Personal hygiene and uniform is a
particular area that interests me in professionalism. At first I thought
uniforms were just a form of identification, but after thinking about my own personal experiences in the health sector, they play an important part in one's professionalism. If I'm looking for a nurse in the hospital, I'm not going to approach someone who is dressed in tracksuits and ugg boots who is talking to the patient, I'm more likely to assume they are a visitor. I would approach the lady who is wearing her navy blue collared short and white tailored pants holding a clipboard. But it seems that there is more to uniforms than just identification purposes.
The 2010 report called “the impact of
pediatric nurses’ uniforms on perceptions of nurse professionalism”, highlights
how something as simple as first impressions on uniform can affect our
perception on their level of professionalism. This report talks about a survey
that was conducted on pediatric patients (children aged 7-17) and their
visitors on the competency, approachability, attentiveness, professionalism and
reliability of nurses dressed in different uniforms.
A second study in 2006 run by Skorupski and Rea found that a white uniform highlighted that a nurse had the confidence, reliability competence, professionalism and efficacy traits and nurses in a small-print uniform conveyed caring, attractiveness, cooperation, empathy and was approachable. Parents preferred a nurse in a small-print uniform to be the caregiver to their children.
This is just proof that a healthcare worker will be judged on their professionalism and efficacy through how they present themselves. This cements the reason as to why hospitals and other health care facilities have dress codes in which the workers adhere to in order to maintain a level of professionalism across the workers.
