Uniforms serve both a profound and highly functional purpose in the field of nursing. They become an identifiable trademark of nurses in order to distinguish them from doctors, surgeons and other medical professionals. The distinction they create helps patients and hospital administrators to set them apart from other employees for easier distribution of tasks. In this manner, it would be more convenient and effortless to call for their attention and assistance when the need arises. Aside from this, the clothing also helps them accomplish their critical function in the equation of hospital responsibilities. Ultimately, nurse uniforms should have all the necessities of the job and should contribute to the efficient execution of their pertinent roles in caring for patients. Their uniforms are not based solely on the dictates of fashion but of utilitarianism. Nurses wear clothes that allow them to fulfill tasks even during times of emergencies and urgent needs of patients.
It is hard to imagine how medical professionals, especially nurses, can function without a uniform. Since their line of job entails them to carry out tasks instrumental to saving people’s lives, even the clothes they wear to work matter a lot in the field. For the sake of cleanliness, they cannot just go about doing their duties wearing typical clothes. The nature of their jobs makes them prone to getting their uniforms stained, so it is a given that they need working clothes, which they can readily clean and sanitize.
The skills and knowledge may be what truly make a nurse, but no one can deny that looking the part is also a necessary part of the job. Patients have associated a certain type of uniform to nurses. Without wearing one, even a head nurse who have been working in the medical industry for decades, will not gain the trust of a patient. Nurse uniforms can yield power, authority, competence, and even people’s trust to a nurse. Being able to wear authentic nurse uniforms is an honor to most in the medical industry because it is a sign of years of study, hard work, and service. Only a handful of people who have passed the academic rigors and licensure examinations can wear the uniform with pride and hospital’s permission.
Because of their importance, nurse uniforms have undergone a number of alterations for them to be able to look the part and achieve functionality required in this line of job. Nowadays, most hospitals have also considered neutral gender looking uniforms since there have been a rise of male nurses in the past years.
Some people might say that they are just mere clothes, but looking at it from the perspective of medical professionals, we will see that nurse uniforms indeed serve a very important purpose. They help the overall organization and structure of hospitals, no matter how small or big they may be, to execute functions and responsibilities smoothly. For nurses, wearing them is not a choice, but a requirement and an honor, as well. In conclusion, hospitals will be better medical institutions if they require nurse uniforms compared to not considering their necessity at all.
