SASKATOON – Weeks ago, Global News told you about a “Wear White” movement that is underway in Saskatchewan among registered nurses, part of a national campaign launched to help patients better identify their nurse while receiving health care.
The campaign has been turning a lot of heads, including those of their colleagues.
“I’ve heard from LPNs who are upset about what the division seems to create because I see LPNs and I see registered nurses really putting into practice the idea of the health care team and I think artificial divisions only serve to harm patient care,” said Barbara Cape, president of SEIU-West.
Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) officials say they launched the campaign after a public poll strongly indicated the importance of the patients’ ability to identify who registered nurses are.
In the early 90’s, registered nurses in the province did away with the caps that helped patients identify them due to issues with infection control.
“They need to know who their care provider is and for us that’s absolutely important. We absolutely fully support all professions but the public is telling us we need to be able to identify who is a caregiver,” said Tracy Zambory, president of SUN.
Since participating in the wear white campaign, registered nurses in Saskatchewan say they’ve only been met with positive reactions from the public, especially among elderly patients.
“We absolutely support licensed practical nurses in the workplace, 100 per cent, but they are not interchangeable with registered nurses and if we are able to have our identity stand out then there will be no role confusion, the public will know that’s my registered nurse,” said Zambory.
SUN maintains patient safety is the number one reason why registered nurses are being encouraged to wear white scrub tops during their shifts.
“There is a difference in the skills and abilities between a registered nurse and a licensed practical nurse but unfortunately, in the workplace, there’s been quite a bit of blurring and SUN maintains that for patient safety sake, we need to be able to know who is the registered nurse and who is the licensed practical nurse.”
Cape says patient safety is a priority for everyone on a health care team and suggests all health care providers identify themselves to the patient by name and title.
SUN officials say in Nova Scotia wearing white has been made mandatory among staff represented by the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union since the winter of 2012. SUN says wearing white is still voluntary among registered nurses here and discussions would need to take place between its members and employer to introduce a standardized uniform.
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