Weird question

[notamannurseanymoRCC]

When most ppl think of a person in the hospital wearing a white coat, they usually think of a physician. I was just curious and wanted to ask if nurses have always worn a white coat in the clinical setting and if not, why do they feel the need to wear them now instead of scrubs like many of the other nurses. Wouldn't this confuse patients as to which of the healthcare employees is the nurse and the physician? I was also curious to know why most nurses wear srcubs or instead of the traditional uniform with the cap

[ctbsurf]

uniform w/ a cap. are you kidding. i was wondering why we drive cars to work instead of horse and buggy. give me a break

[CougRN]

how about the fact that slp's, pt's and pharmacists also wear lab coats? you really seem to have a complex about nurses.

[OneChattyNurse]

when i was in nursing school (1993), we were required to have a white lab coat as part of our uniform. and it had to be a longer one (knee length) not one of the short ones.

there have been plenty of times i have worn a white lab coat since graduation. i usually wear colors or prints now, but just because we can. the colorful scrubs that are availablr today are well liked by my patients and sometimes act as a conversation starter &/or diversion for an anxious patient. i am complimented daily on my wild, colorful scrubs. when was the last time you complimented a nurse on his/her whites? besides, in or, ob, ed etc. the drs ans nurses all wear the same scrubs.

i am not sure where you are going with this thread, but here is my take on the issue!

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

All of our nurses, cnas, and most doctors (at least at night) wear scrubs. I only know one doctor that actually wears the white coat. OUr phlebs wear white coats more than anyone else. Our patients know who we are because we introduce ourselves when we walk into the room....We were required to wear whit lab coats in nursing school but no one liked them, they were uncomfortable when doing patient care. White seems to get too diry for me, plus I don't like my pants to be see though). I have never even see a nursing cap and I don't think that I would like to wear one...just one more thing to have to worry about when busy. As for dresses...we have one nurse that wears a dress (but it is green), they are cute (and I am not dressing for work to be cute...) --I prefer my legs to have something over them...who know what kind of drippy stuff you will have to deal with that day.

Just out of curiosity--have you been in a hospital lately?

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

White gets too dirty too fast, and a lab coat is too hot and confining for physical work. The hats...well, they would date back to metal bedpans and mercury thermometers...no one wears the darn things anymore.

[daraowl]

I have not worn a white uniform or cap since 1979!!!! Those were the dark ages! White was to hard to keep clean esp when working in a Trauma unit. Also when I worked in Pediatrics, white was discouraged so children would not be terrified of people wearing white.

I do wear a white lab coat now. I am a Clinical Director and in my hospital it is considered more professional. The thought behind this is for the patients and familys know who is in charge. I have to take my lab coats to the cleaners for stains to be removed and for them to be pressed. I sure do not have time to IRON!!!!

[hypnotic_nurse]

I wear a lab coat ONLY when I have to set boundaries with a difficult patient (which is rare). Otherwise, they are too distancing, not to mention hot and confining. And who has time to mess with a cap?