Which attire do you feel gives school nurses the most respect?

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  1. Which is best for school nurses to wear?

    • 17
      Scrubs
    • 9
      Teacher clothes
    • 17
      Casual dress with lab coat

43 members have participated

Scrubs where you actually look like a nurse or street clothes where you fit in better with the school staff? I just can't decide! I've worn both. Obviously scrubs are more comfortable but I feel like I'm in my pajamas sometimes. Also, there are times I want the kids to easily recognize me as the school nurse but ,on the other hand ,I don't want to put thoughts in their heads of coming in to see me when they don't need to. I swear sometimes just seeing me makes some come up with an excuse just to get out of class and if I'm in scrubs I stand out even more. Then there are the teachers. I feel some may think when I'm wearing scrubs that there is the nurse and she looks like a nurse should so I'm going to trust her judgement (haha! ;))or do they think this is a school and by wearing street clothes I'm one of them so they are more accepting. What are your thoughts on this? Maybe I'm just way over-thinking this but I'm just never a 100% comfortable in either it seems so I wanted to get other opinions. Thank you! :)

Specializes in kids.
I'm in the minority here, but I wear the same thing that I wore in the hospital for 54 years. A traditional white uniform, my pin and my cap...proudly. Back in the early 1980s when the cap started to go out of fashion, I did wear scrubs for a while, but I never felt comfortable or right wearing them. I still have some scrubs, but I wear them to bed or to work in my garden. I went back to my uniform and my cap because it's what is best for me. When I was approached about coming out of retirement to work as a substitute assistant school nurse, I said "sure, but I need to let you know that when I do nursing, I still wear my cap. Is that a problem?" Most of the kids have seen nurses on TV or the media portrayed as wearing caps, but have never seen one in actual use. Kids are honest. One asked me "so you wear that because you're the head nurse, right?" I said "no, I wear it because I'm old!". I am fully retiring at the end of this year to help my mother sell her house and move in with me. I may have actually worked my last shift yesterday as next week is finals and I doubt if I'll get called. If I do...my cap is clean and ready.

While I do not wear my cap or uniform, I do wear my pin, with pride, everyday.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

It doesn't matter if you wear scrubs, street clothes, lab coat, or any combination thereof.....as long as you have your "bearclaw." Regardless of the branch of medicine, the stethoscope around the neck commands respect; trumps all other attire.

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I've lost my pin and I rarely wear my bearclaw. :nurse:

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Specializes in Hopice and School Nurse.

I wear my bootleg scrub pants (I prefer KOI or Grey's Anatomy) and usually a cute nurse t-shirt or a fitted scrub top. I have t-shirts that say "iNurse", "I'm a Nurse, what's your superpower?", "RN" (that looks like a superman logo), "I'm a nurse, I fix things" (and has a nurse with a bandaid), and a few others I've picked up at Café Press (cafepress.com). I also have several shirts that are autism related. On Fridays I wear jeans and my school t-shirt (school pride).

I never wear my pin (I should though, that's a great idea!), sometimes I wear my lab jacket if I'm going to a meeting, and I only wear my bear claw when it's asthma season so it's handy. I almost always wear nursing shoes since they are more comfortable and you can run in them when needed.

I do think that we should dress like professional nurses no matter where we work. The students and parents can see me from far away and I think it makes them feel somewhat safe to know there is an RN at school. I try to fit in with the teachers with my friendly personality, not my clothing (except on Fridays).

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Specializes in Peds, Oncology.
I wear my bootleg scrub pants (I prefer KOI or Grey's Anatomy) and usually a cute nurse t-shirt or a fitted scrub top. I have t-shirts that say "iNurse", "I'm a Nurse, what's your superpower?", "RN" (that looks like a superman logo), "I'm a nurse, I fix things" (and has a nurse with a bandaid), and a few others I've picked up at Café Press (cafepress.com). I also have several shirts that are autism related. On Fridays I wear jeans and my school t-shirt (school pride).

I never wear my pin (I should though, that's a great idea!), sometimes I wear my lab jacket if I'm going to a meeting, and I only wear my bear claw when it's asthma season so it's handy. I almost always wear nursing shoes since they are more comfortable and you can run in them when needed.

I do think that we should dress like professional nurses no matter where we work. The students and parents can see me from far away and I think it makes them feel somewhat safe to know there is an RN at school. I try to fit in with the teachers with my friendly personality, not my clothing (except on Fridays).

Ok, maybe this is silly but what's a bear claw?

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Specializes in Peds, School Nurse, clinical instructor.

I always wear scrubs, it's easy to know who the nurse is that way :)

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Specializes in Hopice and School Nurse.
Ok, maybe this is silly but what's a bear claw?

Stethoscope

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