• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

Research results in new dress code policy

HCPro's Weekly Update on the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®*, March 20, 2007

A research project was conducted at Winchester (VA) Medical Center to determine how patients view the professional appearance of the facility's nursing staff. The nurse researcher and staff nurses from the Division of Nursing Practice Council surveyed 431 patients, and found that patients reported that they do not care about the color of a staff nurse's uniform. "They do care about the RN having clean, short nails, wearing no excessive jewelry, hair off the shoulders, and having a large print name badge with RN on it," says Carolyn Guinn, RN, MSN, ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® director at Winchester Medical Center. The Division of Nursing Practice Council is currently reviewing the dress code policy and will be making changes, based on the results of the study. "It will be interesting to see the follow up study results in one year after the policy has been changed in regard to how well the patient can identify the RN," Guinn says. Winchester Medical Center is preparing to submit the document in March 2008.

Source: Carolyn Guinn, RN, MSN

• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive