What do you wear to work

[Rilia2]

I have been a school; nurse for 8 years and I have always worn scrubs to work. Many of my co-workers wear street clothes with a lab coat. I'm thinking of switching- I wanted to take a poll of my fellow school nurses to ask you what you wear to work?

[zenman]

Shorts or jeans, T-shirt and sandals.

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

Me, I wear scrubs. Sometimes slacks, shirt and white lab jacket. :heartbeat

[luvschoolnursing, LPN]

I wear scrubs. Don't want to switch to "dress clothes". Too expensive and not as comfortable. I love going to work in "pajamas":lol2:

[pugmomrn]

I've always wanted a job in nursing where I can where real clothes-- I've worn scrubs for just way too long! So, I dress like a teacher, but with more comfortable shoes!!

[Kport]

I have been a school nurse for 12 years. I wear the same type of clothing as the teachers. I find that wearing scrubs can sometimes be intimidating to the younger students, esp. the ones that have not had good experiences at the doctors offices.

[Needsmorechocolate]

I wear scrubs. Don't want to switch to "dress clothes". Too expensive and not as comfortable. I love going to work in "pajamas":lol2:

Couldn't have said it better, me too! :wink2:

[bergren]

I agree that scrubs may frighten children who have a bad history with office procedures or hospitalizations.

Someone above equated scrubs with pajamas, and I think that has implications for the amount of authority scrubs take away from a females in the school setting.

I advocate dressing for the school environment, which means washable street clothes and flat closed toe leather shoes, not athletic shoes or white nurse shoes. I want to be viewed as part of the student team. I do not want my dress to define me as someone who does dirty procedures that involve body fluids, but as an authority on student health and the health of the school community. a champion for student health, which emphasizes the public health aspect of the school nurse role. Wear a decent sized name badge with your credentials.

Do have a smock or lab coat for the messy procedures. They sell some pretty nice items at many school nurse conferences. I recommend keeping a jacket at work if you called to a meeting with administrators or community leaders. You want to come across as the expert that you are.

NASN has a position statement on attire:

http://www.nasn.org/Portals/0/positions/2003psattire.pdf

[schoolnurse09]

Thank you Bergren, I am a new school nurse after 16 years of hospital and office nursing -wearing pajamas. While they are certainly comfortable, and cheap - my schools do not allow scrubs. I hate clothes shopping, but I guess I better get used to it.

[Annie7]

I wear scrubs. I like looking like the nurse, instead of a teacher. I have found the white lab coat to be more intimidating to the younger kids. Since I worked Pediatrics for years before becoming a school nurse I have a wide variety of kid friendly jackets. When I have meetings at school, I wear my solid scrubs for a more professional appearance

[Hilundlass]

I am the second nurse in our setting and I follow her lead. We wear bright friendly scrubs. I did 15 years of home health nursing with street clothes and white lab jacket. My jacket was like my armor!

My main complaint with scrubs is that our lunch ladies wear them too!!

Our health room is inside the main office and we believe it does make us appear more professional to the community and the high school kids. It helps to look the part when explaining to a parent why Susie is not being excused by the nurse for a cold to get out of exams. :)

Thankfully the lunchroom is at the far end of campus.

[Wishinonastar, BSN]

I prefer scrubs. Street clothes can be confining and I want to be able to move and act quickly without worrying about messing up my clothes. I feel relaxed and effecient in scrubs, and everyone can easily see that I am a nurse. If I had to wear street clothes I would wear a scrub or white jacket. I cannot imagine that a school district would not allow scrubs and I would definitely push for them if I was not allowed to wear them. At least I am not confined to a single color so I can get colorful ones for holdays, etc.