Education in San Antonio

Nurses Uniforms History might begin in the Middle Ages. Nuns and monks performed their nursing duties mostly within the monasteries. The traditional dress of monks and nuns were the uniforms worn by the nursing brethren as they attended to all who needed their services. From the 1600s into the 1800s nurses were not looked up to, but rather were often viewed as having substandard morality. The reason for that point of view was a result of unmarried female nurses staying overnight in their patients homes, or in the hospital basements where drinking and carousing went on.

Some nurses who were only partially trained, were employed by local health officials or cities, in the 1800s, to attend to the care of the poor who could not afford to have a proper doctor. Their uniforms were mature looking and dignified and lent more to the appearance of a lady.

By 1850 when Florence Nightingale, daughter of a wealthy British landowner, rejected the life planned for her by her parents and set out on a medical journey of nursing, nursing was about to see a change. Through her efforts nursing took on an even more elevated station and uniforms became more professional looking, making the nurses uniform more distinct and separating them from the untrained. The nurses uniforms were almost floor length with aprons like a pinafore with cap sleeves. Hats were worn similar to a nuns headwear, or caps with straps tied under the chin, both of which gave an even more respectable look than previously.

World War I made it obvious that the previously strict nursing styles were not practical in the throes of war. The wounded and dying needed to be cared for in with efficient and quick service. While the skirts shortened, the sleeves became either short or rolled up, and often times the aprons disappeared completely.

An even bigger change came about when the skirt shortened to mid calf during World War II and bearing a distinct uniform look blue and later drab olive since many nurses were in the military services. Caps were more efficient looking dropping the chin straps altogether or had a military look. They were various colors and bore insignias representing the nurses different area of service, but most always a shirtwaist style.

In the 1950s nurses uniforms took a more crisp, feminine look with short sleeves and a bib apron with shoulder straps. Caps were varied in styles from pill box style to a pointed version.

During the 1960s open collars gave a more casual look. In the United States, scrubs became popular. In the UK however scrubs were only for the operating theatre. Disposable paper caps were used in the 1970s, and later disposable plastic aprons came into use in the 1980s.

As our history has changed, so have nurses uniforms, often reflecting current norms. Nurses have and always will play a major role in medicine everywhere worldwide, and likely will wear a variety of uniforms. Scrubs are worn in most clinics and hospital in the United States. There are colorful, and often fanciful, patterns that are even popular with patients. Male nurses who have entered the medical field are able to find a variety of scrubs by means of the Internet.

The history of nurses uniforms show that styles and norms have changed, but one thing has not changed. We still need and appreciate our caring nursing professionals who attend to us all over the world. It is and always has been a vitally needed and appreciated profession.

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