Evolution Of Nursing Uniforms - How They Have Changed

There were really no hospitals before the 19th century

, so there was no official uniform. Single women would travel around doing house calls for the sick, but they were not very well respected because they were known to drink and carouse at night. Nuns would also perform nursing duties, and their habit was the basis for the first nursing uniforms. They consisted of a dress, a pinafore apron or a cobbler style apron, and a banded nurse's cap.

By the 1840s, nurses began to command some respect. They wore a matronly version of a servant's uniform. The dress was ankle-length. When they traveled from location to location they would wear coats, cloaks, and warm hats. Once inside, they donned their white hat and apron.

By the 1880s, formal nursing schools were created by Florence Nightingale. This is when the uniform really took its shape to distinguish the formally trained students from the untrained, common women who practiced nursing activities. The hat was established as a sign of rank. A colored band of ribbon would stretch across the hat indicating the level of training and experience. However, the hat was also used as a form of discipline and could be taken away for bad behavior. Nurses just beginning their training did not even get a hat until a few months into their education.

At the turn of the century, the uniform became more form-fitting, tailored, and more detailed with pockets, a button down neck, and pointy collar. A bib also covered the upper body, and gathered at the waist, and an apron was worn on the bottom. This helped to differentiate it from the servants uniform.

The most drastic changes to the nursing uniform came about from World War I. The large number of sick and wounded needing urgent care shifted the focus from form to function. The aprons proved to be bulky and hindered the efficiency of care so they were often discarded. The long sleeves were rolled up, and skirts became shorter for better mobility.

During World War II, the military nurses uniform would depend somewhat on their location. It was often made of a gray wool and rayon fabric which would have been very warm. They wore a military inspired jacket and skirt.

During the 30's and 40's the uniforms became more fashionable. Nursing was quickly being recognized as an exciting and respected profession.

By the 1950s, the traditional hat began to change and was replaced with a more unisex paper hat. This hat was easier to maintain and was also an attempted to attract men to the nursing profession. By the 1970s, the hat all but disappeared.

By the 1990s, scrubs or tunics, consisting of loose drawstring pants and a v-neck tunic or top, took the place of the dress. This also helped to differentiate the trained nurses from the untrained or lesser trained employees like candy-stripers or secretaries. This continues to be the uniform worn today.

by: Albert Nel

POST COMMENT

Nursing Uniforms: Why They Matter The Benefits Of Using Nursing Care Beds Looking To Move Into Nursing Administration? Earn A Masters Degree In Nursing What Is Nursing? What Do Nurses Do? Helping Hands Of A Certified Nursing Assistant How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant? How to Find the Correct Accelerated Nursing Plan Nursing Shortages In The United States All About Cardiac Care Nursing Nursing And Unions - Are You Union Made? The Importance Of Nursing In The Military Isolation Precautions to be taken in Nursing Care in Boise, ID Top 5 Nursing Specializations