What do other nurses think of having to wear a certain color of scrubs that the hospital dictates? I ask b/c I've done contract in 2 different places and had to buy different colors for both places. Uniforms are not cheap. I now am looking at having to get yet another color for an inner house pool position I just took. I have more scrubs than clothes right now. LOL!!!

I know its to distingush us form other depts, but pt's don't know this. They think any one in any color scrubs is a nurse.

OMG, I HATE IT.   All RN's at my hospital have to wear WHITE pants.  Who thought that one up?  We can wear any color scrub top or design, but white pants.  I would rather wear any other color than white pants.  Please, in a profession where we work with blood, poop, pee, and vomit, why would you put us in white pants?

I think that there needs to be a dress code but not to the extent that you are told what color or style to wear.  We have a dress code in  our hospital and that consists of no Crocs - no pants dragging on the floor - no T shirts with sayings on them alot of our nurses where T-shirts and nursing jackets in the winter - hair must be pulled up or back - no hoop earrings - no nail polish or fake nails ( most hospitals have this rule) and no skin showing in the midrif - which seems simple but you would not believe what some nurses will wear.  They have recently made all cleaning personnel where the same uniform because they were hard to distinguish from nurses.  Dietary wears the same thing also.  Respiratory wears navy blue scrubs but RN's - LPN's - AIDS wear what ever.

I think we need to remember one thing nursing is a profession and we need to look professional ~~ how can afamily take you seriously when you are trying to explain a procedure or the condition of their loved ones when we are standing there in  a uniform that has happy bunnies on it that says " enough about you - now lets talk about me"  and I have seen it done.  One of the RN loves her scrubs that say "yes I have an attitude"  - makes it hard for the family not to look @ her and go on the defensive.  As far as the   John says:  Many scrub companies are marketing colors of scrubs that are tied to increased patient satisfaction surveys.  Not sure how I feel about that because that could open the door for everything little thing a family doesn't like to cause patient satisfaction scores to drop.  I know some families no matter what you do you can't please them.  It's just human nature for some people.  Hopefully it won't have a website to vsit because in the heat of the moment people can do things that they regret later.

CherylF says ...

I think we need to remember one thing nursing is a profession and we need to look professional .......

Another kind of scrub that I do not think is professional looking are the "college scrubs".  Oh yes, I am a big Ohio State fan, but i think it is unprofessional for a nurse to be in scrubs with the Ohio State Logo or Ohio State written across them.

My company went to set colors for each type of staff, whether lab, nurses, or EVS.  Each employee was given a one week period to vote on the color of their choice.   They gave each employee  a credit at a uniform shop to purchase the required colors.  This does allow the patients to know the difference between the nurses and other non nursing staff.  While it did take some getting used to, it is a little easier on the pocket book.  Since I have a required color, I can get by with the same scrubs (washed of course) if necessary for several days.

I think it stinks to dictate what color scubs you have to wear to distinguish a difference in your level of care. When I was at MCHS, years ago everybody had to wear white or teal. At my current facility we wear colors and prints and the patients love them. If your facility asked the patients what they think, it would be colors and prints. We are not in nursing school anymore and shouldn't have to wear particular colors(yuck!). If you have to wear particular colors, ask about print tops with those colors, for the patients benefit. You can also have the patients fill out concern forms asking for prints and colors. Families and patients can't remember who is who and what color they wear.

Would it be too much to ask that  all nursing just go back to all white?

I beleive thatt is the color mostpeople associate with nursing.

I hate having to wear white!  We have been doing it for several years now.  I wonder who thought this was an appropriate color for nurses that are actually working for a living.  I have stains all over mine.  I have washed, bleached, used the ritz color out and white and brighten to try to make them look a whole lot better, without success.  I work in a unit where blood, vomit, feces, urine, and all kinds of unimaginable things are abundant.  While I do agree it is very professional looking and everyone looks great in nice white, pressed uniforms, it is not practical.  The honest truth of it is, I can't afford to go out and buy new uniform components every time something gets on it.  With decent pants (those that your underwear doesn't shine through) costing better than 20 dollars a piece, it is financially irresponsible to replace them with each stain.  Most of the days I feel like a big old marshmallow running full speed.  When I first started working at this hospital, the floor color was khaki.  We were allowed to wear solid color scrubs with an appropriate jacket if desired.  We then moved on to ciel blue.  the only problem with this one was that the assistants also wore ciel blue.  And I have to say everytime we went to a new color, we tended to have supporting departments wearing the same colors while on the floor.  So it did leave the patient's with a feeling of "who is my nurse".  The press ganey report showed that patient's liked knowing who their nurses were by the colors they wore.  It also said that the patient's felt the whites were more professional looking.  My thought is that anyone can make any color look unprofessional.  It is all in how a nurse carries herself.  If she behaves in a manner non-consistent with professionalism, it will be conveyed.  Whether she is wearing white, black, brown, blue, etc.........  Now with all this venting being done, i must tell you that I really enjoy my job.  I like where I work.  I know that there are some problems, but from what I hear from some of nurse friends, these problems are prevalent at all hospitals.  Everyone is friendly as this is mandatory.  We are driven by the press ganey reports for customer satisfaction though.  I have found lately that it is getting even more difficult to please our clients.  The demands that some make are surreal.  I had a family member bless me out two days ago because her guest tray was not up to her standards.  Our policy concerning guest trays is that if the family member can walk to the cafeteria, they walk.  If not, we are more than happy to order them a guest tray with the knowledge that they will be expected to pay for it, usually at double what it would cost if they went to the cafeteria and got one.  I really feel the most sympathy for the nurses with young children.  Not only do they have to dash and duck the gross stuff at work, but when they get home, they have to dash and duck their own little ones to avoid stains.  It is my opinion that our administration should concern themselves with decreasing the amount of paperwork involved with patient care so that we can spend more time with our patients.

I proud to wear the white fitted nurses uniform and yse the hat as well. When nurse started wearing the scrubs  enjoyed the colors but i hated the way the fit.  never could find a pair of scrubs that fit i always looked dumpy in them.

I also found visitors had a hard time knowing who was the nurse and who was the other hospital support staff.  I feel that the white fitted uniform made the nurse stand out and look proffessional.

Most places I worked for did buy and ordered the scrubs, but not all of them. No mattere what  can never find scrubs theat fit.  always was able to find the white fitted nurse uniform that fit me.

If hospitals want to require you to wear a certain color, why not provide the uniform to us nurse employees or give us a reimbursement? I can't imagine having to pay for two different color scrubs for the different hospitals I worked at!