What Do You Wear To Work?

[Jules0612]

I was hired at an elementary for the 2014-15 school year. I have been a nurse for 20 years in the hospital, but this is my first job as a school nurse. I had the opportunity to meet with the school nurse that is leaving a couple of weeks ago. When we met I found out we don't wear scrubs but professional attire. I checked with the principal and that is correct. I am a scrubs girl with no professional attire! Is this common? What in the world am I going to wear? I need to go shopping!

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

I wear khakis, sweaters, sturdy ( but pretty!) shoes. any number of types of pants and tops. Easy clean, nothing fancy. Some times I wear fitted black cargo style scrubs with a nice top....this time of year I wear cropped pants etc.

[scrubsrn24]

Was it her own choice, or school policy? I work in a town where there are 4 elementary schools. I am the only one who wears scrubs. The nurse before me in my building did not either, but the staff constantly comment on how "professional" and "nurse-like" I look in scrubs compared to looking the same as the teachers. If you would be more comfortable, would you be able to ask your principal if scrubs could we work on the job? Not to mention, I would hate to have my "real" clothes thrown up on!

[100kids, BSN, RN]

I dress like the teachers do. I don't mind because I do a lot of other non nurse things in the building so I would feel uncomfortable in scrubs.

[schooldistrictnurse]

Here's my age talking--In my opinion, scrubs are sloppy. You might as well be in sweats and a T shirt. I also dress like the teachers, nothing fancy, a pair of black pants and a pair of brown pants and pullover or button shirts. I don't participate when the schools have wear jeans and your School T shirts, because you never know when you will meet with a parent and I want to look professional. I don't even do flip flops but many many on staff do at the end of the year.

[iggywench, BSN, RN]

My principal prefers that I wear scrubs, so I am identified as the nurse in the building. On Fridays, I participate in jeans day, but don't like t-shirts, so I'll usually wear a blouse.

[Tina, RN]

I wear scrubs, but "nicer" ones: Bootcut pants, fitted (not boxy) tops. And my Danskos! :) I am in an elementary school, and I don't want pee, poop, or vomit on my good clothes. Scrubs are easier to replace!

I'd say about half the nurses in my district wear scrubs, the other half wear normal clothes.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I also wear scrubs, but "nice" ones - fitted tops with bootcut pants like Tina. I tend to wear a patterned/funky scrub top. I wear Toms on my feet as we have a no sneakers policy for staff (except on Fridays). I deliver meds around my school usually and the pockets of my scrubs are too handy for me to forgo! I also like that it identifies me as the nurse and parents appreciate that as well (I've had parents tell me - you are so easy to find thanks to the scrubs, lol). I've also gotten compliments on my choice of scrubs from several staff members.

I could wear business causal if I wanted - the other nurse in my school does most of the time - but I don't. Every once in a while I will wear business causal when I know I am staying after school for a school event. But when I do that the kids always comment about my missing scrubs :).

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i wear both - some days are a scrubs day - other days are a clothes day. But every day i wear a lab coat. We get to "dress down" on Fridays and wear jeans and also on Mondays (that was a fundraiser) so that takes care of 2 days of wardrobe. I usually throw scrubs on the other days depending on what's going on in the school.

[shsnurse]

I wear the "nicer" scrubs too along with my dankos or allegria shoes. My school is very large and I am always running to an "accident". So i feel more comfortable in scrubs. Other days I dress casual (support meeting days etc.). it depends on my mood the time of year. On fridays we wear jeans and school shirts.:)

[coughdrop.2.go, BSN, RN]

I wear scrubs. I can be mistaken for a student real easy. During the winter I wore a sweatshirt to work and students thought I was a student. On non-student days I dress really nice in business casual. Last week there were no students as it's the in-between time of end of school and summer school. I wore nice dresses all last week. I kinda enjoyed not wear scrubs. But since summer school began Monday, my scrubs popped up again. I like to stand out from teachers and administration. Plus staff and students enjoy seeing my scrubs, especially the Disney ones. Since it's going to get hotter I will trade my scrubs pants for khaki/black/navy shorts with scrub tops to keep it professional instead of wear jean shorts. No one complains about my scrubs, but they get confused if I'm in regular clothes.

[Cackalacky]

I'm a lot like kenderella89. I wear scrubs to stand out as an adult, not a student, and a nurse. I have 7 schools, so parents, students and staff recognize the scrubs as being the school nurse. I wear business attire on non-student days. When I go out in public without my scrubs, the students double take when they see me but don't quiet recognize me without my scrubs.