Robinwood Construction Update Newsletter
Anyone who had to wear school uniforms as a child knows how instantly recognizable they are—one glance and all the neighbors know exactly which school that child attends.
While instant recognition may be annoying for students, it’s a great thing for nurses and their patients. In the past, nurses at Washington County Hospital wore a rainbow of cheerful colors to work. But like many other hospitals across the country, we discovered that colorful uniforms sometimes confused our patients and their families. It could be difficult to tell if the person visiting a patient’s room was the nurse on duty, another staff member, or even a visitor.
As a first step, the hospital changed the nurses’ identification badges, adding a bold “RN” tag that is easier to spot. And in June, the nurses began wearing new scrubs in solid colors. All of Washington County Hospital’s nurses now wear ensembles of navy blue and white, a crisp combination that better reflects their professionalism.
More importantly, it makes our nurses immediately identifiable to patients and families. “It’s about patient satisfaction,” said Jody Bishop, an advisor to the nursing department’s Professional Development Council. She added that the Council wanted to switch to the new uniforms before the staff moves to Meritus Medical Center in December. In the new hospital, the staff’s focus on patient-centered and family-centered care will be even stronger with the facility’s single-patient rooms and other amenities.
