Whites or Colored scrubs?

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Whites or colored scrubs?

    • 180
      Whites
    • 956
      All colors including white
    • 260
      All colors except white
    • 12
      No opinion

1,408 members have participated

What do you prefer to wear at work? Please elaborate if you have a strong opinion.

Specializes in PICU, surgical post-op.

PICU here ... I'm precepting an extern this summer, and the official hospital uniform for externs is all white. We went to our director the first day; she told us she'd strongly prefer if the extern didn't wear white. (As if she was going to fight that one!)

The kiddies don't like people in white, and multi-coloured lizards and pictures of Shrek keep them busy while I'm looking for a vein. ;)

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Colors. Lots of colors. Don't get me wrong, a white uniform looks very professional. And although nurses need to look professional, they can do it with personality. Besides, bright colors make everyone feel better.

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the use of scurbs is unprofessional and tacky. RN's look like everybody else , maintenence, etc. in the hospital . Our profession has done a disservce to itself by wearing outfits that are sloppy and then the hair and the earrings assuume another sloppy role. Then we hope that patients treat us with respect.

I find the outftis the RN's wear so discouraging to the professionof nursing

why not a polo shirt and a pair of nice pants.- even scrub pants would look ok

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What do you prefer to wear at work? Please elaborate if you have a strong opinion.

Over the years, I've had patients voice their opinions to me about this issue. Most patients enjoy the variety of colors of nursing scrubs these days. They say it livens up an otherwise harsh, clinical environment.

On the downside, they can't tell a nurse from a nurse's aide, since we're all dressed in different colors now.

On the "white" side, there is a local hospital here in PA that only allows whites for the nurses, and the patients like that too - can tell right away who the nurses are, and they think it looks more "professional".

On a different note: about 10 years ago, my co-workers & I decided to dress in all white and wear our nursing CAPS all on the same day! The patients (and staff) went NUTS! They LOVED it! Like it or not, this will forever be how people view us & miss the "good old days" when a nurse looked like nurse.

When it comes right down to it, I've never believed it's the uniform that makes the nurse...it's the skill!

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Specializes in Oncology.

At my job the nurses have to wear white pants. According to admin, that is what tells them we are nurses. Our nursing assistants and others wear what they like. I am not a fan of the white pants. They get so dirty. I am on the shorter side and i am in between pant lengths. The petite pants look like I am waiting for thr flood and the average pants are just a tad long that they scrap along the bottom. They are filthy after 12 hours!!!! LOL

I would prefer all colors. :lol2:

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I have been in Nursing since 1970. I have seen a lot of changes,but now hospitals are soo concerned about pt satisfaction that they are going overboard. I have been told that patient satisfaction is increased when Nurses wear the same color. We are professionals. If a patient ask a housekeeper a question then why can't they pass the question off to the nurse? I think this is just a bandaid n a problem. Eneryone who work in a facilty shoud know how to answer their questions.:idea:

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Specializes in Med-surg, Nursery, utilization review.

I voted any color including white. I remember the all white uniforms with the nursing cap, and I must say I loved my cap, because of what it meant. However, I have grown to love the pretty colors and patterns we wear now, and I really think patients like the colors, too. My mother points out that the variety of colors makes it harder to tell who your nurse is without carefully reading the name tag.

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I work in a LTC facility and of course, we have a LOT of patients with dementia as well as patients on anti psychotic drugs. When I worked in mental health, we were NOT ALLOWED to wear white. Seems they discovered that the white uniforms intimidated the mental health patient, giving them a fear of "authority" or the institutional feel of the WHITE uniform. I was estatic to hear that. The facility I now work in is full of these kind of patients and the management company that runs our facility now, 1+ yrs and running, is considering making us wear all white. You know, I have actually considered finding another job just because of this? I personally don't like white, all white anyway. It's harad to keep clean and if you have well water, it will always look yellow and dingy... unless of course you take a lot of time to treat it with special cleaners, etc.. and what NURSE do you know that has all that extra time?? I'm looking at my watch as I type, because it's almost time to be on the job! That's my two cents worth.. for what it's worth!!

God Bless and keep you!

Connie

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The hospital where I've spent the most time has a "color coded" way of telling the nurses from CNAs and ancillary staff. Housekeeping wears khaki tops w/ black pants, patient transport wears all burgundy, CNA's/techs/phlebs/etc. (non-nurse w/ direct patient care) wear all navy, and nutrition/cafeteria wear white tops w/ black pants and a long black apron. Docs, of course are in greens and/or lab coats. Only nurses are allowed the printed scrub tops, of any color they choose. It is quite easy to see who is a nurse, and who everyone else is, at a glance.

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I'll be graduating in about 5 weeks. Here in Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic has bought just about every hospital in the area. What's left have been bought by University Hospitals.

Anyway, Cleveland Clinic has implemented a system wide dress code that includes ALL WHITE for all nurses starting January 1st 2008. I'm a nurse tech in the Cleveland Clinic system could very well be working in the Cleveland Clinic system come September.

Personally I can't stand the all white. It makes my white sneakers look dirty. All the ladies' underwear I have to look at is distracting. And the fear of getting all dirty is not helpful either.

I think I'll go work for UH...

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Specializes in ER, CCU.

After Working In A Pediatric Office Which Do You Think Kids Run From And Scream At The Most? A Nurse In All White Which Terrifies Them Or A Nurse Wearing A Puppy Dog And Kitty Scrub Top???? Basic Logic.

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