What Nurse Practitioners Should Wear To Work

Nurse practitioners are some of the hardest-working medical professionals around and they also happen to be part of an ever-expanding field. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the rate of job growth for nurse practitioners is projected to be at 31%, much faster than the average rate.

As the profession and field grows, it’s clear that can be some confusion over the roles and responsibilities of nurse practitioners. For example, raise your hand if you’ve ever had a patient request the “real” doctor. *insert eye roll here*

You may wonder what a nurse practitioner can and should wear to work for comfort and professionalism. Should you stick to a strict scrubs-only wardrobe? Only dress in professional attire? Fasten a sandwich board on your shirt so patients know exactly who you are?

The sandwich board might be going a little too far, but if you’re looking for some suggestions on what to wear to work as a nurse practitioner, we’ve got you covered. And we do mean that literally.

Stand-alone scrubs

You’re a medical professional and medical professionals wear scrubs, right? And while the thought of scrubs might first conjure up visions of ill-fitting, sad and shapeless garments, it might be comforting for you to know that scrubs have come a long way. Today’s nurse practitioner scrubs feature high-quality materials, form-fitting and flattering cuts, and modern-day details that perform no matter what your day holds. We have scrubs for every style, whether you’re looking for something classic, elegant and refined, or an athletic aesthetic.

Dress clothes with a lab coat

Similar to how many doctors choose to wear dress clothes to work, nurse practitioners may choose to wear dress or business attire while seeing and treating patients. However, you can add a nurse practitioner lab coat to distinguish yourself as a medical professional or in order to make your role more clear to your patients.

Personalized lab coat

Whether you choose to wear scrubs to work or rock some more dressy attire, you can further accent your look with a personalized lab coat. You can personalize your lab coat by adding lab coat embroidery with your title, practice, or logo to proudly identify yourself as a nurse practitioner.

Mix-and-match

As a nurse practitioner, you wear many hats, so it only makes sense that you may want the freedom to mix and match your professional wardrobe. For days spent in the office, you may choose to dress in professional attire topped with a lab coat while your days running the busy downtown clinic might warrant a more comfortable but still stylish scrub jacket instead.

Footwear

When choosing footwear, the most important aspect to consider is comfort and safety. You’re going to be on your feet a lot, there may be some emergency sprinting involved, and there is almost always a guarantee of questionable substances being splashed on the floor, so choose footwear that is sturdy, comfortable, and won’t expose you to anything dangerous.