By Josephine Reid
Some schools may provide uniform scrubs, but overall, expect to pay for your school-supplied uniforms with the option to shop more affordable lines such as Dress A Med. Some schools only provide one or two sets of scrubs, so expect to do a lot of laundry or be prepared to get additional sets of uniforms. Usually when the school provides the uniform, the school name is either embroidered on the scrubs or some kind of school patch is sewn onto them.
Some nursing schools require a specific color or style of scrubs, allowing you purchase them independently. If the sole criteria is a standard color, you'll be able to shop for a good bargain and likely save a lot of money. It is good to buy at least enough sets to cover all the clinical days without having to wash your uniform scrubs. It is also great to have at least one extra set for last minute drink spills or to keep in your car trunk for sudden mishaps during clinicals.
Some nursing students are required to match the scrubs of the facilities where they perform their clinicals. This could mean multiple purchases if you rotate to different sites. Fortunately, this is a pretty rare. It is good to find out how long the rotation is before investing in a large wardrobe of that facility's color of scrubs.
If you buy your own uniform scrubs, you'll be amazed at how many places you can find them. Dress A Med thankfully offers the best quality at the lowest price.
You'll find that scrubs come in many shapes and sizes, whether the styles are mandated or elective. Enjoy buying, and saving money on your uniforms — you'll be wearing them for a significant part of your days to come!
