Presentation of a Nurse: Professional Dress Code Nicole Davis St. Joseph’s College of Nursing Presentation of a Nurse: Professional Dress Code One of the first things a patient sees when a nurse walks into their room is the expression on the nurse’s face and what the nurse is wearing. Everyone thinks of different attire when speaking of nurses: some think of the all-white uniforms with caps that needed to be starched, some may think of a person in scrubs, and few may think of risqué Halloween costumes of nurses. Nursing, unlike many professions, cannot dress in business or business casual every day to show professionalism, instead many hospitals have mandatory dress codes including having nurses wearing scrubs instead. It puts …show more content…
(SJHHC, 2016) Employees should wear scrub tops over their t-shirts as well, which should be either white or the same color as the scrub top. (SJHHC, 2016) All these policies are in place to make the patients aware of who is taking care of them at every given moment. Supporting Literature and Research Throughout many years, nurses have dressed in all white uniforms making these men and women easy to identify. Since switching to theses unstandardized uniforms, nurses no longer have the same message, some even stating that “today’s nonstandard nursing uniforms… do not present a professional image and contribute to the patient, family, and other healthcare provider’s inability to identify the RN among other care providers.” (Hatfield et al., 2013) As years advance though, many policies at hospitals will change and adapt with them. Another article states: “Patients and clinicians want nurses to be able to be rapidly identified, in emergent situations when it is vital to communicate competence and readiness to assume their role in patient stabilization.” (Clavelle, Goodwin, & Tivis, 2013) While these two articles agree that nurses should be easily identifiable, a module from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) states that “Ideally, your attire should enable you to blend in to the professional crowd rather than stand out” but also states to abide by the employee handbook for information
When nurses are held to a professional standard, staffing becomes safer and more efficient. The professional standard created by the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics (ANACEN) for Nurses is commonly used. The standard is made up of nine points that ensure patients will receive the highest quality of care. The purpose of the standard is to determine whether nurses have the assets, abilities, responsibility, and expertise to make judgments concerning professional practice and optimum care for patients and families (Clevenger, et al. 2005). The goal of safe staffing is to provide optimal care for patients and the patients’ families, so facilities should invest in nurses with a high degree of professionalism who can
Nursing is an occupation in which professionalism (or lack thereof) can have a significant effect on not only patients and their health, but the nurse’s relationships with colleagues, patients’ families and even their community. A nurse must exemplify professionalism, especially in an environment that creates increased risk for loss of life or further injury. There are many aspects that are involved with professionalism in nursing, and many expectations set up on the nurse.
Being a nurse is not just a profession, it is a privilege and an honor. With it being a profession where there is an opportunity to touch many patients’ lives, there must be regulations, laws, and codes that nurses must abide by. There are certain professional traits that a nurse must possess to make them not only a good nurse but a great nurse. There are various nursing theories that a nurse can base their practice upon and many historical figures of the past that guide the nurses of today and of the future.
According to Hoeve, Jansen, & Roodbol (2014), to improve the nursing public image and to obtain a stronger position in healthcare organizations, nurses need to increase their visibility. But individually, nurses needs to recognize the value in what we do, believed in ourselves and our colleagues, and dress the part. Each nurse needs to explore how his /her actions or inactions affect the nursing image. . We need to recognize that the images and behavior outside the workplace on social media such as YouTube, FaceBook or Instagram can affect our workplace image. How we portray ourselves in public to our patient can dispel any misconceptions the public may have of nurses and the profession by reeducating the community, educating nursing students on how to project a positive image of nursing, and helping students to understand the meaning of professionalism. Hoeve, Jansen, & Roodol (2014) also suggested that nurses should work harder to communicate both their professionalism and their contribution to the healthcare system to the public. Kalisch and Kalisch (1983) state that
The nursing topic at hand is the “Nurses Juvenalia Problem”, this is an issue that involves the use of juvenile symbols produced for nurses and by nurses. Juvenalia literally means works produced by a young person. The issue of this arise in instances where grade-school hospital decorations, teddy bears, colorful scrubs, and juvenile images in advertisements cause people to underestimate the hard work that goes into nursing. Nurses want to be taken serious but when they associate with certain symbols in the professional setting it comes off as juvenile. An example of this issue is an instance in which a nursing school decorated their halls with butterflies and hearts, which they use to give a softer look to the “cinder-block look of the institution”. The nursing hall was the only part of the school decorated to produce a cute and cuddly environment that the other students of law, and medicine did not see as professional. This gives off a struggle for nurses and nursing students to be accepted academically with other disciplines who have a more mature environment (Buresh & Gordon, 2006).
