Would you quit over white uniforms?

If your facility went back to white uniforms for licensed nursing personnel, would you quit? Just wondering as I've heard discussions about some facilities going back to all white for nursing staff.

Specializes in ICU.
I mean, to each their own but I don't understand how it's disrespectful, it's a dress code. Is it just that specific color? If we were talking dresses and caps etc. I would be the first to jump up and say no way, but to quit a job over a uniform? I just don't get it.

For me it's the color, because of the connotation. I just don't feel like I'm in a respected profession wearing white. It makes me think of all the stereotyped sexy nurses in the TV shows in their white scrubs. I know the whites brought respect back in the day, but I really feel like they are demeaning now. They are a stereotype of the way things used to be, in a "look at that woman working a woman's job with her virginal white woman's uniform" sort of way. I feel objectified and put into the "woman" box instead of the "educated professional" box in white scrubs, and I resent being made to look like a traditional woman in a traditional woman's role. I am anything but a traditional housewife, caretaker, let's-marry-a-doctor type. I realize most nurses are not like that, but I feel like that's what the general public thinks we are, and I prefer to be distanced from that image.

Don't we have more important things to be united about? Sigh..... Sorry guys and gals but this is just petty IMHO. In which universe a color is purposely chosen to oppress us? Maybe I'm naive.....

Thinking about this, I would rather wear white if I could pick the clothes ie white cargo or Jean type pants and stretch cotton (I love my 3/4 sleeve henleys) that fit the way I like my clothes than those gawd awful blue or green scrubs.

I don't find it all that controlling or disrespectful to require a unified color that, say what you want, is universally recognizable as nursing. White doesn't make me feel like a virgin nor is it my best color (prefer dark gray and when I'm in charge..) but I don't find it demeaning to look traditional. Back in the day when I had to wear white, I had an easy patient load and was easily hired, with fantastic benefits. And my first job out of school equalled my dad's straight pay after 39 yrs on the job. It just doesn't give me a bad vibe.

AND I think it would only take a few bloody shows to increase encouragement of BR breaks lol.

Specializes in Psych.

I wouldn't be thrilled about it. But I wouldn't quit. I had to wear white scrubs before. Just had to wear white shorts underneath. I found out the hard way that dark briefs underneath white scrubs aren't a good combo as my female colleagues were quick to asses.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
How in the world do you graduate with an RN license? Evidently you're not in the US.

Maybe just poor wording? i agree with Ruby, you don't graduate with an RN license. You graduate with a nursing degree, the registered part of RN doesn't come until you pass the NCLEX and your license is issued by whatever state you tested for.

I think the wording of how I described my degree doesn't detract from the topic of the thread. Take your negativity elsewhere.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
I think the wording of how I described my degree doesn't detract from the topic of the thread. Take your negativity elsewhere.

I don't want to derail the thread, but what negativity? There was none intended.

Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.

I would be totally fine wearing a set scrub color, but white? I tried finding white scrub pants that didn't show my panties and could not, that would make for a very long and uncomfortable day. There are so many other colors that are available that look just as professional! Poor choice especially as others have said for us women, more to worry about when it is that time of the month!

Annie

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

To answer the question; I probably would...I have another job anyway. ;)

At my acute facility all nurses are required to wear white pants, may wear any color tops. This was done by upper managemnt to help patients recognize the licensed personnel. My co workers and I had a discussion on the "white pants" one night and most of us would like for the policy to be changed, but know that this will not happen. The opinion of the public outweighs the desires of the staff. When I first started nursing all white was required, and I truly hated it as it seems I am one who gets involved with her work and always came home with some stain of some kind on me. Learning how to pre-treat and use good detergent helped me to overcome my "hating of the whites". Hey, there are a lot worse things going on out there, and if I have to wear white to earn a decent salary for my job, so be it!!

I would not quit.

However I am truly the snark monster around here. My protest would be in the form of trying to get all of my friends to wear bright colored flowery or zebra striped panties under the scrub pants. I think management would change back to dark blue pretty quickly! :-)

Specializes in PACU, OR.

Just to be clear on this, are we referring to scrubs, ie pants and tops, or are we talking about the real old-fashioned dresses? Because if it's the dress you're talking about, then pantyhose will almost certainly be mandated. There will also probably be exclusions as to what shoes you are allowed to wear as well; when we still wore white dresses (made of 100% cotton and creased like you wouldn't believe) we had to wear brown or navy lace up shoes. That was still in my student days. The Rns were allowed to wear court shoes.

Scrubs, however, are very comfortable and I wouldn't be bothered about which color they were. I think the biggest question is, who's going to wash the things? No getting away from it, we come into contact with fluids that stain, and which don't wash out easily. If the company is going to cover the laundry bills, then fine.

However, before letting any hospital mandate what you're wearing, you should insist on a consultative process in which the nurses first debate about what is the most practical, and long-term cost effective choice, and then come forward with their decision. Non-nursing personnel should not be determining what nurses should wear. They don't know what the job entails, they don't know what our working conditions are like and half the time they don't even research the type of material that would be suitable.

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