Hospital frontline staff Uniforms Q

Stingray

Could anyone enlighten me as to the policy of wearing of uniforms outside of the confines of the hospital, for frontline staff, in particular nurses?

I assume the HSE has a policy on this

Thanks

Delancey

I don't know any female nurse that would wear her uniform outside the hospital - apparently it can draw unwanted and unwelcome attention.
Dunno about HSE policy per se.

eilo1

Most hospitals will make you change into uniform at work as you are not to wear it outside the hospital. Its supposedly for infection control, but doctors dont wear a uniform so it make little sense to me. :rolleyes:

In theory there would be no problem to wear your uniform home on say a friday if it was your intention to wash it over the weekend. But most people just dont.

Dr Galen

There is no set HSE policy on this, though individual hospitals often will have something.

There is a pretty severe lack of changing facilities in many of our hospitals, so you will find that even if a policy exists, its isn't always implemented.

For what its worth, lots of academic research shows that it makes feck all difference from an infection control point of view, as more often than not, there are so many other people coming and going on a daily basis, that having only one group of workers adhering to such a policy is moot.

It has been shown though, that if you apply such a policy to pretty much all the staff in a hospital (like scrubs for everyone) then you can see a difference.

More often than not though, if this sort of thing is of concern, its more useful to look at the non-clinical visitors to a hospital ward tbh.

Lastly, even if you had all the good stuff - there is simply no substitute for good hand hygiene and internal infection control practice

A Neurotic

On a related note, I've been wondering - is there any good reason doctors don't wear uniforms? Seems like every single other type of hospital staff does.

opinion guy

A Neurotic wrote: »

On a related note, I've been wondering - is there any good reason doctors don't wear uniforms? Seems like every single other type of hospital staff does.

No good reason.
There is a bad reason - image.

2Scoops

I can think of a good one: increased laundry bills.
Is there a compelling reason why doctors should wear uniforms?

bbam

I know a couple of hospitals where the management policy is that uniforms are not to be worn outside the hospital.. people have been spoken to about it too.

eilo1

2Scoops wrote: »

I can think of a good one: increased laundry bills.
Is there a compelling reason why doctors should wear uniforms?

Most hospital staff have to wash their own uniforms at home

Pharmasists dont normally wear a uniform in hospital either.

I dont really see the need for doctors to wear uniforms, but I dont think they should be wearing high heels. Iv seen female doctors trying to run for a code bell in high heels and that is just ridiculous.

While we are on the topic if any head of hospital or department is reading this, let physio's wear track suit bottoms and runners please. We do spend a good deal of the day in a gym! :P:pac:

Delancey

A Neurotic wrote: »

On a related note, I've been wondering - is there any good reason doctors don't wear uniforms? Seems like every single other type of hospital staff does.

I can see it now - consultants dressed in glittering gold braid looking like the late Colonel Gaddafi

lonestargirl

There are issues in some hospitals which don't have staff changing areas and thus they have to come into work in their uniform. I do think a uniform conveys some element of professionalism. I was visiting a hospital in Amsterdam recently for work and you couldn't tell who was staff and who was a patient which I found really odd. There were 2 elements to it that were odd, consultants in jeans + heels and also some extremely casually dressed (tracksuits) staff.

Stingray

bbam wrote: »

I know a couple of hospitals where the management policy is that uniforms are not to be worn outside the hospital.. people have been spoken to about it too.

Where?

El_Dangeroso

There was a study done on a hospital in the US on sources of infection. One of the biggest sources of infection was doctor's ties, as they are worn every day and very rarely laundered, they also drape over patients when the physician is leaning across a bed etc.

I think said hospital had a reduction in infection rates when they banned the wearing of ties.

A uniform policy should be everyone or no one if the idea is to increase infection control, otherwise it's completely pointless.

Dr Galen

Stingray wrote: »

Where?

Why is this element so important? This is a discussion forum, not an information service tbh

Stingray

Dr Galen wrote: »

Why is this element so important? This is a discussion forum, not an information service tbh

I didn't rate my question, I think its you that is rating it as "so important", I merely asked the question, if poster wishes to respond, so be it if not, my life doesn't stop

Thinking about it, I thought I actually responded, then noticed no post, so I posted again, maybe my original post of "where" was censored, amazing if so

If you view my original question as an information question, which I do, then delete/lock the whole post as a moderator, please do

Dr Galen

i'm just interested to know why you want to know?

