No matter how much the hospital scrubs have evolved over the years, we have to remember that these are still uniforms, the standard clothing of an organization while participating in the organization’s activity. In this case, the hospital scrubs are uniforms of the medical professionals in their workplace, whether a hospital setting, a nursing home, clinic or any health facility, and are worn while caring for their patients and doing their tasks. And even if these discount uniforms have become fashionable, styles and designs have become trendy, these are still uniforms that represent what you are. It makes one recognizable as the healthcare professional you are and impressions still matter and you definitely want to look like a competent and qualified nurse.
Efficiency and a great bedside manner are still very important for any nurse, but looking good and personable is also essential. Looking good does not mean looking like a runway model in haute couture collections. You may even wear cheap scrubs but still look awesome as long as you don’t make the usual blunders some professionals have made in their workplace.
These fashion blunders can happen in any workplace but this time around we want to avoid making these gaffes as health professionals. Not only do they affect how our colleagues and patients perceives us but sometimes these fashion and social blunders can affect how we function and perform our tasks.
- Too much skin/chest: The most basic scrub tops style for hospital scrubs is a v-neck and has become one of the most often worn cheap scrubs by nurses. Unfortunately, this may show some or a lot of skin or chest both for men and women. It is very unprofessional (and distracting at that) to see too much cleavage and even chest hair on men.
- Too much skin would also apply on scrub pants. Low-rise pants are okay for street clothes but not when you have to lean over your patients or lift a patient to a gurney. When you do that your scrub tops may rise along with your movement showing your midriff or the underwear peeking out of your scrub pants. Your colleagues and patients don’t really want to know what kind of underwear you have or the colors, not even if these are the expensive ones.
- Too tight hospital scrubs: Skin tight dress is okay for a party or the red carpet but certainly not for the workplace. There is nothing wrong about going up a size or two especially after the holidays, just make sure that your scrub size goes up too. One of the requisites to be able to perform your job competently is to be able to move freely and comfortably and a so tight scrub will not provide you that.
- See through scrubs: If your scrubs are made from a thin material or fabric, you might be showing more than what you intend to. Wear underwear that\'s as close a match to your skin color as you can find to prevent the problem. If you are wearing white nursing uniforms, you also have to consider that vibrant color underwear might also show. Always make sure to check yourself on the mirror under a good lighting.
- Too short/too baggy scrub pants: As much as too tight scrub pants don’t work for you, too short or too baggy doesn’t work as well. Get the right size and length in your scrub pants in order to look good. Too long and you run the risk of tripping on your scrub pants especially when you are in a hurry. Too short and you might look like you are wearing capri pants.
- Say no to permanent stains: There is no getting around your discount uniforms remaining clean after working with blood, chemicals and sick patients. It will get stained every now and then, no question about that. But these stains can be washed off and removed with a stain removal and if not then your hospital scrubs should never be seen again at your workplace. It looks very unprofessional to wear scrubs with stains and it would also appear unhygienic. And you might think your patient won’t notice it but you may be wrong. Your patients will be see it and stare at it and wonder why you didn’t take the time to remove it.
- Messy, wrinkled or torn hospital scrubs: Never ever attend to your patients looking like you just got out of your bed or worse an all-nighter of partying. Aside from patients would think you do not care much about your work, they would even wonder how you can give them proper care when you cannot even take care of yourself. The same way that stains appear unhygienic, messy, wrinkled and torn hospital scrubs appear sloppy and this is a trait a medical professional should not be associated with.
- Too much of everything: Jewelry, make-up, blings, may be okay for casual setting but too much of it is definitely not for a hospital setting. It not only catches germs but can also affect how you work or may be distractions at best.
Lola Hanson has written several articles on the different faux pas often made when wearing discount uniforms but felt it necessary to write on fashion blunders to avoid at all cost when wearing hospital scrubs. It appears that even if the workplaces are different, the bloopers people should avoid are almost the same.
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