While we were arguing; We disappeared

[Yep, Me]

Remember in the 70’s when we were arguing among ourselves about:

ADN vs BSN entry to practice? Caps or not? Whites: skirts or pants? White dresses? White polo shirts? Any color tops? White scrubs? Any color scrubs? Only nurses can wear white warm up jackets? Do I have to wear this cap? All floor nursing staff can wear scrubs?
Now we are unrecognizable to the general population.

But another bigger threat is raising its ugly head: Facility/employer mandated scrub colors per floor/department for everyone on duty!

Yes, every one from the RN supervisor to the CNA, ward clerk, etc wears the same colored scrub set. No patient or family can tell who is an RN & who is a respiratory tech or transportation or radiology!

Is this to “disguise the actual staffing ratio or RNs per patient?

Patients are in the hospital less than 4 days & ill don’t have the resources to learn what department wears what color scrubs!

Looking back: I think we shot ourselves in the foot.

How do you tell who is an RN in your facility?

Or can you tell?

[James36, LPN, RN]

OP, Our hospital has color coded scrubs based on role - except physicians. They wear whatever. I find your speculation interesting that perhaps they are trying to disguise nurse:patient ratios! I would not have thought of that, but it seems plausible. If a patient is surveyed how many times a nurse entered their room, the patient would respond with a higher number thinking everyone in scrubs is a nurse! This would help patient satisfaction scores.

[llg, PhD, RN]

On 11/7/2019 at 7:29 AM, Elaine M said:

I don't think you should have to look at a piece of paper to differentiate between 8 different jobs (by your count). There was all sorts of info posted in my Mom's hospital room last week but it was across the room on just an 8x10 piece of paper, even I couldn't read it. I worked at a place where the staff had a piece of plastic under the hospital ID that was longer and in big letters it had RN, Tech, etc.

The hospital I work for now has something like that. Big, clear single word job titles right under the name tag. "RN" "RT" "Doctor" etc.

[Golden_RN, MSN]

Last hospital I worked at required:

1. All RNs wear approved scrubs/jackets from a specific store with "RN" monogrammed on tops/jackets. All were 1 color.

2. All employees have badges with large "RN", "MD" etc. printed on both sides (in case it flips around).

[Starr Os]

And the arguement continues......

[Meagan, BSN, RN]

In our hospital we have the color coated scrub system, but we also have badges with large lettering to indicate our positions. We have to wear two so that if our badge is turned around anyone can still see it.

[amoLucia]

On ‎11‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 2:25 PM, caliotter3 said:

The last time I was hospitalized, I noticed that the nurse who gave me crappy attention made sure her badge was turned around and she noticed me straining trying to see it too. The nursing assistants apparently had no need to position their badges turned around.

For my early-this-year hospitalization with post rehab facility, this was the case for almost ALL of the nsg staff, proff & ancillary. Never knew how was who, and even asking was like pulling teeth! Always some response like "I don't know yet" or "they haven't made out assignments yet" etc. Even got the verboten "you're not my pt" response occ. And the white eraser board on the wall was RARELY completed (like for 4-5 days)!

So to comment to PP lovingtheunloved, it was a deliberate effort. Case in point, Admin/mgt staff badges didn't turn around. I always could discern who they were when they walked on by.

A BF made the observation that at least in the past you could see (and count)the nsg caps and you could feel safe and provided for by the adequate staff. At that point, there was really not much difference in the RN/LPN brouhaha. And nurses would wear their SON pins with the little gold bar (or silver) name tag. So you could feel the presence of NURSES.