Forgive me for being interested as to why someone who has never posted here before, and barely posts on the whole site in the 8 years since signing up wants to know specifically which hospitals would have such a policy.

Have you maybe seen something a bit dodge going on?

Stingray

Dr Galen wrote: »

Forgive me for being interested as to why someone who has never posted here before, and barely posts on the whole site in the 8 years since signing up wants to know specifically which hospitals would have such a policy?

Attack the post not the poster, that’s the usual Moderator retort, I wasn’t aware that a certain amount of qualifying posts entitle a post, but that would be an illogical structure

With regards to ‘something dodgy’ that your trying to illicit, that’s not the language I would use. If I saw something wrong, I would go to the source, not an internet forum

Getting back to my original post, which relates to, if the HSE had a policy on wearing of uniforms outside of hospital surrounds, you posted that they didn’t, another poster indicated that certain hospitals had.

I wouldn’t get so touchy on this, if this information is appropriate to suppress so be it

misschoo

I'm nearly sure that the hospital I work in enforces this no uniforms outside of work policy but will double check tomorrow

misschoo

And for the record I tend to just read a lot of the forums here rather than post - I only post if something catches me...... I think it's unfair to try to start saying that the OP has only so many posts etc! Just because people don't have 3K+ posts doesn't mean that their opinions/queries aren't valid! (Just sayin' )

Dr Galen

Hold on a sec... you asked me why I was interested in your question, I told you. I honestly don't care how many posts someone has tbh. There are loads of forums here that I don't post in, but read pretty often. I was interested as tbh it's a pretty random question.

I did point out above, that most individual hospitals do have a uniform policy, but that the HSE as a whole doesn't. I also pointed out the deficiencies in the system at present, i.e. lack of changing facilities, lack of proof that wearing a uniform outside the hospital has any effect on infection control, and a suggestion that a "uniform" for all staff can make a difference. I don't see any suppression there tbh.

As for the something dodgey I was alluding to, I'm talking about something inappropriate that maybe you had seen. For example, I once say a student nurse, on the ground under their car, just before walking onto the ward to work for the day. I didn't feel that was cool at all, so we got him some scrubs for the day. That sort of thing is what I'm getting at.

misschoo

"Forgive me for being interested as to why someone who has never posted here before, and barely posts on the whole site in the 8 years since signing up wants to know specifically which hospitals would have such a policy."

Dr Galen wrote: »

Hold on a sec... you asked me why I was interested in your question, I told you. I honestly don't care how many posts someone has tbh. There are loads of forums here that I don't post in, but read pretty often. I was interested as tbh it's a pretty random question.
.

You obviously do! Maybe the OP happened to be in a hospital & saw this & posted a query! There's no need for a Spanish inquisition!!

Stingray

Dr Galen wrote: »

Hold on a sec... you asked me why I was interested in your question

Never once did I

I have asked as to a policy and further posts indicated that there were Hospital specific policies, I've kept in on topic each time

Larianne

eilo1 wrote: »

While we are on the topic if any head of hospital or department is reading this, let physio's wear track suit bottoms and runners please. We do spend a good deal of the day in a gym! :P:pac:

A lot do.

Also, not 100% certain but I think you can claim money back on purchasing and laundering your uniform. I know as a care assistant I could.. (never did though. :rolleyes:)

eilo1

Larianne wrote: »

eilo1 wrote: »

While we are on the topic if any head of hospital or department is reading this, let physio's wear track suit bottoms and runners please. We do spend a good deal of the day in a gym! :P:pac:

A lot do.

Also, not 100% certain but I think you can claim money back on purchasing and laundering your uniform. I know as a care assistant I could.. (never did though. :rolleyes:)

Really?!? I hope your right iv been in 5 hospitals now they all insist on trousers and shoes. Boo

Larianne

eilo1 wrote: »

Really?!? I hope your right iv been in 5 hospitals now they all insist on trousers and shoes. Boo

Yep. Especially in the out-patient departments. Maybe they bend the rules? Never asked.

eilo1

Larianne wrote: »

eilo1 wrote: »

Really?!? I hope your right iv been in 5 hospitals now they all insist on trousers and shoes. Boo

Yep. Especially in the out-patient departments. Maybe they bend the rules? Never asked.

