighten my mood as well as my pt's moods. i don't think that if i wear a solid color it makes me appear more professional or looks better to the public. how i act what i say and how i do my job does all that for me. if dressing in prints or different colors makes me look unprofessional what the heck does the public think when thier dr comes into the room wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

dani:nurse:

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

Ehhhhhh...I am not a fan of the cartoonish ones for anything other than peds. Personally I can now finally wear prints and I tend to be conservitive with my prints. With prints I tend to find ones that go with colors I can match up with different pant colors, but pretty much stick to blue/purple/light blue/or a natural green. My scrub tops typically have a light floral print (small print, but not so much it makes your eyes tweek..LOL!) with maybe a butterfly or dragonfly hidden in. I have gotten many compliments on them, and have matching earrings and a matching apron :).

But typically, I wear solids unless I am feeling spry and want a print that day !

[Jo Dirt]

Glad to have happened across this topic. I'm getting tired of seeing nurses that seem to be totally unaware or possibly don't care about their appearance. There is a difference between patterns. I'm not against different styles, but gaudiness seems to be growing! Am I old school or what? When did dirty nasty shoes come into fashion or are they no longer considered part of the uniform? It grosses me out!

My shoes are dirty and nasty, but I like it when people decide to worry about their own shoes than other people's.

[hogan4736, BSN, RN]

When I worked on the nursing units, I wore scrubs, and the MD's I worked with were great, and gave me all the respect and autonomy I could ask for........but I worked in a small specialty area, and really didn't see many of the other MD's.

My current job allows me to wear street clothes or scrubs. I wear street clothes....why? Because I am asking and on occasion telling, physicians, administrators, managers etc, what they need to do....and quite frankly, smart business like street clothes take me alot farther than my kitty cat scrubs.

I am sorry to say it, but pnysicians in general give me more attention, notice me, and often start a conversation with me on the elevator.....the same physicians who saw right thru me in the past. I look like someone in some kind of authority.... so I should be nice to her.

I am not saying not to wear your kitty cat scrubs ... I am just sharing an observation.

I'm not sure I buy the argument of docs giving you more attention because of what you wear...It's likely due to their knowing your professionalism, irrespective of what you wear...

However, having been a director of nursing twice in the past, I found that my staff (and physicians) respected my position, even though I wore scrubs every day...The same plain blue scrubs I wore as a staff nurse...Why? I want to send the message that I am still a nurse, and am willing to jump in and help at the drop of a hat...However, kudos to you for jumping in and helping while wearing a suit...You are the exception, certainly not the rule...

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

I like the way our hospital does it. Nurses and CNA in the wards wear white pants and shoes and whatever top they want. In the ER, Peds, & OB they where whatever they want except sneakers, shorts, jeans, or tshirts.

[Lindsay42]

I'm not a fan of cartoon or cutie prints (except on mother-baby or peds). I think solid colors are professional and nurses are professionals.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Old thread alert.....this thread is well over three years old!

[hogan4736, BSN, RN]

Old thread alert.....this thread is well over three years old!

tell it to the mod that responded the other day!

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/uniforms-killing-us-32988-22.html

:wink2: