What would you change about your scrubs?

Zookeeper3 · Sep 21, 2007

hey all~
i am doing research for a line of scrubs and would like to find out what nurses like/ dislike about their uniforms.
i am a fashion design student that recently spent some time in the hospital for cancer treatment this summer. i was so inspired by the compassion and care shown by the nurses and would like to thank you guys by providing uniform options that are comfy, stylish and help the wearer feel more 'individualized'.
what elements (pockets, elastic waistbands, tagless uniforms, etc) do you look for in a pair of scrubs?
what would you change about scrubs if you had the chance? (here's your chance)
what are the most popular colors worn by nurses? what colors/ prints do you dislike?
what instruments/ items do you carry on your person when you work? (pen, paper, hidden snack )
what are the dress code restrictions at your place of work?
thank you for any input. more importantly, thank you for always giving to those around you- giving your time, comforting words, upbeat vibes and patience. it means more than you know.

i wear the ties for waist band, like pockets on the legs of pants, one on each side, we wear ceil blue or blue scrub color. white is crazy to maintain.

i carry scissors, clamps and pens. if you could design pockets that had some absorbtion for pen ink leak, would be great. i would like scrubs to naturally be longer, you sit and the pants are now capris, i have to order extra long and this limits me.

if you could design a tag holder near the left breast in a v-neck that didn't pull the neck down to reveal clevage and cause the need for an undershirt, even better;)

Kerrigan 06 · Sep 21, 2007

After working in health care and wearing scrubs for only a couple of years, I've settled in on one specific brand of scrubs and one style each of their pants and shirts for my scrubs. My dress code right now restricts me to wearing only solid colors - before that, I was a little more flexible. I wear Landau's classic pant and classic top only. I wear them because I like the elastic waistband in the pants (drawstrings always roll down on me or sit too low) and the side pockets, and I like the 4 pocket design including spots for pens in the shirts.

If I could change them, I'd alter the v-neck so it doesn't come down so low, and open so wide. Like the previous poster said, the simple act of wearing a badge can reveal bra straps!

Among my nurse co-workers, I see a LOT of blues. Lots of other colors too, but blue is what is likely to be the color of topic when I notice that everyone in the nurses' station is wearing different shades of the same color.

I have a very specific system of stuff I carry... in my left pants pocket, I carry a pack of gum and an IV compatibility chart. My stethoscope hip clip goes on the outside of the same pocket. My right pants pocket holds a tape measure. Left inside shirt pocket: Tubex injector, Sharpie marker, pen light, cell phone. Left outside pocket: alcohol pads and calculator. Right inside pocket: 2 pens, a pen/highlighter combo, hemostats, scissors. Right outside pocket is where cash goes if I'm carrying it. Oh, and in the left-side pen holder thingie I put my calipers.

Altra, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2007

I'm sure you'll get a wide variety of responses -- therefore, a variety of options is important in any scrub line.

My wish list:

Straight or wide leg (but not flare), drawstring waist (or combo front drawstring/back elastic) pants w/regular side slash pockets and at least one cargo pocket on the leg (no flap on the pocket, please).

Scrub tops that are often advertised as "mini" or "shorter length" are of little value to any female nurse with breasts who actually moves around (bending, reaching, etc.) while she works.

I like brushed or sandwashed cotton fabric, in solid colors and white.

Varying lengths offered on pants - from those of us who are 5'4" and need a shorter length to well-tailored pants for our taller coworkers .

My pockets hold pens, a tourniquet, tape, trauma shears, chapstick, money, my cell phone and occasionally scrap paper.

CTstudent · Sep 21, 2007

I would like to see scrubs with some kind of clamp attached to the waist hold my stethoscope.

Sunflowerinsc, ADN, RN · Sep 21, 2007

I like tops with large deep pockets,2 on bottom and one chest pocket. Deep pockets that everything don't fall out when you bend over. And a "left-handed"scrub top would be nice, you know those neat little pen holders that some have in the pocket on the right side, would be in the left pocket. I never put my pen in the right side pocket. To hard to find it !

Agnes Anne · Sep 21, 2007

Hmmm,

What I want?? Flair or boot cut pants. I hate the bubble butt look of elastic waist pants with tight cuffs. My butt's big enough!!

Stretchy fabric.... so my pockets can grow, LOL Actually, so when I have to get in a weird position to transfer a pt or untangle the o2 etc I don't feel like I'm getting cut in half or wearing a touniquet.

Softness- I discovered that a handme down top is making me itch like crazy no matter what I wash it in. Not good. :-(

Natural tones- Woodsy. There is so much plastic mechanical beeping craziness on the floor I'd like to look/feel alive and warm. Soothing, restful. hmm. Batique, tie dye??

