Why Are Nurses Uniforms White?

When you imagine what a nurse looks like, what comes first to your mind? You would probably imagine a vision garbed in white, from the nurses cap down to the shoes. Be glad to know that most of the people out there would imagine the same thing. But have you ever asked yourself why it is so? Why do we see in our mind’s eye a person dressed in all-white when we think of nurses?

A uniform is said to signify discipline, much more if it is a white uniform. You have to take extra care throughout the course of the day so that it won’t get soiled. This might be hard when you are a nurse. There are so many things to do in a single shift that sometimes it can’t be avoided to get dirty. But with years of practice and discipline taking care of a white uniform will get easier.

The history of the nurse’s uniform goes way back to Florence Nightingale’s time. Back then, there were no professional or trained nurses to take care of the sick. What they did have were nuns who dedicated themselves in the care of the sick and dying. So when Nightingale started her school of nursing, she had the uniforms designed from a nun’s habit.

Of course, this isn’t what we see nurses wear now. Through the years the nurse’s uniform has undergone changes and redesigns. What remains of the nun’s habit is the white cap that nurses wear on their heads to have them distinguished from the other health care personnel in the hospital. The long dresses and aprons have now been replaced by white scrub suits that are more comfortable and can be easily washed.

The next time you see nurses in their uniforms, remember that what you are seeing a part of history.

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