What do NP's wear

xenogenetic · Oct 7, 2016

At the very minimum, business casual. The state psych hospital banned allowing workers to wear scrubs back in the 1970s. The only ones allowed to wear lab coats are the lab techs. The philosophy is that wearing scrubs has the potential to set off the patients. Rule of thumb in my workplace is that the mental health workers and rehab therapists can be seen wearing whatever (shorts, jeans, tube tops, etc) and if you see someone in business casual or dressed higher then they are the providers/professionals.

Jules A, MSN · Oct 7, 2016

The state psych hospital banned allowing workers to wear scrubs back in the 1970s. The only ones allowed to wear lab coats are the lab techs. The philosophy is that wearing scrubs has the potential to set off the patients.

Derailing the OP and not aimed at the poster of this very common fallacy but I can't resist snarking that scrubs and lab coats might "set off the patients" because they uhhhhh what don't realize they are hospitalized? News flash anything can set off an unstable psych patient. Ridiculous and obviously instituted by a dope with no actual inpatient psychiatric experience. Probably one of the same clueless do-gooders who felt deinstitutionalization was a humane approach because being homeless and thrown in jail is preferable to living safely on state hospital grounds.

danielle2000, MSN, RN · Oct 12, 2016

I think it really depends on the culture of your setting. White lab coat is the standard. I hate to dress up I prefer comfy slacks comfortable shoes and a pretty top or just plain ole dark blue scrubs pressed neatly creased. During my OB rotation I was always being mistaken as the physician but I happily state I am a nurse practitioner! Your appearance is very important.