A cute neck line... I want my collar bones to show but not my breasts. So I guess a wider but shallow neck? Sweetheart lines.

A waist! HA! after you see my pocket list you'l know why that's such a laugh.

Pockets! So I don't have to juggle stuff.

I like to carry as much as I can on the sides of my legs-

PDA and stethoscope on left leg. Gum and money and chapstick in regular pants pockets.

Right side... stuff to pull out quickly- carpojet, extra flushes, my pocket oragnizer when possible (holds my scissors, sharpie pen, calipers, penlight, etc upright to pull out quickly instead of fumbling for them. If my pocket had a tape strip sewn in to slide those itmes through I could debulk that pocket.

Left scrub pocket tape, alch swabs/ chlorhexadin swabs, bandaides, male/female caps. Right side- pen, and what I ever I need for that treatment... dressings, meds, tubing etc.

I'll keep thinking

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Sep 21, 2007

36" inseam pants. Not every one is 5'5". I wish most scrub companies would get a clue.

Katnip, RN · Sep 21, 2007

Speaking of inseams. I'm a weird one. Petite scrub pants are always way too short, but if I wear a regular inseam so many seem to be like 32 or more inches, so they're miles long.

I'd like pockets with a liquid-proof liner to protect against pen leaks.

Pockets. Except those little breast pockets. For the well endowed, they're useless to the point of ridiculous. Otherwise, those multi-pocket things that have a pocket within a pocket.

Pants that aren't so baggy you look like you're wearing jammies all the time. Something that looks like you gave some thought into what you put on when you were getting dressed.

allnurses Guide · Sep 21, 2007

Kat - I'm with you on the baggy pants :down:

I want pants that fit at my real waist - not those low cut things that make a nice ring of fat over the top of the pants.

NO drawstrings. NO elastic waist. Please please please, make me zipper pants with strong material. . .like jeans . . . that will hold in my stomach. Nothing that makes a person look like the "bubble butt" or pj look someone else mentioned. No elastic around the bottoms of the pants either . . .those look like clown pants.

I wore white jeans for a long time . . ..just for that reason. Plus you cannot see through the denim as you can regular cotton scrub pants.

I wear solid colors - navy blue, other variations of blue with a white jacket. Or tropical shirts . . that is about as wild as I get with prints.

steph

RNcDreams · Sep 21, 2007

I'm petite but not super-duper skinny...just average. I kind of have a big butt so my challenge is finding pants that are big enough to accomodate that area but are short enough lengthwise.

My biggest gripe is that I HATE itchy and stiff fabrics! I have sensitive skin so the combination of polyester and running around/getting hot= very uncomfortable.

I'd love pockets that have a spot for calipers, a spot for scissors, a spot for clamps, a hook or something for the stethescope, pens, markers, and maybe even a special pocket for a notebook or a palm pilot or sticky notes.

I'm also petite on top, so i have a hard time finding scrub shirts that dont have sleeves that go down to my elbows, and/or tops that are so wide two of me could fit in them (but that are TOO short).

Haha I think I'm high maintenance!

Thanks for doing this :) I'm excited!

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2007

36" inseam pants. Not every one is 5'5". I wish most scrub companies would get a clue.

I'm on the opposite side of the inseam debate Marie..for the love of all that is good..can someone PLEASE make a set of scrub pants that are for us little ones. I stand 4ft 11in..even petites are long on me!! Tired of paying out even more $ getting them hemmed (NO I do not sew LOL)

Oh and as if the Almighty's joke on me by making me the size of the average 11 yr old girl wasn't funny enough to Him, to add insult to injury I am large chested..but I am thin. So in order to fit around the bust I need a medium but everywhere else is a XS or S..so I walk around with this huge shirt looking all frumpy.

So, I guess 2 wishes would be pants made even shorter than they are now, tops that take into consideration that being large on top doesn't mead large in the whole torso, oh and thin out the legs on the scrubs, my legs swim in scrubs.

I guess maybe a specialty line for the extremly short and thinner than average is what I'm asking for more or less. Shorter pants, not as much room in the leg, tops where the sleeves don't come to my elbow.

I love solid prints. I tend to have more blues (all different shades) than anything else.

Lots of pockets!! My clinical uniform has on small thigh pocket, on small pocket on the back..the top has one breast pocket thats useless, bend over once and everything falls out.

Pockets that have something to keep them closed would be great! Not a zipper because that would be too hard to get into all the time, just something to keep them closed and things won't fall out. Velcro maybe.

I carry pen, stethescope, penlight, a couple of small reference books, gum, scissors, tape, alcohol wipes..my pockets are filled.