Why do I need a dress code?

 

 

Q: Dear Nurse  , My hospital is considering a dress code (as in certain colors and styles of scrubs) for nurses. I’m unhappy with this idea because I like being able to wear whatever scrubs I want. Do red polka dot vs. yellow striped scrubs really have an impact on how I perform as a nurse? —Unhappy Individualist

 

A: Dear Unhappy Individualist, Yes, you may be just as good at inserting a catheter wearing an evening gown as you are wearing hot pink scrubs, I understand. But how nurses dress has a bigger impact than most nurses realize. The way you dress either adds to or detracts from your professional image. It sends a message about how you see yourself and how you want to be perceived by others. Like most nurses, you probably want to be viewed as professional, intelligent and competent. Does your appearance mirror that image? Here are some ideas to think about:

 Patients often associate appearance with trustworthiness and ability. If nurses dress too casually, patients may question their professionalism and attention to detail.

 Does a nurse dressed in cartoon scrubs (outside of the pediatric floor) establish immediate trust, authority and credibility? Probably not!

 Many patients complain that everyone in a clinical setting looks the same. Patients want their nurses to be clearly identifiable.

 Family members, physicians and other members of the health care team also have trouble identifying nurses. This impacts communication.

 Some institutions are adopting a dress code to distinguish personnel. For example, a hospital may dictate that only nurses wear one print and medical technicians wear another print.

 Many health care systems are aiming for uniformity in dress. Wouldn’t you be surprised if, say, the copilot on your airplane was dressed in a jogging outfit? You would question an airline that permitted pilots to dress as individuals rather than as uniformed professionals.

 

Proper attire is important for nurses in every kind of setting. This includes hospital, clinics, meetings and conferences. Make sure your uniforms, lab coats, scrubs and shoes are clean, neat and professional.

The scrubs style collection

 

 

But even the simplest outfit…a scrubs top and scrubs pants…can be a challenge. How do you wear the same thing EVERY DAY without going nuts? How do you deal with a hospital’s uniform policies while still expressing your individuality? And where are the scrubs for the rest of us? You know, those of us who aren’t a size two?

 

Here are some of our favorite articles and tools to answer your scrubs questions. To see all of our scrubs style articles, click here.

 

Nursing Uniforms Going Back to White?

Hospitals are increasingly requiring nurses to go back to all-white uniforms. While some nurses celebrate this decision (a return to professionalism!), others are horrified (leopard print underwear!).

Fun with dress codes

 

 

Do you wish you were in charge of making up the dress code at your workplace? Here are our best articles about scrubs style to inform and enlighten any scrubs uniform policymaker!

 

 

Enlightened uniform policies that your workplace might adopt

 

Are you too tattooed to be a nurse? – Visible tattoos may just be a no-no if you’re in nursing school, working in a hospital, or other healthcare settings.

What do you think the guidelines should be?

 

 15 scrubs fashion blunders –

Are you a DO… or a DON’T?

Check out the ultimate scrubs fashion blunders and stay in style!

 Would you wear animal print scrubs?

– How open-minded is your place of work?

And are you the kind of nurse who is ready to make a statement?!?!

 Pros and cons of color coded scrubs –

The goal of color coding is simple. It offers a sort of visual shorthand that lets you differentiate one specialty or department from another. But some nurses really can’t stand it

.

 – Whether you’re a nurse who’s heavily pierced and likes to use your ‘sleeved’ arm as an ice breaker with patients, or you just happen to work for a facility with an impossibly strict dress code, :

Are you a dress code breaker?

Scrubs that help you cope with special fit issues

 

Why is it that off-the-rack-clothing so often fits strangely? Who is the so-called “average” woman these designs are made for?

 

When we look around at work, we see women of all sizes and shapes. Surely one scrubs design doesn’t really fit everyone. In fact, scrubs fashion goes in cycles and not every new style is going to meet your needs.

 

There will be times when fit and fashion are going to be mutually exclusive (that’s when you want to learn how to make scrubs your own). Below are several scrubs tops and bottoms that address specific fit issues. You may find yourself relying on these year after year regardless of the latest changes in scrubs fashion.

 

Unleash Your Thighs with Generous Pant Legs

 Have you noticed that scrubs bottoms can bind around your thigh and knee when you squat or sit? This is a common problem with scrubs pants that are designed to “slim” your legs. There’s not enough fabric around the circumference of the legs to accommodate much movement. Straight-leg, flared-leg and legging-style scrub pants can all have this problem of being too narrow. Cargo pants are a better style if you want to prevent binding at the knee.