Maybe thats it! Im doing my first outpatient placement in January. Fingers crossed for comfort! Lol

misschoo

As far as I'm aware (though I don't wear a uniform) you can claim it back through your tax

Larianne

A Neurotic wrote: »

On a related note, I've been wondering - is there any good reason doctors don't wear uniforms? Seems like every single other type of hospital staff does.

Only recently enough that Dieticians started wearing tunics as far as I know. (well last hospital I was in was first that I saw this). Pharmacists don't wear a uniform either.

sam34

a lot of psych nurses dont wear uniforms.

opinion guy

sam34 wrote: »

a lot of psych nurses dont wear uniforms.

Ah well there is a reason for that! :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x0KEzK3voo

Dozen Wicked Words

Dont have a problem with Nurses wearing their uniform into or out of work, find it unpleasant when I see them walking round the supermarket in a uniform though, if their day is anything like the average nurses, there will have been some seriously manky stuff done throughout their working day.

Re Tax, you certainly cant claim back anywhere near what the uniform costs by the way.

Chiparus

Nurses used to wear white uniforms, they now wear navy, ask them which they prefer and they say navy because navy uniforms are easier to keep clean........ie dirt is less obvious.:rolleyes:

eilo1

Chiparus wrote: »

Nurses used to wear white uniforms, they now wear navy, ask them which they prefer and they say navy because navy uniforms are easier to keep clean........ie dirt is less obvious.:rolleyes:

On all my placement the phsyio's complain that the white tunics are a nightmare as they turn grey after a couple of washes. The colour from the navy script and line on the sleeve run in the wash. This make it impossible to keep them looking clean. Now the ISCP have new navy airtext tee shirts available. These are not as you insinuate to hide dirt but to look professional and give uniforms longevity.

Minier81

A Neurotic wrote: »

On a related note, I've been wondering - is there any good reason doctors don't wear uniforms? Seems like every single other type of hospital staff does.

Scientific and engineering staff don't wear uniforms either. Plenty of hospital staff don't have uniforms.

Chiparus

eilo1 wrote: »

On all my placement the phsyio's complain that the white tunics are a nightmare as they turn grey after a couple of washes. The colour from the navy script and line on the sleeve run in the wash. This make it impossible to keep them looking clean. Now the ISCP have new navy airtext tee shirts available. These are not as you insinuate to hide dirt but to look professional and give uniforms longevity.

Doctors wear ties to look professional, nurses tell me that navy uniforms are easier to keep clean.

In theatre uniforms are provided for staff so if they get dirty or contaminated they can be changed.

Hospitals should provide clean uniforms for all staff.
Ideally these should be white.

sam34

A Neurotic wrote: »

On a related note, I've been wondering - is there any good reason doctors don't wear uniforms? Seems like every single other type of hospital staff does.

where i work the secretarial staff don't wear uniforms and neither do most of the nurses. the allied health professionals, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, don't wear uniforms.

A Neurotic

Yeah, I clearly wasn't thinking when I said "every" :rolleyes:

Stingray

sam34 wrote: »

where i work the secretarial staff don't wear uniforms and neither do most of the nurses

Its that a typo? You mean most of them wear their civvies?

Dr Galen

No typo Stingray, most (if not all) psych and ID nurses wouldn't wear a uniform. Neither would public health nurses either actually.

sam34

Stingray wrote: »

Its that a typo? You mean most of them wear their civvies?

not a typo. most of the nurses wear their own clothes, not uniforms.

Dozen Wicked Words

Reason theres so many Navy uniforms is nothing to do with keeping them clean, its to do with the ridiculous amount of Managers in nursing. Not enough to do the work and more than enough to audit them and tell them they aren't doing it right, whilst introducing some other pointless piece of paperwork.

They manage to create and fill managers positions no bother even whilst embargoed, not sure how, but it doesn't work the same for those actually doing the work.

RacoonQueen

Chiparus wrote: »

Doctors wear ties to look professional, nurses tell me that navy uniforms are easier to keep clean.

I'd imagine they mean it hides things like ink stains rather than saying navy uniforms don't start stinking of BO and navy uniforms don't pick up infections. Sky blue/white uniforms can get very grubby looking, while royal blue/navy stays looking 'new' much longer.