Nursing Has Changed In The Past 50 Years

[emt_cookies]

I think one of the nursing homes in the area uses polo shirts and either slacks or a new version of scrub bottoms designed to be more fitted and look like slacks. I was impressed at that.

I guess when it comes to hospitals, I prefer scrubs to the older style uniforms. The scrub bottoms and the similar to a scrub top is really nice. Plus I like pockets on my legs. I wouldn't mind an EMT-style uniform since they make EMT pants for women now.

Any medical professional should be making sure to wash their uniforms constantly. They also shouldn't wear their shoes in the homes. It's really gross how much bacteria can be found in hospitals even after the room is "sanitized."

One benefit of scrubs is that they clearly give a concept of who is a medical professional. I had to do a double-take when I saw the RN at the nursing home in the polo shirt. Sometimes time is of the essence.

[crazylegs]

Many hospitals (and other healthcare facilities) don't have areas where staff can get changed - sure they have lockers but the locker rooms sure as hell aren't seperated by sex; hence why many people wear their scrubs & other uniforms to and from work.

It does annoy me when I see non clinical staff wearing uniform that appears clinical (but with a small flash/eppaulette difference), it's hard enough to work out who does what already.

[Sapphire Silk]

Now people wear them to and from work, so obviously that's no longer the case.

I find it disrespectiful when a hospice nurse comes to a funeral (for a 70-year old man) in scrubs with teddy bears on them. You couldn't take a minute to change? Really?

I believe that nurses are highly-trained professionals, but it's hard to muster the proper respect for someone wearing what looks like rumpled pajamas.

Most hospitals provide locker rooms suitable for changing clothing to those departments to whom the hospital actually supplies the scrubs: the OR, sometimes L&D or Nursery.

The hospice I work for would frown on that, too. Homecare nursing staff are required to wear professional business attire: slacks, blouses, etc. No scrubs, and no jeans are allowed.

I ditto the PJ comment.

I guess when it comes to hospitals, I prefer scrubs to the older style uniforms. The scrub bottoms and the similar to a scrub top is really nice. Plus I like pockets on my legs. I wouldn't mind an EMT-style uniform since they make EMT pants for women now.

One benefit of scrubs is that they clearly give a concept of who is a medical professional. I had to do a double-take when I saw the RN at the nursing home in the polo shirt. Sometimes time is of the essence.

When hospitals moved away from whites in the 80's, one of the first moves was to allow pastel colored polo tops.

Aviator Scrubs makes an EMT style cargo scrub that is pretty nice. It's a sturdy material and irons well. It's what I wear these days. They are available in a multitude of colors.

[Lyse]

My opinion? I really like the nursing uniforms that I've seen on British nurses. A tunic or dress in a solid color with piping. I think but am not sure (not British) that the type of piping denotes position or education. I've glanced at a few websites that sell them because I really like how professional they appear.

[crazylegs]

From what I've heard those dresses are really not suitable for someone who is as active as a nurse - as soon as pt handling/lifting comes into the equation then they're not practical at all.

[Lyse]

Agreed on the dresses part - although I think they would work for those that work in clinics or similar places. Otherwise, the tops are much more practical.

[Seshat]

I'd vote for a pair of pants cut to allow full freedom, and some sort of long-line shirt. The sleeves of the shirt can be short or long as suits the climate, but I'd recommend at least a bit of shaping to make the shirt look professional.

Cutting pants to create full freedom of movement requires more generous crotch depth and crotch length than 'formal trousers', so the overall look of the pants would be somewhere between 'formal' and 'pyjamas': one of the reasons pyjamas are so very comfortable is the crotch shape. But a nurse can't work in the formal pants cut!

The long-line shirt is partly to draw attention away from the slightly pyjama-y look of the pants, and partly so that when the inevitable spills occur, the nurse can grab a spare shirt from her locker, slip into the bathroom, and swap shirts.

As for the fabric: easy-clean and durable are critical. I'd also vote strongly for no-iron, because I think nurses have far more important things to be doing than ironing work clothes. Also, a no-iron shirt can be rolled up and shoved into a bag to bring to work as a spare, and stored in the locker until needed.

Nurses usually have a high-stress job. Their off-work time should be very much off-work, not wasted ironing clothes. Back in the 'old days', ironing was useful as a pest killing treatment. But body lice isn't nearly the problem it was then!

[LadyAndreca]

My mother's lab allows them to wear any pattern, so long as they use a specific style of scrubs. One of the best Christmas presents I ever got her was when I managed to get her an extremely silly frog-print pattern. Apparently they're a huge hit with both her coworkers and patients. Something about the silly scrubs relaxes some patients who are afraid of doctors/needles, because it's not cold and informal.

[Sapphire Silk]

My mother's lab allows them to wear any pattern, so long as they use a specific style of scrubs. One of the best Christmas presents I ever got her was when I managed to get her an extremely silly frog-print pattern. Apparently they're a huge hit with both her coworkers and patients. Something about the silly scrubs relaxes some patients who are afraid of doctors/needles, because it's not cold and informal.

I have a puppies and kittens scrub top that I just love. I used to wear it all the time when I worked regularly in the ER because the little kids always oohed and ahhed over it, and it helped me bond with them.

I still have it but don't wear it any more. It's starting to get a bit threadbare

[Andara Bledin]

The scrub top I bought for Halloween last year has purple paisleys and butterflies.

^-.-^

[emt_cookies]

Most hospitals provide locker rooms suitable for changing clothing to those departments to whom the hospital actually supplies the scrubs: the OR, sometimes L&D or Nursery.

The hospice I work for would frown on that, too. Homecare nursing staff are required to wear professional business attire: slacks, blouses, etc. No scrubs, and no jeans are allowed.

I ditto the PJ comment.



When hospitals moved away from whites in the 80's, one of the first moves was to allow pastel colored polo tops.

Aviator Scrubs makes an EMT style cargo scrub that is pretty nice. It's a sturdy material and irons well. It's what I wear these days. They are available in a multitude of colors.

I really wouldn't consider EMT pants to be professional outside of firefighting/police/EMS. I like the pants that are cut for girls.

Yeah, I will be honest in that I am young so I really don't know what nurses wore before scrubs. I have seen pictures, but I was born in 1989 so by the time I actually cared enough about the hospital, everyone was wearing scrubs.

The first chapter in my nursing fundamentals felt like it was a rant on how scrubs were evil and were ruining the professional image of a nurse.

[Sapphire Silk]

The first chapter in my nursing fundamentals felt like it was a rant on how scrubs were evil and were ruining the professional image of a nurse.

What book, if I may ask? I probably have a copy; I'd love to look it up.

[emt_cookies]

I lied. It was a small section that we read on different weeks from the initial chapter. Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, and Management and under chapter 2 in "The Look of Nursing." I think there was also a few other handouts that were also included so I'll email the professor and see if she still has the links.

[Sapphire Silk]

I lied. It was a small section that we read on different weeks from the initial chapter. Contemporary Nursing: Issues, Trends, and Management and under chapter 2 in "The Look of Nursing." I think there was also a few other handouts that were also included so I'll email the professor and see if she still has the links.

Thanks. I'll have to check the faculty library (we have tons of books publishers send us, hoping we'll adopt them) and see if we have it. I'm curious to read it