Uniforms differentiate managers from nurses
Uniforms differentiate managers from nurses
Joan Towne, coordinator for testing and admitting at Kent County Hospital in Warwick, RI, continues the discussion, first introduced in the January Hospital Access Management, on whether access employees should wear uniforms. Towne says patients frequently comment on how nice it is that admitting staff at her hospital dress alike. There were, however, a few bugs to work out.
The decision was made for employees to wear uniforms because the scheduling and registration areas overlap with the emergency department. Sometimes, it was hard for patients to tell the difference between clerical and nursing personnel. Now, admitting staff's teal uniforms make that distinction easier. "We aren't interrupted for something that is a nursing function. People are hesitant when it comes to change, so we formed a committee [of staff members] that picked the color and styles they wanted. It had to be very specific because if we allowed flexibility, some people could look messy, even with a uniform."
The committee returned to the drawing board to specify how items could be worn. The uniform, for example, can be worn with a white top with no trim. Also, blouses must be tucked in unless worn with a buttoned jacket. After about 18 months, employees are tiring of the color and asking that the guidelines allow more flexibility. "The smaller women want a zipper and button, and the larger ones like elastic. The committee is meeting again."
Overall, the uniform experience has been good, she says. "We're just working out the fine points, and we're so tired of looking at teal."
[If you have an access problem you'd like help with, just ask other Hospital Access Management readers. Send your Access Feedback question to editor Lila Moore at (404) 636-9264. E-mail: [email protected].]
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