What is the point of a uniform?

[ben123]

I don't understand what the point is. Many nurses wear scrubs, whites, pants with polos, all colors, patterns, prints, animals, cartoon animals, many styles. Many nurses wear their personal jackets or sweat shirts over their tops. Why should we have to wear a uniform if some nurses even wear sweat pants???

[tridil2000, MSN, RN]

I only wear scrubs too for the same reason as someone else mentioned...I don't want body fluids on my regular clothes.

We are going to a strict dress code April 1st. Respiratory (black) and housekeeping (burgandy) have already started theirs. Nurses will wear white or ceil blue and techs will wear navy. No t-shirts or sweatshirts are allowed. Shoes are to be made of leather and if clogs are worn, the strap must be worn across the back of the ankle. Only 1 pair of stud earrings...and only women may wear them. No embroidery unless it's the hospital logo. No visable tatoos. There's more piddly requirements but I won't bore you with them.

Some staff have worn long sleeve t-shirts under their scrubs and I think most look neat and still professional looking. However, we have had some who've pushed it and come to work very sloppy looking and I think that's the reason they're now saying no t-shirts/sweats. For example, we have one tech who is very heavy and one day, she came to work with very baggy sweat pants. Then the next, she came in with sweats that were skin tight and barely made it past her knees. Not a good sight.

are the physicians also only allowed to wear 1 pair of earrings, and abide by all the rest of the rules?

if not, then that is discrimination.

[jjjoy, LPN]

The physicians generally aren't hospital employees.

[nuangel1, BSN, RN]

we don't have to wear a particular color .thankfully.we can wear what over color or style we want in scrubs.a few nurses wear t shirts under scrub shirt for comfort or warmth i guess.the only time i have seen my manager say anything about the scrubs a nurse was wearing was that she had on scrub pants but a short short tshirt on top no scrub shirt .he told her this type of t shirt was inappropriate .also can't wear shirt with wording on it.

[elizabeth321]

I wear scrubs in the ER...everyone does....I do wear my own t-shirt underneath.

I wear street clothes with a white lab coat in my clinic job.

We have to wear a name tag...which clearly identifies me as a nurse.

I also introduce myself ....Hi I am Liz...I am one of the nurses here.

Liz

[not now, RN]

I wear whatever scrub color I like (I have a lot of pink for some reason..:nuke:) and I love that I have that kind of freedom. I usually have on a wifebeater tank under my top or a fitted long sleeved shirt if I'm cold that day. The tanks are always white but the long sleeved shirts are various colors that don't always match the scrubs (lt. blue scrubs with a pale pink undershirt) no one seems to mind. I'm always well ironed, no holes, no faded scrubs.

I think if I had to wear a particular scrub set or, God forbid, actual clothes to work I'd be pretty grumpy.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

here in the UK most have a uniform Sister/charge nurse tends to be navy blue but colours do differ from one hospital to another. Plus most hospitals have a rule of not wearing uniform in the community if not employed to work in the community, although does not always act on the ones who break that rule

[Dixielee, BSN, RN]

I wear scrubs that are easy to clean, light weight and reasonably priced. I also wear a name tag with a BIG 3 inch attachment hanging from the bottom that says RN.

While police and fire fighters do wear uniforms, and they risk getting dirty as well, how many of them routinely suction contaminated sputum, empty catheters, draw blood and clean poop? I want something that I can keep a spare in my locker or car bag in case I need it, and can drop into a washer full of hot water and bleach if I need to when I get home. I don't want something I have to worry about staining with betadine or worse.

Or we could all go back to wearing white so we could look like the school lunch ladies!

[allantiques4me]

I dont have to wear scrubs or a uniform to work.We dress in regular,professional clothes ,dresses in the summer.Pants and a nice shirt.I do wear comfortable walking shoes,cause of course ,we walk a lot.Its a big campus.I have recently considered wearing scrubs,only cause then Id look like a nurse.I dont deal with a lot of body fluids or gross things.Im in the mental health field.When I was working in that environment,I definely wore scrubs,took them off immediately upon returning home , jumped in the tub before I would hug my family.!You never know what could be on your uniform.

[EarthChild1130]

At my very first job I was shocked that the nurses wore T-shirts or sweatshirts and jeans, or scrubs, or whatever they wanted to work...I always wore scrubs! At my second job, I wore a uniform...white top, blue pants, white shoes. Now that I've moved to another state, and hence have another job, I work in a place where only certain areas have uniforms...the L&D nurses have uniforms, and Housekeeping has uniforms...Radiology has a uniform too...as for my unit, we wear scrubs, but can wear any color, and we wear badges that have our name and position, and we introduce ourselves as 'Hi, I'm Tisha, I'll be your nurse today' and then write our name and the tech's name on a dry erase board (with the date) near the bed.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I'm not understanding the question. The op is describing uniforms to me. What people where to work is their uniform.

We used to be allowed to wear t-shirts with our hospital logo on them. In fact every year for nuses week we got a new one.

I used to wear polo shirts and white pants (not scrubs). Looked neat and professional in my opinion. Neater than scrubs. But now I wear scrubs in various solid colors, no drawings, flowers or cartoons.

Sweat pants are unattractive at the least and unprofessional looking. Fortunately I haven't seen anyone wearing those, or jeans.

We have a semi-strict uniform code, things like jeans, sweat pants, t-shirts, long sleeves under scrubs (wildly disobeyed) are not allowed.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I'm not understanding the question. The op is describing uniforms to me. What people where to work is their uniform.

We used to be allowed to wear t-shirts with our hospital logo on them. In fact every year for nuses week we got a new one.

I used to wear polo shirts and white pants (not scrubs). Looked neat and professional in my opinion. Neater than scrubs. But now I wear scrubs in various solid colors, no drawings, flowers or cartoons.

Sweat pants are unattractive at the least and unprofessional looking. Fortunately I haven't seen anyone wearing those, or jeans.

We have a semi-strict uniform code, things like jeans, sweat pants, t-shirts, long sleeves under scrubs (wildly disobeyed) are not allowed.

I too am not quite clear on the op's question . . .scrubs ARE uniforms.

I don't understand not being allowed to wear a t-shirt under a scrub top. Men wear t-shirts under dress shirts. And it is COLD up here in the mountains and scrub tops are not very warm. Plus, some men need to cover up their chest hair (another old thread;)) and women need to cover up their cleavage (again, another old thread;)). It is unprofessional to lean over and have your cleavage showing . . . .

We have a dress code - sort of. We all wear what we want. I favor navy blue or other shades of dark blue. I don't like cartoon scrubs. I do wear Hawaiian prints at times. I just bought a new pair of scrub pants and a new scrub jacket in blue - the scrub jacket is big and long to cover up my tush/thighs. :uhoh21:

I always introduce myself as the RN . . .and my badge says RN.

Tweety - our hospital bought polo shirts with our logo and we can wear those.

steph

[PANurseRN1]

There's nothing to stop the OP from dressing in the manner he/she thinks is better.