Running head: -nursing uniforms:WHY THERE SHOULD BE A MANDATORY DRESS CODE FOR NURSES

Nurses and uniforms
Why There Should Be a Mandatory Dress Code for nurses
Maria Gutierrez
University of Central Florida

Abstract
The debate about nurses having a mandatory dress code such as a specific uniform and color, (white or not) has been a hot topic lately. The majority of nurses love the freedom they have of choosing their own uniforms and expressing part of their identity and style; however, the major argument is that having everyone on the medical floor wear non-standardized uniforms cause confusion among patients and family members. By being able to choose any particular color and style uniform, nurses are losing the patient’s and …show more content…

For example, a system to help patients identify staff has been introduced at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, criticized for appalling standards of care. A display explaining uniforms has been placed in the hospital’s entrance foyer and there are photographs of each member of staff on the wards where they work. Under each photograph of nurses it reads: “Our aim is to deliver high quality care by treating people the way we and our families would like to be treated.” Patients are invited to speak to staff if good care has not been delivered (Kendall, 2010, p.10).This approach has helped patients to easier identify their caregiver in every discipline.
Another good example is the implementation of a standardized uniform at Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital. “When all these health care workers were wearing just about any- and everything, it really made the nurse invisible. “Now, you can go anywhere in Grady Health System, walk onto any unit, and you know who the nurse is.” The identifying all-white wardrobe, including white shoes, not only tells patients and their family who’s who, it also helps physicians quickly identify the lead caretakers, administrators say (Guthrie, 2010, p.26). This is yet more proof of the positive impact a standardized uniform has made for patients in identifying the Registered Nurse.
It is important for nurses to look