The Impact of Nurses' Uniforms on Nurse-Patient Interactions: Patients' Perspectives

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to explore patients' perceptions toward the nursing uniforms used in a hospital in Singapore and how different uniforms impact nurse-patient interactions. BACKGROUND Nursing uniforms act as a form of nonverbal communication. However, implications of the increasing variety of nursing uniforms on patients' perceptions of nurses and nurse-patient interactions are unexplored. METHODS An exploratory qualitative study design using semistructured interviews was adopted for the study. Twenty-one patients agreed to be interviewed. An audio recorder was used during data collection. The thematic analysis method was used for data analysis. RESULTS Four major themes were identified: identity, subjectivity, suitability, and inconsequential. Nurses' uniform was regarded as a representation of identity. Suitability of the uniform for nurses was a main concern for patients. However, nurses' uniforms were inconsequential to nurse-patient interactions. CONCLUSION Patients' perceptions of nurses' uniforms were highly subjective and have no substantial impact on nurse-patient interactions.