Nurses Uniforms: Past and Present

Formal nurses' uniforms epitomize simplicity, utility and hygiene. For more info about uniforms nurses, follow the link. Though few are seen today, a formal nurse's uniform includes a dress, a cap and an apron.

The original pattern of the Nurse's Uniform has stood the test of time, even as changes and modifications have been made. In the halls of most hospitals, nurses are seen wearing brightly colored scrubs instead of white dresses. Dress designers and manufacturers worked hard to make sure that nurses' uniforms were not only functional, but attractive. As in the past, today's nurses' uniforms must be comfortable and functional, but they must also match the level of professionalism of the hospitals in which they work.

A History of the Nurse's Uniform Here is what nursing uniforms used to look like. The design of nursing uniforms originated from the nun's habit. As a part of their duties, nuns usually took care of sick patients. Follow the link for more information on medical uniforms. Following this, the original nurses' uniforms featured white dresses that were similar to nuns' dresses. Miss Van Rensselaer, from Florence Nightingale's school, is credited with designing some of the earliest nurses' uniforms. Instead of white dresses however, they were blue.
Time for a Change The 1980s saw a change in nurse uniform design in many places around the world. Some changes included the color of the clothing, the cut of the pieces, and design that prevented infection.

In with the Scrub, Out with the Dress In the US, scrubs replaced nurses' dresses in the 1990s. Though hospitals in the United States quickly made the transition from dresses to scrubs, other countries kept the traditional nurses' uniforms longer. As more and more hospitals privatized and adopted more corporate polices, however, nurses uniforms became standardized. Nurses' dresses have been replaced with scrubs in most places. Now, nurses' dresses are rarely seen in first world countries.

Scrub Design Scrubs are simplistically designed to allow health care professionals to function during surgery. Scrubs come in many different colors and patterns, but are designed quite similarly. The change to scrubs brought more comfort to nurses who were used to wearing restrictive dresses. Scrubs are also more pleasing to the eye, as they are not as drably colored as traditional nurses' dresses. Nurses working outside are required to wear a standard jacket over their scrubs. The jacket is a requirement. Those nurses who do not comply with the dress code can have their employment called into question by their supervisors.

Different Uniforms in Different Places Different variations on the scrub design exist in different places around the world. Different pant lengths and types, unisex garment designs and lab coats are all examples of variations on the nurse's scrub that have appeared in hospitals around the world. Take a look at these uniforms and scrubs. No matter the variation, scrubs are less expensive than other uniform designs and tend to look better. Low costs and style make these uniforms attractive to most nurses.