Comments on: Why Do Nurses Wear Silly Clothing?

By: Scott Schultz

Scott Schultz — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:04:43 +0000

Speaking as someone who has been in and out of hospitals far too many times over the past few years (my wife gets horrible migraines; we know all of the E.R.’s in the area and she’s ended up hospitalized a couple of times), as a “customer” I’ve always judged the nurses I’ve interacted with based on their demeanor and their level of care.

I can’t think of a single instance where I thought less of a nurse because s/he was wearing some kind of patterned/cartoon scrubs. The times I had complaints, it was based on a lack of care, or a lack of empathy or just a downright lack of service. When you’re a patient or the family member of a patient, the clothing choices of your nurses is just about the last thing on your mind. What’s wrong? How are we treating it? Are we being treated respectfully? How much TLC are we getting? How scary is this situation really? Is the nurse reassuring and how helpful is s/he when the doctor is backed up and treatment/diagnosis is hours away?

Frankly, while I’m sure that there’s faction of nurses who FEEL more professional when they wear what amounts to a regulation uniform, the fact is that your patients are worried about THEMSELVES, not about your scrubs. All patients are different, of course, but I’d say that I’d feel more initial empathy with a nurse wearing a friendly cartoon scrub top than with a nurse wearing a cold, aloof uniform. I’m sure there are patients who have the opposite opinion – coldly professional looks make them feel like their being treated by professionals.

There’s probably no easy answer, but I feel safe in saying that no matter how professional a nurse looks, when you’re on the gurney, it’s the professionalism of the TREATMENT that you’re worried about, not how snappy a dresser the nurse is.

By: Katie

Katie — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:21:21 +0000

I don’t think it’s what you wear but how you do your job. I am a senior nursing student who works full time as a PRN CNA, so I work in many different areas with many different people. I’ve seen some who look very professional, but act very inappropriately. And vice versa. Personally, I love wearing different types of scrubs. It gives us individuality. If i know i’m going to be on a ped’s floor or the nursery, I’ll wear something to that attire. If it’s in the prison hospital, i wear all solid. But again, it’s not what you wear, but how you do your job that counts.

By: ArmyNurse

ArmyNurse — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:47:50 +0000

Being a very young Army nurse at the age of 23, I have a little different approach to how I wear my uniform. Since I am told exactly what to wear and when to wear it (whether its ACUs or navy blue scrubs), I jump at the chance to wear ANY type of print when I can! If I am doing a contract job on the side at a different hospital, i love the fact that i can wear whatever color or print that I want!
On the other hand, I have a very young face and a bubbly personality and have actually been carded by my patients… more than once! Wearing a uniform does make me look more professional and I feel I do receive a little more respect.
I also don’t think a uniform makes a nurse. We have a civilian male nurse that is 6′4″ and 280 lbs with long hair to his butt. He wears his strawberry shortcake or precious moments scrubs all the time and he is one of the best nurses in out entire hospital… and he is only an LPN.

BUT WHAT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO…If you were a patient and you coded, I’m pretty sure you wont care what scrubs your nurse is wearing, as long as they save your life!

By: mcaldwell

mcaldwell — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:19:41 +0000

I have to disagree about character scrubs being unprofessional. I think that as long as our attire is clean and wrinkle free then it is appropriate. In the facility I work in all nurses wear some sort of cartoon /colorful scrubs..It makes our patients happy and we always get comments on our scrubs by family members as well as our patients. As long as our persona and our skills show professionalism then thats what counts. I believe patients don’t really focus on what we wear as much as they focus on how they are cared for. I think colorful/cartoon scrubs give some stimulation and its less boring then wearing a single color…like someone else said it gives them something to talk and puts a smile on their faces..

By: not doing adult nursing any more, RN

not doing adult nursing any more, RN — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 05:11:41 +0000

give me a break guys… like i look professional in hospital issue scrubs that are 3 inches too short, with a gap on the side that you can see what colour and kind of underwear people are wearing, pockets that are ripped on one edge, that the top and the bottom are two different colours of blue (one faded and one not)… and when we have constant scrub supply issues and i have to wear unisex size medium and sometimes even large scrubs (being all of 125 pounds and needing extra small tops) i look retarded. Please explain how i look professional when I have to safety pin my scrubs together so people don’t look down the gaping whole of my scrub top.

I looked much more professional in my own scrubs even if i had Finding Nemo on them… and the elderly patients loved them!

By: Louise Zielinski, RN, BSN

Louise Zielinski, RN, BSN — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:38:06 +0000

Dear Jessica,
I couldn’t agree with you more. Also, unless a patient can see, and read your name tag, they don’t know if they are being cared for or speaking to a nurse; they may ask, or give the wrong staff member pertinent information.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:30:55 +0000

Oh God, don’t get me started on print scrubs. How are we ever going to get taken seriously as a profession if we’re wearing ridiculous cartoon scrubs. My floor has a color-coded uniform, navy for RNs, light blue for techs, as well as other colors for ancillary staff, and I couldn’t be happier. Unless you’re a pediatric nurse I think nurses do a great disservice by dressing like huge kindergartners

By: Max

Max — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:38:33 +0000

I am currently a CNA working while in nursing school. I personally have some solid and some print scrubs. Fortunately for me, I found the better option by looking at the comfort level of my charge nurses and other aids. I found that I personally like wearing a white warm up top or white lab coat, white scrub cargo pants or other white pants, and some kind of white t-shirt or colored t-shirt but usually a brighter color. I find that I look professional and clean at the same time. Plus, it teaches me to remain “cleaner” when I perform my tasks. I also wish that it was still a requirement because I find all solid colors that are just dark to be rather dull and upsetting.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:08:33 +0000

I am a new RN and I started working in a hospital that uses one color for RN and another for CNAs. I must admit I feel more professional in one color. We get to wear Christmas jackets 2 wks before the 25th and I really feels that it lifts the patient’s mood. I think that every profession has some indivudals that do not dress with respect. My advice: be an example. Dress professional and others will look up to you and model your behavior.

By: Peggy

Peggy — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:38:42 +0000

Being a nurse who LOVEs wearing character scrubs, I disagree that it is unprofessional. It is fun and my patients love it and it make them smile, My older patients always start talk about remembering Betty Boop and it makes for a fun conversation and gives the patient something else to think about, instead of worrying about what is going on with them. My favorite is tinkerbell and my co-workers and patients call my Tink. I have been a nurse for 35 years and been through many of changes in nursing scrubs and I have not for one minute noticed that I was treated with any less respect for wearing my fun scrubs in a not so fun atmosphere.