What do you wear to work?

[cdienst]

I work at a small occupational health clinic for a Petroleum company in a high rise in Houston. We have never worn scrubs, just a lab coat/scrub jacket with professional dress. Im just curious what other occmed RN's wear? We do drug screening, medical exams and see patients who come in with everything from a cut to a heart attack.

[KatrinaMarie]

I work in MN at a distribution center; warehouse. We manage all work comp, wellness clinic and presentations for employees. I wear jeans and a turtleneck now! I wouldn't wear a skirt or dress as I often have to visit sites with a Cushman or go into the freezer area. I wear a pair of Doc Martin shoes or my winter boots (have a company car between campus sites). I would wear scrubs over professional dress. So if you're required to get in odd places to provide care, use equipment that can be dirty or get you dirty.... well wear what is appropriate in the facility. Most everyone I work with wears jeans.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I work in a medical center, NO jeans are ever permitted. However, I wear pretty much whatever I like, as long as it's professional attire: scrubs, business casual, or a combination of both. Lab coat over top, if chilly. Never skirts or dresses, though; nursing is still nursing :)

[DragonPurr]

I work at a military hospital. Casual wear or scrubs, it's my choice. Most of our patient population falls into med monitoring for specific occupational health programs and some workers comp cases.

[Itsanewme]

What's wrong w/ skirts or dresses. I think they are still professional.

[trishmsn]

Scrubs (by choice) because it makes it easy for employees to pick me out in a crowd.....I consider part of this job as being a "safe person" for all manner of health questions and concerns.

Nothing WRONG with dresses in some settings, but in an industrial setting they are not only impractical but also unsafe around machinery.

[42pines]

It really depends upon what your job demands.

If you're mostly rapid response with included investigatory safety related stuff then blue jeans may be appropriate, that may hold true in mining, construction and agricultural.

Most of my jobs have been factories: Paper mill; Gun factory; Warehousing; Pharmacuetical manufacturing and other manufacturing. I'll wear Dockers or equivalent but not jeans and a decent shirt.

If you're working for instance as Employee Health in a hospital then scrubs would be quite normal.

If you're working spending 97% of your time on the phone tending to Workers' Comp needs of 7,000 employees, mostly distant then dress/skirt could be appropriate.

When in doubt, ask your boss, that's who you've got to keep happy. (other than everyone else, of course).