 

Cargo Pocket Pant

 

 

 

Raid the Men’s Section for Tall Sizes

 If you need a big and tall size (up to 5 XL), look for men’s scrubs uniform pants. Many of these are just unisex versions of popular women’s styles. Dress them up with a feminine scrubs top, and no one will notice. Pick your size to fit the widest point of your hips or buttocks (since men’s styles may offer less room at these points). Then you can dart the waistband at the sides for a more womanly fit and hem them to your preferred length.

 

Men's Utility Pant

 

 

 

Fold It Up for a Petite Fit

 Speaking of hemming, petite nurses have to become masters of this art or live with pant legs that pool around their ankles. Scrubs reader Janice Gibilisco shares her tip for those who don’t have the time or inclination to sew: “I usually end up buying regular length pants and just hemming them myself using the iron-on hem tape stuff. Works like a charm and I have custom tailoring for free in just a few minutes.” Other petite style tips include buying junior-fit mock-wrap tops that provide modest coverage for a slight bosom. For slim nurses who don’t have a high waist-to-hip ratio, scrubs pants with elastic in the back and a flat or drawstring front are another favorite.

 

Flat Front Trouser

 

 

 

Fight Slippage with a Better Fit

 Low-rise waistbands may be trendy, but they can lead to some embarrassing moments when you bend over. To keep your butt cleavage and underwear to yourself, look for a pant style that has a waistband that sits at your belly button. Boxer-style pants are one option. The more modern athletic-style scrubs pants with a wide reinforced waistband may also work as long as they are designed with extra ease through the inseam from front to back. Or you can dart the waistband of existing scrubs pants to make it nip in at the small of your back and keep it from riding down.

 

Boxer Pant

 

 

 

Beat the Heat with Loose Sleeves

 Hospitals seem chilly to a lot of people, but there is a hidden world far away from the air-conditioned corridors and waiting rooms. For example, a patient in isolation might have her room temp kept at a steady 80 degrees. That’s a balmy summer day outside when there’s a breeze blowing, but 80 degrees indoors feels like a sauna. The latest moisture-wicking fabrics can help you deal with sweat. However, these athletic styles tend to be form-fitting, which can make you feel smothered if you don’t like fabric clinging to your skin.

 

A unisex raglan-sleeve top is an alternative since the short sleeves tend to be nice and wide instead of tight around your armpits. Wear a sports bra with this type of scrubs top. That way, if your bra is briefly visible through the armhole of your shirt when you raise your arm, it will just look like a tank top and not lingerie. A bonus of larger unisex tops is that they have a longer tail than women’s scrubs. This extra fabric provides coverage over the back waistband of your pants when you bend over. Add an elastic cinch garment clip in the back of a unisex scrubs top if you want a more fitted look at the waist.

Favorite scrubs styles by specialty

 

 

Each nursing specialty comes with its own set of demands. Some specialties are very active, many expose you to a lot of gross stuff and still others make you carry a lot of gear. No matter what the job requires, nurses agree on one thing about scrubs fashion: It’s all about making the job easier and more enjoyable. Here are some scrubs selection tips for six nursing specialties.

 

ICU Spilled Something There

 Is it possible to look and feel great even when your scrubs aren’t perfectly spotless? Perhaps so. ICU RN Ruth   finds that the right scrubs can give her a lift, even on days when things get messy. It’s all about fabric, fit and fashion. She likes scrubs that are “soft, comfortable and stylish. Makes you feel good even when you have an unwanted bit of body fluid spilled on them.” Obviously, these scrubs also need to stand up to frequent washing!

 

Telemetry Nurses “Heart” These Scrubs Pants

 Michelle  is a tele nurse. Her job involves close, constant monitoring of the heart health of critical care patients. She needs to be able to whip out the right piece of equipment at a moment’s notice. Here’s her favorite way to make sure she has what she needs: “I love cargo-style scrub pants. The pockets on the legs are perfect for carrying my stethoscope all day along with my ‘brain’ sheet. I carry a few extra electrodes for the heart monitors, too…among the other odds and ends that I’m always hoarding.”

 

Calling All ER Nurses: We Need More Pockets, Stat!

 Like tele nurses, emergency room nurses also choose storage space as the number-one criterion in their choice of scrubs. Tami  doesn’t care about the brand as long as there’s plenty of space. Her preference is “any cargo. I utilize all my pockets with scissors, IVs, flushes and syringes.” Some ER nurses seek out extreme cargo pants that feature up to 14 pockets. If you go that route, you’ll need a system to remember what you put where. There’s no time to waste searching through your pockets when someone’s crashing!

 

Cancer Caregivers Crave Comfort

 Being an oncology nurse is hard enough without wearing scrubs that are itchy, scratchy or sweaty. These caregivers need modern blended materials that offer the best features of two or more fabrics. Nurse Anna  likes to keep things simple with “material designed for comfort. Cotton and spandex mixed are the best—and you don’t have to iron them.”

