When Comfort Meets Professionalism

By Author: Sadie King
Total Articles: 14
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The uniform in question most commonly belongs to a police office or member of the military, but it could be just about any occupation. Pilots? Sure. Baseball players. Of course. UPS drivers? Yup. So why not scrubs?

A generation or so ago, nurses worse crisp white uniforms, complete with equally crisp white hats perched atop their heads. This was about as professional a look as there ever was. Patients trusted nurses. They believed what nurses told them. And they did what Nurse Smith told them to do.

Today's world is more casual. CEOs wear blue jeans. A few years ago, a group of female athletes wore flip-flops to meet the President. And nurses wear scrubs. So scrubs are the new uniform. And you know what? Scrubs may not contain as much starch, but they definitely give professional identity to those who wear them.

Whether they work in a hospital, clinic, or senior living facility it's important for the health care staff to project that professional identity. In fact, it's probably more important when working with seniors. In those other health care settings, the patient goes to the facility, gets shown to ...
... an exam room and easily recognizes that those that work there are, well, workers. But in a senior living community, there are other seniors, administrators, activity leaders, visitors, kitchen staff and housekeepers moving through the halls. Seeing the nurses and CNA's in scrubs is one way for residents to identify someone who can help them. Someone with training. Someone they can trust.

First of all, it makes it easier for patients to recognize staff members. Secondly, it says that the person is a professional - someone trained in the health profession. It gives patients - or senior residents - confidence in that person's abilities to do his or her job.

Starched white uniforms had their place once upon a time, but scrubs are more practical. They serve the same professional purpose, but are (much) more comfortable for those wearing them. They are more practical - they don't show stains as easily. And while still maintaining that professional image, they're more casual. Friendlier, so to speak. Nurses in scrubs are more approachable. And in a senior living setting, that's important.

Some health care settings allow their workers to wear "street clothes," but anecdotal evidence has shown that both the worker and the seniors prefer the scrubs. Nurses who wear scrubs feel more professional, which boosts their self-confidence and self image. And that confidence in turn, tells others that they're dealing with a professional. So… everybody's happy. (And comfortable.)

For more information about Sassy Scrubs, please visit http://www.sassyscrubs.com