Tasmanian Health Minister to Overturn Ban on Fun Scrubs for Nurses

Nurses at the Royal Hobart Hospital have been told they should stop wearing fun scrubs or "free dress" and reminded they need to maintain "some professionalism" regarding their uniform.

The matter was raised during a budget estimates committee hearing on Monday, with an independent MP questioning why a morale-boosting activity is being discouraged.

What's next?

Tasmania's health minister says she was not aware of the directive being issued and intends to overturn it.

Tasmania's health minister has vowed to overturn a directive to stop nurses from wearing colourful scrubs at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

At least two directives have been issued to nurses over the past month, instructing them to wear the hospital-provided uniform and scrubs, and stop wearing "free dress".

One of the directives noted that some patients and visitors were having difficulty identifying nursing staff due to differing uniforms, and that nurses needed to maintain "some professionalism".

The directives outlined that there would be one day per week where nurses could wear their own scrubs.

During budget estimates hearings on Monday, independent Franklin MP David O'Byrne raised the issue with Health Minister Bridget Archer.

"Obviously, it is a bit of tough time in the hospitals at the minute, and staff morale is a key issue and is very important," Mr O'Byrne said.

"Surely given morale — and there has been a whole range of work done over many years on nursing uniforms — colourful scrubs provide a bit of highlight to the day in a pretty tough environment."

Ms Archer said she was not aware of the directive being issued.

"I would very clearly be saying at this point that such a directive would be overturned," she said.

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Hospital-provided uniforms not ideal: Union

Australian Midwifery and Nursing Federation Tasmanian branch secretary Emily Shepherd said the corporate-style nurses' uniforms provided by the hospital were not conducive to their work, such as supporting patient mobility, providing care to patients at different heights, or hygiene care.

Ms Shepherd said that the hospital-provided scrubs were not ideal, as the fabric wasn't as breathable as other options.

"Meaning that our members do get quite hot and uncomfortable at times," she said.

Ms Shepherd said nurses started wearing their own scrubs, which included colourful, "fun" scrubs, to combat these issues, but always wore their ID badges with their name and designation clearly visible.

"It does inject a bit of life and colour into sometimes a very difficult working environment," she said.

" Our members are staring down the barrel of reduced resources and having to find up to $700 million of efficiencies … [and] we're talking about whether or not it's appropriate for our members to be wearing a bit of colour in the workplace. "

She said patients enjoyed seeing fun colours and patterns, and it could be a good conversation starter with patients.

The Health Department has been contacted for comment.