 

Kids Can Run You Ragged

 This is true even for pediatric patients who are working through their physical rehabilitation. You need clothing that is breathable and practical to keep up with this demanding job. Pediatric rehab nurse Belinda says she pairs cargo scrubs pants with cotton T-shirts and a good pair of sneakers. That’s a uniform that says “casual” rather than “clinical” to help put kids at ease.

 

Dressing Outside the Lines

 Private care nurses have an entirely different set of decisions to make about what they wear. While scrubs are certainly cost-effective, comfortable and well-loved by most nurses, some patients don’t necessarily like them. Les  reveals that he’s thinking of choosing another type of medical uniform altogether: “Thinking of going to EMS 9 pockets and T-shirts or polos. My patient says scrubs remind him of hospitals too much.”

Next, nose savers (three great ideas…)


Nose savers

When was the last time you saw a C. diff patient and thought your nose would positively fall off? Nurse Maureen suggests Halls cough drops to combat those icky smells. Or try one of these other “nose saver” products recommended by nurses—just smear it under your nose two seconds before you enter the patient’s room:

Mentholatum (get a jar that’s small enough to fit in your pocket)

Vicks VapoRub

Peppermint oil


Next, pens (the features they must have)


Pens

A pen is not just a pen—not to nurses! The next time you’re shopping at an office supply store, don’t get seduced by those fancy expensive pens that run out of ink in three weeks. The expert scout knows the perfect pen has these five nurse-friendly features:

Writes nicely at an angle

Doesn’t smear

Doesn’t leak

Has a cushioned grip or is a “fat” pen

Comes in multiple colors including black, blue, red and green


Top it off with a good highlighter and you’re ready to hit those charts!


Next, shoes (the right ones to get you through the day)


Shoes

When shopping for nursing shoes, you can easily become overwhelmed with the options: walking/running shoes, dedicated nursing shoes, dishwasher-friendly clogs. The list goes on and on.


The best advice we’ve heard for any nurse in the market for a new pair of nursing shoes? Try out different brands to find the best fit for your feet. It’s absolutely normal to try on a dozen different pairs of shoes. When you find the right ones, you’ll know, because they’ll have these three key features:

They’re comfortable and supportive for up to 12 hours.

They have plenty of breathing room.

They can withstand the wear and tear of your daily duties.


More shoe tips:

Shorter nurses may want to consider shoes with a thicker sole. The height of the shoe will help you reach those taller shelves in the supply room.

Found the perfect fit but need more support? Try a gel insole to add extra cushion.

The soles are key to a good day on your feet: Make sure they’re breathable and slip resistant.

If you have varicose veins, try a pair of quality lace-up shoes paired with support hose.


When to break up with your shoes and find a better pair: Pain in your feet, ankles, knees and/or back simply won’t do. The greatest investment you have as a nurse is your own health!


Bottom line: The perfect nursing shoe will have you echoing Nurse Elaine’s comment about her shoes: “Those babies can carry me through the craziest shift every time.”


Next, scrubs (of course, but which kind?)


Scrubs

The perfect pair of scrubs should be able to withstand wear and tear as well as be stain-free after a good washing.


They should also be loose-fitting for comfort, but the right size for your frame.


And although you’re wearing a uniform, don’t be afraid to pick scrubs that show a bit of your personality to keep your day fun.


More scrub tips:

Scrub tops: For those facilities with a chill, try a T-shirt under your scrub top. The perfect nursing tee will keep you warm, but not too warm. Wearing a T-shirt underneath a deep V-neck scrub top can also hide chest hair or unwanted cleavage. You don’t want to be the nurse in the unit committing a scrubs fashion faux pas!

Scrub pants: Be careful with drawstring pants—make sure they sit nicely on your hips, preferably with a bit of elastic in the back. The last thing you want is to keep pulling up your pants throughout your shift, warns one LPN.

Functional scrubs: A nurse has to keep multiple tools on his or her person at all times, so take advantage of scrubs that have multiple built-in pockets. Some pants come in a “cargo” style with extra pockets on the legs.


Next, how many pockets? (one is NEVER enough…)


How many pockets?

What’s the magic number? Nurse Sean attests, “I’ve had a total of 10 pockets on my scrubs at times, depending on the style I wear.” How many pockets do you need?


To find out what you’ll be filling those pockets with, jump to our printable list of favorite nursing gear must-haves.


the new iPod Touch

Get the newest version of the iPod Touch and make your work life run more smoothly.


Must-have apps: There’s an app for everything and everyone, and nurses haven’t been left out. Nurse Georgette can’t live without the Davis Drug Guide and Tabor’s IV for medication dosing info, as well as apps for ABG, ACLS, PALS, EKG and, of course, a calculator.

