Health board introduces new uniform for ANPs
A Scottish health board is piloting a new uniform specifically for advanced practice nurses, in a bid to make the role more identifiable to patients.
NHS Fife announced last week that it had introduced a distinctive purple tunic for advanced and emergency nurse practitioners. The purple tunic will replace the current cornflower blue uniforms.
“It will make it easier to identify registered nurses working at an advanced level”
Nicola Robertson
The health board said a separate uniform would enhance the visibility of advanced nurse practitioners in emergency situations and make patients and visitors able to identify them more clearly.
In addition, it said it would prevent the role being confused with other roles, and would increase patient trust and confidence in nurse decision making.
It comes as the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has put forward recommendations on regulating advanced practitioners, which includes proposals for a UK-wide standardised approach to advanced practice.
This week, the NMC will seek approval from its governing council on the proposals.
Director of nursing at NHS Fife, Nicola Robertson, said: “I am delighted that NHS Fife is piloting this new uniform.
“It will make it easier to identify registered nurses working at an advanced level delivering care across Fife as part of the wider healthcare team.”
Scotland is not the only country that has mooted the idea of updating nurse uniforms, to make different roles more easy to identify.
Last year, NHS Supply Chain unveiled designs for a new national NHS uniform in England, including different colours separating registered nurses, student nurses, nursing associates, nursing practitioners, advanced practitioners and matrons.
However, some nurse leaders criticised the move, warning that it misrepresented nursing roles and would create further confusion.
