Philippine E-Journals

Nurses’ white and colored uniforms: a comparative study in a pediatric setting

Lourdes Marie S. Tejero | Concesa V. Oandasan

Discipline: medicine by specialism

 

Abstract:

The Philippine Children’s Medical Center is a tertiary pediatric nationa referral center in the Philippines. Its nursing staff trained to render specialized pediatric care, has devised various strategies to effectively care for sick children. One of these strategies is the wearing of nurses’ of solid pastel colors. This study aims to determine if indeed hospitalized children react more positively to nurses in colored uniforms than to those in the traditional white uniforms, and if hospitalized children show preference for those in colored uniforms. Hospitalized children 1 % - 6 years old) at PCMC were observed on their reaction upon seeing the nurse (in white then in colored uniform) enter to touch and talk with them. It was noted that some children were more hesitant to talk with the nurse in white and they showed more negative behaviour like crying, turning their backs on the nurse, and refusing to interact. Afterwards the children were given a syringe (without a needle) and he/she prefers. Both nurses had their backs facing the child. Findings showed that children prefer nurses in colored uniforms. The study’s conclusion that children prefer nurses in colored uniforms and that they react negatively to those in white supports the use of colored and attractive paraphernalia in the care of sick children. Moreover colored paraphernalia like uniforms seem to have a deeper effect on sick children other than attraction. This can be studied further.