Load up your iPod Touch with your favorite music and games, and you’ll be thanking yourself the next time you need a five-minute breather to take the edge off.


Stethoscope (which one?!?!)

Roll of tape (critical!)

Retractable badge holders (surprising uses for ‘em)

Nose savers (three great ideas…)

Pens (the features they must have)

Shoes (the right ones to get you through the day)

Scrubs (of course, but which kind?)

How many pockets? (one is NEVER enough…)


favorite nursing gear must-haves

Printable list of favorite nursing gear must-haves

Stethoscope – Littman Cardiology III stethoscope

Roll of tape

Retractable badge holder – Boojeebeads.com

Scrubs – Baby Phat Scrubs, Cherokee, Dickies, Skecher…all produce scrubs with personality

Shoes – “The Point” shoe from AnyWear with round-sole technology

Insoles

Nose saver

Pens – Multiple colors, cushioned grip, “fat” pen like a sharpie

Highlighters

Sticky notes

Pen light

Scissors

Alcohol wipes

A watch with a second hand/pulse oximeter

iPod Touch

Why dress codes for nurses are making a comeback

 

 

For much of the past decade, there has been a sort of “anything goes” policy in hospitals and nursing schools regarding how nurses and nursing students can dress and thereby express their individuality. That’s starting to change. Dress codes are coming back and, surprisingly, they’re not getting a lot of resistance from the individuals they target.

 

“The pendulum has swung back to dress codes,” says Kimberley , RN, a faculty member at  University’s College of Nursing. “For a while, everybody took their eye off the ball and nurses looked awful…T-shirts, belly shirts, skin showing, scrubs way down on the hips…some really inappropriate things were allowed.”

 

  says that because hospitals and nursing schools did let things slide for quite some time, now they’re having to do some backtracking, some damage control. Of course, they’re not mandating the old-fashioned white dress uniforms, the white duty shoes and the white caps—oh, wouldn’t that be fun? No, the new dress codes tend to be more along the lines of a particular color of scrubs, since scrubs have become the popular, ultra-practical, ultra-comfortable garb of nurses today.

 

Next: Dress codes for today’s nurse →

 

Green and blue tend to be the typical scrub colors that hospital dress codes are requiring nurses to wear. Sometimes a patterned scrub top paired with a solid color scrub bottom is also allowed. And these regulations are about more than just keeping nurses from wearing what may be considered inappropriate. Many patients find it confusing when hospital staff are wearing such a range of “outfits” that it’s impossible to distinguish the nurses from the aides or the porters or the lab techs. When all of the nurses in a hospital dress in a similar style, the patients can more easily identify the nurses.

 

Regulations regarding piercings, tattoos and hair are generally included in dress codes. Deborah  RN, , an assistant professor in the School of Nursing  says that the school requires nursing students to cover tattoos when they’re in clinical settings. She agrees with the policy. “Body art is a personal decision, but I think there are accepted norms that we should apply within our profession.”

 

The dress code for nursing students at MTSU is actually quite specific. Body and facial piercings have to be removed. The only pieces of jewelry allowed are a wedding band, a watch and one pair of plain stud earrings. There are guidelines about beards, mustaches, hair accessories, fingernails…some might argue that this doesn’t leave much room for individuality.

 

Next: The place of individuality →

 

 points out, nursing isn’t geared toward the expression of individuality. “Nurses aren’t artists. They’re health professionals, delivering care to individuals who are ill and in vulnerable states. The patients don’t get to choose the nurses who are going to care for them, so I think it’s important that nursing students and practicing nurses understand the impact that their appearance might have on patients.”

 

J.  MBA, a professor of Pediatrics, Pathology and Decision Science says, “Anything that disrupts the ability of the care provider to make emotional contact with the patient is detrimental to the therapeutic relationship. True for nurses just as for doctors.” She adds that if any appearance issues put off the patient, those issues “get in the way of the very reason the patient sought medical care.”

 

 says the same applies in interview situations. She advises her nursing students to go the conservative route when they’re looking for jobs—facial piercings out, tattoos covered, hair neatly groomed. “You don’t know who’s going to interview you or what his or her cultural background is,” she says.

 

The interesting thing is that nursing students and nurses aren’t generally taking issue with the “new” dress codes.   says that although she does have to deal with the odd dress code issue with her nursing students, it doesn’t happen often. “Nursing is a traditional profession, so it tends to attract a more traditional type of person,” she explains.

 

There are definitely many advantages to dress codes, and if they help nurses make those important emotional connections with their patients…well, that’s pretty significant. And besides, there’s all that off-duty time when you can express your individuality, bare what you want and wear what you want. So, all in favor of dress codes?