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.

[Disablednurse]

In LTC where I worked, the admin staff could wear any color, style, print they wanted. Unit nurses/staff nurses could wear solid colors. Residents liked them. Also helped keep you from looking so bad by the end of the day.

[mattsmom81]

If patients comment about what nurses WEAR on satisfaction surveys I fear what that says about how we are viewed and what else they want from us now.... What are we, the 'entertainment' now?? What next, a song and dance number with those fries?

Suffice it to say I don't go to work to provide the public with everything they might 'want' from me as that's not what I'm there for.

I don't think the cutesy pie scrubs in adult settings help our professional image one little bit...IMO may harm it. Same with pink hair, tongue rings, fake sparkly nails, visible tatoos and body piercings, and the various other oddities I see today on nurses.

JMHO.

[MrsK1223]

I personally don't care for a lot of cartoon characters on scrubs unless you are on peds. But there are some out there like the Hello Kitty ones that I like but don't own. I do prefer solids but am very particular about the prints I choose. I love color!!! Gotta have color...I wear red, hot pink, hunter green, royal blue, pool blue. I'm getting ready to order a Betty Boop scrub in black and white. To me the difference is how it's put together, neat, no wrinkles, hair fixed nice, not looking like you just rolled out of bed, clean shoes, appropriate jewelry. I even wear some khakis with a white T-shirt and white professional lab coat sometimes. And the way you carry yourself when interacting with patients goes a long way with making a professional impression.

I certainly don't want to be made to wear any certain color or kind of uniform, that would be stifiling.

[grneyes676]

I dont mind colorful/printed scrubs...I usually wear solid color scrubs with a printed jacket. I have some that I can wear anytime and those for certain holidays..Christmas, halloween, etc.......Some of the prints look hideous (sp?) on me but great on others. Oh, as for fingernails, mine are short...we have a hospital policy against fake nails for those involved in pt care..not all comply with this.

[ernurse728, LPN]

I totally disagree! I get tons of compliments from patients and their families on my printed jackets. Especially around the holidays when I get to wear all the festive ones. I am still an excellent nurse whether I am wearing all white or colored,

printed tops. I think that as long as you look neat there is no reason that you can't wear fun scrubs.

[MomNRN, BSN, RN]

Thank God I live in America - freedom of choice! I love all of the new scrub choices, they are cheery and upbeat.

I now work in a setting where I wear street clothes, mostly jeans and a sweater. I miss wearing my scrubs! Somedays I will wear them to work and the kids say, "Hey you look like a nurse!"

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by sjoe

It's little wonder people (the public, patients, docs, supervisors, AND hospital administrators) think we are a bunch of ditzy airheads, given the combination of our roles on television shows and these kinds of dressing habits that scream "I'm a decorative, silly little thing, not to be taken seriously."

I understand you point. I'm not saying that a pressed white scrub isn't more "professional". But, are projecting your opinion of nurses on the public. Because I don't think the public thinks that way about us.

The public may not think of us as "professionals" in the way they do MD's, but not ditzy ecoratives airheads (at least not in my neighborhood). Get a good rapport and relationship with the patients and the families and they will forgive you anything. Be kind, positive and caring (and professional) and they will forgive you anything.

[Cruiser]

Well, there are two ways to view this I suppose. One would be that the cutsie prints and wild colors make us a little more "human" to our patients or add a little sunshine to an otherwise gloomy and stressful situation. Certainly, no one will mistake us for doctors (thank God!)

Of course, there is the professionalism thing...I mean, I wouldn't be caught at a dog fight wearing some of the prints that I think are really neat for scrubs...what's up with that? I haven't bought any, however, as I travel and don't want to lug around lots of unusable clothes, so I stick to rather sedate solids.

I guess I am much more concerned with cleanliness and neatness than prints and colors. It does bother me when nurses have hair hanging down; long, strangely colored nails; piercings anywhere but ears, etc. I think about how our patients much feel having such a person come into their room and do some of the things we do to them...I think it would bother me personally.

Just a thought...

cruiser

[susanmary]

Originally posted by bossynurse

I donnot think that the public views us as unprofessional because we choose to wear scrubs with prints. Not one patient has negatively commented on it. We send out pt surveys to all discharged patients. They complain about some pretty lame things but never our choice in wear.

I agree. I wear both solid and print scrubs and I ALWAYS look professional. Can't wait until Monday (St. Pat's!) to wear my Scrubs shamrock top. I'm not into the more "cutsey" prints -- but if other nurses want to wear them -- so be it. If my hospital provided standard issue scrubs, I'd happily wear them. Until then, I go to work knowing that I look the best I can.

[NsgTiger]

I prefer solid scrubs. If a print is necessary, I think it is best worn on a warm-up jacket (no need to over-do the print).

[SingingNurse2]

I don't want to wear white because I am "pleasantly plump" and would look the michelin man in them! :imbar

I think what bothers me more than anything is the fact that non-medical employees wear scrubs to work - what is that about? I think it's really confusing when a secretary or janitor is wearing the same uniform as a nurse.

[RNAbby7712]

I personally am excited to wear printed nursing tops. As a student nurse, I am sick of wearing white pants and a blue top, I want to express myself.