Do the Clothes really matter?

A while back I was reading a post done by one of my favourite bloggers StorytellERdoc his post was titled "He is Loved".  It's a must read if you ask me.  I believe the Doc was trying to demonstrate the old saying "Don't judge a book by it's cover".  In my comment to the Doc I said his post was heartfelt and it reminded me of a paper I had written when I was working on my degree.

My paper was titled "Do the clothes really matter".  It was a reflection on how the nursing uniform has changed from the time of Florence Nightingale.  It posed the question on whether wearing a uniform makes for better nurse and or nursing care.  While doing my research for this paper I came across many articles written about the patients perception of the nurse and the care they received or would receive.  One of the papers I read  the author had interviewed psychiatric patients and asked them their perception on whether they felt they would receive better or worse care dependant on the nurses attire.  Their response was that they appreciated the nurse wearing a uniform as it distinguished them from others in their environment and they knew that would be a person they could go to.

Today as you know it can be difficult to identify your nurse and I think we have become a little lack in what is acceptable.   I am not sure it is the lack of uniform to blame but rather a lack of identification.  At the facility I work the official identification card lumps RN's, LPN's and RCA's all under the title of "Nursing".  So from a patients perspective they don't know who they are dealing with unless the individual identifies themselves. I remember when I was in nursing school my instructor always said to us  that when we go to a patients bedside we should identify ourselves i.e. Good morning Mr or Mrs ..... I am .......and I will be your RN for today.  That has stayed with me and to this day even with my barely conscious patients I tell them who I am and what my name is.

This brings to mind another topic on clothing and attire.  Multi coloured hair and tattoos seem to be the norm.  Not a very professional look if you ask me.  Don't get me wrong I don't have a problem with either, but I do think it looks less professional.  I have seen RN's and other healthcare providers with tattoo "Sleeves" and almost rainbow hair.  Do these interfere with their care....I would hope not, but from a patients perspective they might feel a little put off and wonder about the care they are receiving.

Maybe I am old school, but we certainly have come a long way from the white uniforms and caps.

What are your thoughts.....Do the clothes really matter?