A nursing student must often work with bio-hazardous materials including blood, plasma, syringes and even urine and feces. Many of these items can stain clothing, but more importantly most of these items can potentially carry diseases and viruses. Nursing uniforms are designed to be easy to don and easy to change out of, and nursing students who wear standard nursing scrubs benefit from the ability to change quickly out of clothes that may have been contaminated with communicable dangers. Additionally, most scrubs are made from low-thread-count 100 percent cotton or a high-cotton polyester blend. This makes them easier to wash, removing stains that would ruin more conventional clothing.
Aside from the practical benefits of wearing nurses uniforms in school, nursing students who show up prepared for a job in nursing can make a bigger impact on their professors than those who show up in conventional dress. In fact, professional dress can have a serious impact on how others perceive you and what you say. Abigail Zugar, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia University, researched the effects of wearing medical clothing like laboratory coats while talking to patients. She found a pattern of "White Coat Compliance." This means patients were much more likely to listen to and obey the instructions of medical professionals wearing a white coat rather than those dressed in plain clothes. Wearing a nurse's uniform often lends the same air of credibility to nursing students.
Perhaps one of the best reasons to wear a nursing uniform to nursing school is the boost of self-confidence having the uniform can give. Unlike many careers obtained from University, doctors and nurses have a uniform which sets them apart and advertises their exclusive and life-saving knowledge. This also helps students solidify their identity as nurses and can help students stay the course when things get rough. Like attending a job interview, looking the part can help if you put your best foot forward.