Scrubs vs professional attire

elsie.harriselsie.harris
in CDI Talk Archive
We are a new department and have some dissent regarding our dress policy. Looking for feedback - Does anyone else out there where scrubs? If so do you find that there is a different response from the physicians when you are in professional dress vs. scrubs? Any feedback is appreciated. We have a split house and have staff who feel strongly regarding this.

Comments

  • sharon.colesharon.cole
    edited May 2016
    Wish we could wear scrubs but our VP feels we are more professional in business attire.

    Sharon Cole, RN, CCDS
    Providence Health Center
    Case Management Dept
    254.751.4256
    srcole@phn-waco.org


  • katysuegood@gmail.comkatysuegood@gmail.com
    edited May 2016
    We wear business attire but I do not see why scrubs would be inappropriate. We are housed in Care Coordination and the rest of the dept wears business attire, so that’s probably why we do as well.

    Katy Good, RN, BSN, CCDS, CCS
    Clinical Documentation Program Coordinator
    AHIMA Approved ICD-10CM/PCS Trainer
    Flagstaff Medical Center
    Kathryn.Good@nahealth.com
    Cell: 928.814.9404

  • sharon.cooper@owensborohealth.orgsharon.cooper@owensborohealth.org
    edited May 2016
    Our CDS's have the option of wearing scrubs or business casual attire. I am not aware that any of our physicians respond differently based on what the CDS is wearing.

    Sharon Cooper, RN-BC, CCS, CDIP, CCDS
    AHIMA-Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer

  • tpeytontpeyton
    edited May 2016
    casual business attire with white lab coat

    Tracy M Peyton RN, CCDS
    Bradford Regional Medical Center
    Upper Allegany Health Systems
    116 Interstate Parkway
    Bradford, PA 16701
    814-558-0406

  • laura.bohls@prairielakes.comlaura.bohls@prairielakes.com
    edited May 2016
    I used to wear scrubs but after attending the conference this year my director decided I needed to wear dress clothes. I personally don't see any difference in the doctors' attitude toward me. MDs deal with staff all the time that are wearing scrubs so I don't think they view staff differently based on dress.

    Laura Bohls, RN CDS


  • Unknown
    edited May 2016
    I started out with a director who wanted business attire. Now I am allowed to wear business attire or scrubs with decent shoes I might add. The physicians do not seem bothered by what I am wearing. My query response rate is about 96%.

    Charlene

  • mdomineseymdominesey
    edited May 2016
    I tend to disagree with the notion that physicians do not view people differently based on attire. In my experience as a direct care nurse for Behavioral Health where scrubs OR casual business attire (without a tie, of course) is acceptable, I noted a very palpable difference in how the physicians interacted with me when I was in business casual as they were. When I wore scrubs, I was at many times invisible!

    For us CDS's, I would lean on wearing business professional attire (men with a tie, ladies no strappie dresses or too short dresses and with flats or appropriate heels). Physicians seem to respond better when we are dressed in the manner that they dress. Robert's point is well taken too that scrubs are most appropriate for direct care staff.

    One test I like to make - when I am in a meeting with other professionals who are not in direct care, I make a note of what they are wearing and dress similarly according to the prevailing culture in my hospital. I would resist wearing scrubs very strongly!

    Mark



    Mark N. Dominesey, RN, BSN, MBA, CCDS, CDIP
    Clinical Documentation Excellence
    Sr. Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
    Sibley Memorial Hospital

    Information Technology
    5255 Loughboro Rd NW
    Washington DC, 20016-2695

    W: 202.660.6782
    F: 202.537.4477
    mdominesey@sibley.org

    http://www.sibley.org


  • paxnerospaxneros
    edited May 2016

    Business attire w/Lab Coat. As an HIM professional I would not want to wear
    scrubs. However, Im used to wearing a Lab Coat as we wore them for Clinical
    Lab rotations.

    Keeps your clothes cleaner... :)

    N.Brunson, RHIA,CDIP,CCDS

  • vdavis2vdavis2
    edited May 2016
    I like Business Attire for the office... with embroidered CDI Lab Coats on the units.

    I am a nurse/case manager with a background in marketing. All of our CDS's are nurses, so when the CDS's are out on the unit, business attire and a lab coat would be my preference. We fought hard to be recognized and respected for our clinical experience and knowledge, so for us we see it as something that sets us apart from other staff members. At first, our physicians were not very receptive to our CDI program, nor to our coding/HIM staff (which was a shame) but that was just the culture here at the time. We had to overcome stereotypes, so we had to find what worked best for us.

    I can also appreciate why some HIM professionals might not be comfortable wearing scrubs or a lab coat, especially if you are not a nurse by background. Scrubs and Lab coats are just not the "norm" outside of the patient care arena. I would try different things to see what works out best for your hospital! I think trial and error maybe your best asset!

