Public Opinion wanted

[Simply Me]

The hospital where I am currently working is imposing a "dress code" for all employees. Now I realize that there are dress codes everywhere, but administration is proposing that each unit wear one specific color of scrubs, stating that it will help patients and families identify who is who. Clearly we have a name badge visible to anyone who cares to look, that identifies what our role in the hospital is. As a female, I like to look different everyday, I certainly do not want to wear the same color day after day, and teal of all colors..yuck.. They also say it gives a more professional look. My question to you is.. When you go into the hospital as either a patient or family member of a patient, do you really notice if the nurses are wearing different scrubs from one another and does it take away from our professionalism? I'm trying to be objective about this and would really like to know what you think.

 

[Angel]

Who the hell notices the color? I never did. I think the fact that you are all wearing scrubs is professional enough for me! LOL I dont think uniform colors would do anything all that special.

I think it's nicer when you get to choose your own - most of the scrubs I see are teal or white - and it's always a pleasant surprize when someone breaks out of the norm and wears a different color.

 

[april-wine]

simply me

i too work in a hospital, and unfortunately it does work..the patients and family know who to look for by what they are wearing..it just makes it alot easier for those folks when they already have enough on their minds....btw we have to wear jade green yackkkkkkkk........

 

[Willing and Unsure]

personally... if i were in the hospital or visiting someone there, i would be seeing the same thing everyday then. the same room, the same colors, the same everything. and that would really tick me off. the last time i was in a hospital for either reason, i wasnt allowed to leave my room until i got to go home... and if i saw the same color everyday, i would have gone psycho on them. and if i'm a patient, i am probably bored out of my mind already... so a little bit of color (different with everyone i see) would be great... bring a little brightness to the room and the rest of the days i get to spend there.

 

[Mischka]

I agree with april-wine. My father was unexpectedly hospitalized with a life threatening illness, and we were so dazed that we didn't notice individual name tags. The color-coded departments did help me find my way to the unit where my father was, though, and that helped identify who to talk to, etc. I did notice the name tags of the nurses that visited my father's room, but not until then.

 

[Simply Me]

simply me

i too work in a hospital, and unfortunately it does work..the patients and family know who to look for by what they are wearing..it just makes it alot easier for those folks when they already have enough on their minds....btw we have to wear jade green yackkkkkkkk........

I can understand the rationale to a point, but I feel like it is infringing on my right to express myself as an individual. I like wearing cheerful bright scrubs with different designs on them, so much gloom in a hospital anyway, and it is my way of feeling a little more feminine.
And our name tags clearly state which department we work in. It would be like telling everyone else who is not in the medical field that they have to wear the same thing everyday. I just don't get it. Our nursing should be judged by our knowledge and our compassion, not by what color scrubs we have on. But again, like I said, I'm trying to find out what the public thinks. Wondering why this posted twice..

[Edited by Simply Me on 05-31-2001 at 11:02 PM]

 

[Simply Me]

I agree with april-wine. My father was unexpectedly hospitalized with a life threatening illness, and we were so dazed that we didn't notice individual name tags. The color-coded departments did help me find my way to the unit where my father was, though, and that helped identify who to talk to, etc. I did notice the name tags of the nurses that visited my father's room, but not until then.

Thank you Mischka, this is what I'm looking for. If it makes a difference to the families and makes things easier for them, then I certainly would want that. I just feel like this is administration putting their finger on us yet again and not necessarily that they are getting feedback from families regarding this..I proposed to them that if they wanted this to go through,then they should provide the scrubs for us. I have spent massive amounts of money on scrubs and lab coats, and now they are to hang in my closet unused? Even proposed a uniform allowance. So far, they are not going for it. It just doesn't feel right to me.

 

[Mischka]

That I don't agree with. If they are making you adopt a new wardrobe, then they should fit the bill. The airlines did that when my mother worked for them. Only way the employees would happily accept the change.

 

[morninggirl5]

They did almost the same thing

at my school this year. Suddenly in the middle of November all teachers had to wear red shirts, blouses or sweaters and black slacks or skirts. Their reasoning was similar, so the parents would know exactly who was a teacher and who was an aide or volunteer. From the teachers' perspective it was awful. We all felt like we looked completely unprofessional and there was NO room for our individual personalities to show through.

My Mom is a nurse and I know they compromised when this issue was brought up. Each unit has a base color for their slacks and they can still wear the different patterns for tops. It works well and might be a possible compromise to consider.

 

[Simply Me]

That I don't agree with. If they are making you adopt a new wardrobe, then they should fit the bill. The airlines did that when my mother worked for them. Only way the employees would happily accept the change.

It might make it easier on us financially if they were to foot the bill for the new scrubs, but they feel we are responsible for it. Alot of the new proposed dress code is very sexually discriminating..such as saying only females are allowed to wear an ankle bracelet..now I don't know if there are men out there that want to wear an ankle bracelet, but why allow the female and not the male? Women may wear two rings,one on each hand, but the male can only wear a wedding band. No unnaturally colored contact lenses, no bright fingernail polish, has to be very low keyed. Minimal makeup for women, no unnatural looking hair color, and if your hair is dyed, no roots showing. When do you think they go toofar into letting you express a little individuality? We nurses are people, not machines. We want to look as feminine as someone working in an office.

 

[Weird Harold]

It would be like telling everyone else who is not in the medical field that they have to wear the same thing everyday. I just don't get it.

I find I'm having a little trouble working up sympathy for your plight. For 21+ years, I wore either green (a rather unflattering shade aptly named Olive Drab), Green/brown Camoflage, or Blue. (different combinations of two very specific shades of blue. -- Teal is a sort of blue isn't it? It wasn't one of my choices though.)

Seriously, if I'm stressed out with concern and trying to see through a veil of tears, I'm not going to be very likely to pay much attention to the print on a name tag. I might notice a nametag's color though. Nametags are very hard to read down the length of a hallway, or even across the room. Colors can be seen and recognized from much greater distances.

I don't know how much use color-coding is to people who don't know what the colors mean. Repeat vistors might learn the color coding, and a few people will notice that it exists even if they don't know hat colors mean what. I've known a lot of people who wouldn't catch on until they were explicity told that the colors meant something, and what that something was.

I think that larger, color coded name tags would serve their purposes as well as uniform scrub colors would.

 

[Simply Me]

Re: They did almost the same thing

at my school this year. Suddenly in the middle of November all teachers had to wear red shirts, blouses or sweaters and black slacks or skirts. Their reasoning was similar, so the parents would know exactly who was a teacher and who was an aide or volunteer. From the teachers' perspective it was awful. We all felt like we looked completely unprofessional and there was NO room for our individual personalities to show through.

My Mom is a nurse and I know they compromised when this issue was brought up. Each unit has a base color for their slacks and they can still wear the different patterns for tops. It works well and might be a possible compromise to consider.

Now that I would agree to. Thanks and I will propose that Monday to the committee. At least being able to wear a different top and lab coat would allow you to express yourself. We did win in the fight against wearing white uniforms though, not even practical.

 

[Simply Me]

Weird Harold

Thanks for your point of view as well. As I said, I am really trying to get the opinion of the public. I agree that our nametags are too small, and there are those with less than perfect eyesight. Enlarging them may be something to consider and maybe even color coding the name tags specific to the unit. This could be passed on to the visitors in our "Welcome to our hospital" booklet. After reading over this, I do realize that there are businesses out there that require the same uniform day after day. I think alot of this is stemming from the fact that there is such a nursing shortage right now, most of us are working 5 or 6 straight 12 hours shifts to make up for it, and maybe we are feelig that this is just picking on us right now, and we are getting pissed off. I appreciate everyones point of view...

 

[Closet Desire]

Perspective...

...although you work everyday in a hospital most people would be quite happy to never see the inside of one. For many it is frightening, disorienting, and unsettling. Emotions and tensions run high because of concern over loved ones or one's self.

I love individuality and the right to be individual, but sometimes conforming to a standard has some powerfully positive effects. People in distress don't notice nametags and even if they do what's on them doesn't always register. Of course, for someone who has just come into the hospital the colour codes probably won't make any sense anyway. I suppose that for those longer term patients and families it would start to make sense.