In a profession where others' health and well-being are priority, there leaves room for neglect of those who are delegated to care for these people. As a professional nurse, there are many obstacles that arise and affect the care provided to a patient, as well as the livelihood of the nurse. The current deteriorating and unsafe staffing conditions in hospitals and other institutions prompts workplace advocacy as the universally appropriate concept for maintaining professional nursing practice. Common
Candles in the Dark As humans our brains tend to group together similar stimuli. However, while this is often beneficial, it can also have harmful consequences: stereotypes and prejudice. Furthermore, because many cannot overcome these misconceptions, almost every person whether they be white, black, male, or female have been in some way discriminated against.
infection control a dirty, unkempt uniform is a harbor for unwanted bacteria. Along with uniform proper hand hygiene must always be performed before and after patient care. A professional appearance will display an
Kari thinks that since she was not there, it is not fair that the professor put her in a group that she cannot meet with. With her missing so many classes she is losing interest and not able to do her in classwork. With Kari working 9-5 she is unable to attend her classes which she thinks she is fine missing it since she gets the notes from what she missed. All she knew she needed to get a degree to try to further her advancement in her job.
This essay discusses public expectations of nurses, nurse-patient relationships and how to set their guidelines through professional behavior and professional boundaries, what they mean to nurses, and the connection between professional behaviour and professional boundaries.
When people think about nurses, many ideas come to mind. They think of the hideous old starched, white uniforms, a doctor’s handmaiden, the sexy or naughty nurse, or a torturer. The media and society have manipulated the identity and role of nurses. None of these ideas truly portray nurses and what they do. Nurses are with the patients more than the doctors. People do not realize how little they will encounter the doctor in the hospital until they are actually in the hospital. People quickly realize how important nurses are. Because nurses interact with their patients constantly, nurses are the ones who know the patients best.
A profession can be defined as a “prestigious occupation with a high degree of identification among its member that requires a length and rigorous education in an intellectually demanding and theoretically based course of study; that engages in rigorous self-regulation and control; that holds authority over clients; and that puts service to society above simple self interest” (Schwirian, 1998, p. 6). Nursing is just that, and with its specific body of knowledge, standards, and codes of ethics, it is only fitting that it be self-regulated (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2012). The College of Nurses works with registered nurses, registered practical nurses, and nurse practioners to determine whether or not standards and best practices are met and that the public’s safety is protected.
Throughout time the world’s image on Nursing has evolved rapidly. Nurses work in an extremely stressful environment and must carry out their duties in a professional manner to ensure proper procedures are followed throughout their routines. They also have a considerable amount of responsibility that comes with their career. For those reasons nurses must present themselves in a professional and structured manner at all times. The Image of Nursing describes how people in and out of the profession see nurses. Nurses must protect and continuously improve their image by fully applying themselves to their profession every day. Nurses complete rigorous course studies to obtain the ability to manage themselves and lead others towards a common
Relating back to my previous work I noted that it was essential that nurses wore aprons during patient care, ensuring that they discarded of them after patient contact. Not only does wearing an apron act as a barrier it is also recognised as a type of PPC (Personal protective clothing). Cadlin J, Stark S (2005) suggests that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (1991, 1992) says “Health and Safety Regulations require that all healthcare employees are provided with personal protective clothing”. However McCullough (1998) suggests that nurses’ uniforms are not considered protective clothing and that protection within the NHS is provided by the use of disposable aprons. Surprisingly some healthcare workers and qualified nurses were not discarding aprons after patient contact, not only is this bad practice but it increases the risk of cross infection between patients. Babb et al (1983) within Candlin J, Stark S (2005) article found that “although micro-organisms can survive for varying lengths of time and adhere to plastic aprons, they do not multiply and are difficult to redistribute”.
As our global population count continues to exponentially climb, many people are under the impression the world is overpopulated. A lot of society wonders how we will be able to sustain such a large population. An overpopulated planet could cause or enhance problems such as natural resource depletion, global climate change, and starvation. The majority of people believe overpopulation is our world’s most crucial problem, including me. Or at least I did before I read What to Expect When No One is Expecting. This book definitely made me think twice.