    V ☺


    Vicki S. Davis, RN CDS
    Clinical Documentation Improvement Manager
    Health Information Management Department
    Alamance Regional Medical Center
    Office (336) 586-3765
    Ascom Mobile (336) 586-4191
    Fax (336) 538-7428
    vdavis2@armc.com

    "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."- Samuel "Mark Twain" Clemens


  • afulmerafulmer
    Professional is better. Not suites, just nice knit slacks and wrinkle resistant tops....they are no more expensive than scrubs. I started off with 5 pair of slacks...so I did not have to wash during the week :-) Lab coats w/ name and title is also an option. Since I am currently a one woman team I have chosen to purchase white and black lab coats...who knows what I might try next time.

    Just my thoughts. I do feel more professional and seem to get better response from the physicians.

    Joan Fulmer CCDS
  • dallend@einstein.edudallend@einstein.edu
    edited May 2016


    We work professional attire when our program started 10 years ago. For the past 2 years we have been permitted to wear scrubs. We actually receive a better response since we started wearing scrubs. We are not confused with Case Management any longer. Our case managers can wear scrubs - they have to be navy. We can wear any color other than those we worn by our staff nurses - tan and light blue. We do have a dress code as it relates to scrubs - they must be ironed, no pants dragging on the floor, shoes clean - you still need to look and act professional - not liked you just crawled out of bed. New employees must wear business casual until they are done orientation and have an established relationship with the physicians on their assigned units.



  • paxnerospaxneros
    edited May 2016
    Professional attire was the culture of our HIM program. We took management classes w/the students at the School of Business. Those students were required to wear suits to class 3 days a week. And the females could not wear pants. You did not want to sit next to one of those kids looking like a slouch! :)

    For our weekly clinical rotations we were also required to wear professional attire w/a clean pressed Lab Coat. Again, females were not allowed to wear pants. Males did not have to wear a suit jacket but they had to wear a shirt and tie w/dress pants. No khakis.

    If you forgot your Lab Coat or it was obviously dirty or wrinkled you received a "zero" for the class for that day.

    We even had consultants from local department store chains visit our classes and give lectures on how to dress professionally and for job interviews. :)

    Our HIM staff was actually allowed to wear scrubs for a while but not the CDI personnel. Our current dress code policy for all personnel is dress casual. Khakis and polo shirts are allowed.

    Sometimes on the floor I am mistaken for another dept.- Dietician, Socoal Worker, Pharmacy, P.A., etc. But that could go for anyone is scrubs as well.

    NBrunson, RHIA,CDIP,CCDS

  • fishdl@shands.ufl.edufishdl@shands.ufl.edu
    edited May 2016
    We report to the HIM department and follow their dress code...scrubs or business casual. Most of us wear white lab coats when on the floors.
    We've been mistaken for everything from physicians to wound care, Hospice nurses, and lift team. It gives us a chance to introduce ourselves and explain what we do.

  • elsie.harriselsie.harris
    Thank you everyone for all your responses! It has helped a great deal.
  • vdavis2vdavis2
    edited May 2016
    I think this would be a good ACDIS survey question... You will have to tell us what attire you landed on for your team!

    Vicki S. Davis, RN CDS
    Clinical Documentation Improvement Manager
    Health Information Management Department
    Alamance Regional Medical Center
    Office (336) 586-3765
    Ascom Mobile (336) 586-4191
    Fax (336) 538-7428
    vdavis2@armc.com

    "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."- Samuel "Mark Twain" Clemens

  • don.cdi.rn@gmail.comdon.cdi.rn@gmail.com
    edited May 2016
    There is an on-line poll question from 6/2009:

    What do you wear on the job as a CDI specialist?
    49% Business casual
    6% Formal businesswear
    32% Lab coat
    8% Nursing scrubs
    4% Casual attire
    1% Other

    http://www.hcpro.com/acdis/view_readerpoll_results.cfm?quiz_id=1632

    The CDS's wear business casual, I wear suits.

    Don


    Donald A. Butler, RN, BSN
    Manager, Clinical Documentation
    Vidant Medical Center, Greenville NC
    DButler@vidanthealth.com ( mailto:mDButler@vidanthealth.com )


  • elsie.harriselsie.harris
    Vicki - I'll tell you where we landed. We have staff who feel strongly on both sides and have agreed for those who want to wear scrubs they can do it on days they will not be rounding with physicians or in meetings typically Monday and Friday but the rest of the week and for those that prefer to wear professional dress we will be in professional dress with lab coats. So we will see how it goes!
  • vdavis2vdavis2
    edited May 2016
    What a great compromise! Would love to see how that goes! On that note, I would love to have a couple of polo's that are embroidered with our Name, CDS, and hospital logo. Maybe the happy medium for both!

    Vicki S. Davis, RN CDS
    Clinical Documentation Improvement Manager
    Health Information Management Department
    Alamance Regional Medical Center
    Office (336) 586-3765
    Ascom Mobile (336) 586-4191
    Fax (336) 538-7428
    vdavis2@armc.com

    "The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."- Samuel "Mark Twain" Clemens

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