I wonder about the advantages of such a system among the professionals who work in the hospital. This may be a long stretch, but I served on an aircraft carrier for many years and to avoid confusion on the flight deck, which is always stressful, busy, and confusing (sort of like a hospital can get), the crew were colour coded according to their duty. Fuel handlers were purple, corpsmen green, handlers were yellow, etc. (I might be wrong on the colours...it's been a long time). It's funny how helpful it was to be able to identify someone by the colour of their clothes.

Well, something to think about.

 

[Simply Me]

Closet Desire

You make a very valid point and that was also one of the proposals was to have all the nurses wear one particular color, so they could easily be identified as such. I suppose in the end they will decide to do what they feel is best for the patients and families , and we will of course comply. But I am not giving up on them furnishing the scrubs if they go that route. I have my teeth in that one and I am one stubborn person.

 

[CW]

I spent 49 days straight in a hospital eight years ago. Since then I have been in and out for much shorter stays. The hospital where I usually am has a color code system with the pants only. No skirts allowed.

RN's wore teal pants, LPN's wore blue, aides had red, housekepping had brown, dietary had to wear navy blue, surgicial staff was exempted ( including the lab ) as they were all that sea foam green color and any sort of administrator was required to wear civvies.

Whatever top you desired was allowed ( within guide lines I suppose ).

Did it make a difference to me? Yes, it was a damn sight easier to identify an individual that worked there and to know what you could expect in the way of assistance, or hassle. I have been in hospitals where even the administration staff was required to wear scrubs,,, try asking a paper pusher a question about anything to do with health care on the floors/units.

I really can't see that the uniform issue/dress code is "picking on you" though. Do I want some one with blue and orange spiked hair working on me? No. How about someone that is sporting longer than average fingernails and is overly concerned over the nails? No. Random and possibly extreme examples I agree. But, in a nutshell, I want someone that is PROFESSIONAL LOOKING working on me while I'm confined to a hospital.

And no, I am not a good patient. I am polite with the nursing staff, but I do not accept everything that is thrown at me. And if I am assigned to you, you had best look and be professional or I'll ask for another nurse and raise holy hell until I get a different one.

It doesn't take much time to determine what the various colors represent and it is quite a bit easier on the family and patients.

 

[Cheyenne]

Alot of the new proposed dress code is very sexually discriminating..such as saying only females are allowed to wear an ankle bracelet..now I don't know if there are men out there that want to wear an ankle bracelet, but why allow the female and not the male? Women may wear two rings,one on each hand, but the male can only wear a wedding band. No unnaturally colored contact lenses, no bright fingernail polish, has to be very low keyed. Minimal makeup for women, no unnatural looking hair color, and if your hair is dyed, no roots showing.

??? That is all much different than just ordering you to wear the same color each day. I might be a bit insulted too if someone told me how to handle such personal items. I don't think the different rules based on sex are fair, either.

 

[Desert Amazon]

 

[Expertise]

If I'M in a hospital something is bleeding profusely,broken or I am non-ambulatory! At that point I could care less if your in scrubs or your birthday suit! All I really want to see is that name tag with R.N. or M.D. on it.

That being said is there anything more comfortable than well washed "surgical scrubs"? I have 3 pairs of the pants that I liberated during my last stay....perfect for bumming around.

 

[nitengale]

nitengale responds...

Simply Me…

I have worked in several hospitals where dress codes have been developed to assist patients and families easily recognize through a color system who is who. Some have worked, and some have failed.

All were developed at the requests of both families and patients. All were started because of the consumers wanting to know exactly who the RN’s were. Here in the east, NY/NJ metro areas, there have been ads run on TV and radios encouraging people to make sure they have an RN looking after them. Of course, these ads were spawned by RN’s in light of the decreasing numbers of our ailing work force. We also had to wear name tags that had RN in HUGE bold letters.

In the hospitals where this type of dress code was established, hospital policies were developed with time lines in place, so employees had time to purchase the allowable colors. Which let the hospitals off the hook financially. Employees balked, but in light of the cut backs, and hospital closings, no one objected in the end, and were quite happy to comply to anything as long as they had a job to go to every day.

How important is this to patients? I honestly think it is quite important. Hospitals have become nightmares to people with all the shortages, so if there is one less thing they have to worry about (who is who), then they love it. In fact, one of the hospitals has a huge consumer group that helps with decision-making, and they did multiple surveys, and in the end, people loved the colors!

Does it really matter what color we wear? I do not think so. Of course, I love the idea of wearing various colors, especially when it is scrubs I have to wear, and I hate the damn green ones! However, no matter what I am wearing, my daily tasks and decision-making processes are not dependent upon what I am wearing. I am just truthfully grateful I no longer have to wear that stupid cap on my head! That was a nightmare in itself!

As far as the jewelry issue, I only have problems with those who insist on looking like sales reps from the local shops, and they do exist. I also abhor nurses who feel their nails have to be inches long and painted in hideous shades of color, and they also exist.

Unfortunately there are many nurses out there who come to work looking like they are headed to a barbeque, and that is quite distasteful. I am sure you have seen these individuals as well.

 

[Mistress]

I actually liked wearing my scrubs everyday at work when I worked in the doctor's office. I didn't have to worry what I'd be wearing the next day, because it was obvious. I do like to wear different things but, some times it was less troublesome if I just through on my uniform and went out the door.

I do, notice the uniforms when I go to the hospital, then again, maybe thats just me.

 

[Ally C]

If it helps patients and their families to figure out who is who then I'm in agreement with it. The fact that you have to foot the bill is unfair in my opinion and ought to be addressed (no pun!).

The fact that the hospital administration appear to have made the decision without prior consultation with you doesn't mean that they have got it wrong per se. This sort of feeds back into a thread (which I've forgot the name of) about the ability of administrations to make decisions on our behalf, and our ability to comply with them. I think that in this instance they've arrived at a valid enough decision about dress codes, although there should always be room for negotiation to a point.

If the uniformity does get you down, would there be any scope for personalising your uniform? A choice of name badge styles for example, so that you can choose a design of your choice (and possibly pay for the privilege no doubt). This seems almost like a small side issue compared to the good work that you do, but it's important for a workforce to be happy, so get whatever concessions you can, while bearing in mind the more practical and important features of your job.

 

[Weird Harold]

In the military there were uniform allowances though... Not that they paid much, but at least it was something. I even had one when I had a duty station wearing civilian clothes overseas.

While it is true that the military has a "clothing maintenance allwance" it doesn't come close to covering a situation like Simply Me's. I suffered through several unform changes in 21 years, and my annual "Clothing Maintenance" only coverd about one new uniform. The rest of the uniforms required for daily wear were an out-of-pocket expense.

I certainly agree that if the hospital is instituting a policy that makes most of her work wardrobe unuseable, they should do something to ease the financial shock of complying on short notice.

The USAF (usually) phased uniform changes over five to ten years to allow replacement through attrition for most uniforms so the clothing maintenance allowance could be used to fund the change-over.

 

[unusuallyconfused]

As a recruiter for nurses, I can tell you that there is a "nursing shortage" and many hospitals are putting in place a management style that includes significant staff participation. If this is not acceptable to you, perhaps you could determine if a majority of others are of like mind. If they are, then I think you can present a valid "case" for not utilizing this idea. If they go against the majority, the fact of the matter is that there a people like me who love to hear about dissatisfied nurses who would like to get a new job. I can usually get you more money, etc... The risks of the hospital are really too great to be pissing off the nurses.

 

[nitengale]

As a recruiter for nurses, I can tell you that there is a "nursing shortage" and many hospitals are putting in place a management style that includes significant staff participation. If this is not acceptable to you, perhaps you could determine if a majority of others are of like mind. If they are, then I think you can present a valid "case" for not utilizing this idea. If they go against the majority, the fact of the matter is that there a people like me who love to hear about dissatisfied nurses who would like to get a new job. I can usually get you more money, etc... The risks of the hospital are really too great to be pissing off the nurses.

This is all great information BUT only if the nurses stand together, and in most cases we don't. Sad.