White uniform dresses

[Dalla]

Does anyone ever wear the old style white uniform dress these days? I will be working in a LTC and rehab facility. I am wondering if wearing the old uniform instead of scrubs would bring a smile to the faces of the older clients. Nostalgia and all that? I kind of miss seeing nurses in these uniforms with the white hosiery and white shoes and white cap on their head. I see dresses in some of the scrub catalogs and am wondering if anyone wears them.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Ohhh how about a white starched KILT? Then you could have them wondering what is worn under?

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

I wear the dress uniform probably 90% of my shifts. When I do full whites, I don't the same level of disrespect from patients that I do in scrubs. I've had people come up to me in the coffee shop and tell how nice it is to see a nurse that looks like a nurse.

I work in a hospital on the rougher side of town and yes, I've wound up on the floor sitting on a patient more than once and never flashed anyone. I've been up on the bed for stretcher transfers and never scared the porter.

Some of my younger, fresher coworkers are showing up in coloured scrub dresses and they are saying the same thing. It doesn't restrict their movement.

The cap, hell, I think I'll bring it out for nurses week. Now how do I keep it on my head?

I have experienced the exact same reaction !!!! In long term care, I can sometimes help a really dementia crisis re orient for a while with a flash back to what the little ole' patient remembers.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

The cap, hell, I think I'll bring it out for nurses week. Now how do I keep it on my head?

Staples.

[Fiona59]

What do you think of steri strips???

[DebanamRN, MSN, RN]

We have to wear white tops & jackets and white or navy bottoms. One of the nurses wore a navy skirt w/white stockings. She looked fab. I'd wear my cap but its in the landfill, having met w/an unfortunate accident w/a cup of coffee. I'm going to the uniform store for a new one. If I wore it in the ER, however, somebody would probably grab it off my head and hit me w/it (I've had people go for my glasses)!

I think steri strips would rip out too much hair. But staples sound good! I'll get a suture stapler from the suture cart. That cap won't budge!

[psalm, RN]

At our hospital student nurses wear all white scrubs. One night (11p-7a) I decided to wear a white scrub top AND white scrub pants. A patient threw me out of his room..."I want a real nurse!!". My charge nurse had to convince pt. I was a "real nurse" and had been for 5+ years. How times have changed, lol!

[boggle, ASN, RN]

I have been searching for nice looking white tops/ scrubs and non-see through white pants for a long time. Back in the "old days", white uniform "pantsuits" and tops were pretty good looking. Unfortunately, most of them were polyester.

I don't want to flash-back to the 70s, just want a white top that doesn't look like a sack.

Any recommendations??

[psalm, RN]

I have been searching for nice looking white tops/ scrubs and non-see through white pants for a long time. Back in the "old days", white uniform "pantsuits" and tops were pretty good looking. Unfortunately, most of them were polyester.

I don't want to flash-back to the 70s, just want a white top that doesn't look like a sack.

Any recommendations??

Don't know if you are male or female. You might try having them made. The old-fashioned dental shirt with zipper for guys might work. Or for gals a princess style top is more fitted but professional with pockets. Try a fabric store for patterns or even eBay for patterns or scrubs that are more fitting.

[elkpark]

The cap, hell, I think I'll bring it out for nurses week. Now how do I keep it on my head?

Bobby pins (seriously). Many caps have a little loop sewn into the inside front of the cap -- those are for bobby pins to secure the cap to your hair. If there isn't a loop, often the caps can be bobby pinned from the two sides of the back.

My school's cap doesn't lend itself to bobby pinning -- what we did (do) is bobby pin a small gauze or Telfa pad firmly to our hair, and then use two of the old-fashioned, big hat pins to pin the cap into the gauze. (I could still do the entire process blindfolded if necessary! :))

[SaraO'Hara]

Wore whites and cap yesterday to kick off Nurses' Week at work... the (geriatric) patients loved it. I have busted it out for holidays before.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

Bobby pins (seriously). Many caps have a little loop sewn into the inside front of the cap -- those are for bobby pins to secure the cap to your hair. If there isn't a loop, often the caps can be bobby pinned from the two sides of the back.

My school's cap doesn't lend itself to bobby pinning -- what we did (do) is bobby pin a small gauze or Telfa pad firmly to our hair, and then use two of the old-fashioned, big hat pins to pin the cap into the gauze. (I could still do the entire process blindfolded if necessary! :))

Awesome, you must have one of the lovely organdy caps? What School did you go to.......

I too am doing the all white and cap for nurses week, in LTG, some of the older residents get a kick out of it...

[elkpark]

Awesome, you must have one of the lovely organdy caps? What School did you go to.......

I too am doing the all white and cap for nurses week, in LTG, some of the older residents get a kick out of it...

I am a proud graduate of the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing ('84) in Charlotte NC, a three-year diploma school which is, unfortunately, no longer in existence. The longer I've been out of school and practicing, the more I appreciate what an excellent nursing education I got there.

I think I know the organdy cap you're referring to -- looks like an upside down soufflé cup with a ruffle around the bottom, right? That's not my cap, but that cap is v. famous and known as the "Bellevue fluff" (because it originated at the legendary Bellevue Hospital SON in NYC). The Presby cap is v. odd and looks like a party napkin folded into a fancy shape sitting on top of your head -- it is actually supposed to represent the "dove of peace," and the three folds on the back represent three desirable qualities that I have long ago forgotten. Those of us Presby students who tended toward the irreverent and enjoyed watching the instructors grind their teeth used to refer to it as a "duck's a$$". :)

See all the cool lore and gear we're missing out on by having moved away from all this tradition????? :)