ER Dress Code?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Chris127

Senior Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
454
Reaction score
2
Points
4,531
I recently received an opporunity to shadow and assist an ER physician at our local trauma center. However, I am required to wear a white polo shirt tucked in to khaki pants. It surprised me that there was a dress code. I cant wait to start this position, but I am curious as to whether anyone else has any experience working in an ER? If so, were you required to wear anything specific?
 
Chris127 said:
I recently received an opporunity to shadow and assist an ER physician at our local trauma center. However, I am required to wear a white polo shirt tucked in to khaki pants. It surprised me that there was a dress code. I cant wait to start this position, but I am curious as to whether anyone else has any experience working in an ER? If so, were you required to wear anything specific?


You are lucky, usually its shirt and tie.
 
I just had to wear the scrubs that they provided...but i volunteered in a trauma center



Edit:...and they were pink 🙁
 
I had to wear a collared shirt.
 
I haven't seen any hospitals with a different dress code. When I was at Stanford and UCD, they both required khaki's and a polo shirt. UCD required wearing this smock or something which was strange, but now they offer their own polo shirts which you can buy...haha. Same thing applies at other community hospitals up here, the volunteers just wore polo/khaki's

msafain said:
You are lucky, usually its shirt and tie.

Wow thats hardcore. Shirt/tie is required for everyone else other than volunteer. However UCDMC is doing away with ties since it may be possible to carry infectious diseases from one patient to another. Myself and our faculty gave a giant sigh of relief when we realized that soon we will not have to wear ties! 😀
 
I volunteered in the ER for over a year, and we had the same dress code. But we could wear scrubs if we wanted to. I wasnt surprised, did u expect to show up in jeans? People take you more seriously when you look professional.
 
I had to wear scrubs, specific colors they specified.
They don't want you to look like a street person, but you have to be functional.
 
Chris127 said:
I recently received an opporunity to shadow and assist an ER physician at our local trauma center. However, I am required to wear a white polo shirt tucked in to khaki pants. It surprised me that there was a dress code. I cant wait to start this position, but I am curious as to whether anyone else has any experience working in an ER? If so, were you required to wear anything specific?


My volunteering time at ER I had to wear Khakis.
Shadowing: Shirt and tie. When you get close to patients it probably helps if you don't look like a bum. Nothing wrong with shirt and tie cause you'll be wearing alot of it in the future, might as well get used to it.
 
msafain said:
You are lucky, usually its shirt and tie.

A shirt and tie do not mix in the ER. Everyone wears scrubs.

When I shadowed trauma surgery, I wore khaki pants and a polo shirt on rounds, but showed up in scrubs when we had an ER trauma call.

As a hospital volunteer in the ER, I wore khaki scrubs and a green scrub top, as required for that uniform. In another ER, I wore white scrub pants and a teal volunteer jacket.

The common thread is always scrubs, as EVERYONE that works in the ER wears them.
 
msafain said:
You are lucky, usually its shirt and tie.
I'd giggle if I saw someone wearing that in the ER. All the patients are wearing street clothes, and most of the staff is wearing scrubs of some sort.
 
I work in an ED, so I wear scrubs. However, not even the medical students wear ties. They wear any color non-denim pants, and generally a polo or button shirt with or without a lab coat.
 
Pose said:
I work in an ED, so I wear scrubs. However, not even the medical students wear ties. They wear any color non-denim pants, and generally a polo or button shirt with or without a lab coat.

I seriously doubt this. I've been in hundreds of ER's as a paramedic, and 100% of the time the medical students are wearing scrubs.
 
OSUdoc08 said:
A shirt and tie do not mix in the ER. Everyone wears scrubs.

When I shadowed trauma surgery, I wore khaki pants and a polo shirt on rounds, but showed up in scrubs when we had an ER trauma call.

As a hospital volunteer in the ER, I wore khaki scrubs and a green scrub top, as required for that uniform. In another ER, I wore white scrub pants and a teal volunteer jacket.

The common thread is always scrubs, as EVERYONE that works in the ER wears them.


I did an emergency rotation where the students weren't allowed to wear scrubs. I think it's silly, but dress clothes are the EM dress code in some places. I've actually seen occasional EM attendings wearing ties, too.

Personally, I think it is a bad idea to work in an ED wearing anything other than scrubs.
 
In the ER I volunteer at, all personnel wear scrubs. The doctors wear light blue scrubs and the nurses wear dark blue scrubs. The med students wear light blue scrubs with their short white coats. As a volunteer, I have been wearing khaki pants and a button up shirt, but they are going to start letting me wear scrubs since I look like some of the visitors.
 
DrMom said:
I did an emergency rotation where the students weren't allowed to wear scrubs. I think it's silly, but dress clothes is the EM dress code in some places. I've actually seen occasional EM attendings wearing ties, too.

Personally, I think it is a bad idea to work in an ED wearing anything other than scrubs.

Where at?
 
BrettBatchelor said:
Everytime I have shadowed I've worn shirt and tie. It's the safest bet.

My preceptor in the ER gave me scrubs to wear my first day and I just take them home and wear them everytime I go.
In the ER I have shadowed/volunteered in ties are banned (I guess psych patients could try to strangle you :laugh: )
 
We're supposed to wear white pants of some sort, a white shirt that isn't a teeshirt, and this ubber ghey blue jacket.

I normally have white scrub pants on and a white tank top under the jacket which buttons up as high as a shirt. Nice shirts for women don't show under the jacket unless there is a lot of unecessary fru fru on them so the tank top passes.
I look professional and stay nice and cool while they keep me running.



OSUdoc08 said:
When I shadowed trauma surgery, I wore khaki pants and a polo shirt on rounds, but showed up in scrubs when we had an ER trauma call.

As I understand, you were in the DFW area. Who/where did you shadow, if you don't mind?
 
Khakis, sneakers, and collared shirt are required where i volunteer at.


i am quite surprised how many of you are actually allowed to wear scrubs. we were told that we were not allowed to wear scrubs because they didn't want patients and guests mistaking us for nurses or doctors.
 
novawildcat said:
Khakis, sneakers, and collared shirt are required where i volunteer at.


i am quite surprised how many of you are actually allowed to wear scrubs. we were told that we were not allowed to wear scrubs because they didn't want patients and guests mistaking us for nurses or doctors.
I don't know why the hospital would be concerned about this. There are quite a few ER Techs roaming around who aren't doctors and nurses. Also, the patients can't force a volunteer to perform a procedure on them. To me, it seems that wearing scrubs would be more comforting to a patient when you are visiting with them compared to a volunteer uniform. I think your hospital is over thinking their policy.
 
you cant wear jeans in the hospital i volunteer at...
 
OSUdoc08 said:
I seriously doubt this. I've been in hundreds of ER's as a paramedic, and 100% of the time the medical students are wearing scrubs.

The hell are you to doubt what I say? I'll say it again: the medical students do NOT wear suits, or even ties where I work...In a busy emergency department.


EDIT: Oh you said scrubs
 
>
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom