King's College Hospital Memories

This article was first published on the old Nurse Uniforms - Past & Present website (http://dyk.homestead.com/) around 1999-July 2018, created by Kevin Dycken. It is now offline, this is a remake in a modern look.

King's College Hospital in the 1980s by Sarah

Here are some pics of Student Nurses wearing the uniform I wore as a Student at Kings. These are from 1984 & 1987. Personally, it is the best uniform I ever wore, and we had the traditional starched white aprons. You could hear us crackling as we walked down the corridor when we had fresh aprons on! I showed the pictures to a couple of Student Nurses on my ward, it was interesting that they both thought it would be better to return to wearing the traditional uniform with hat and apron which goes against the impression you would get from reading Nursing Times etc.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE WEARING OF UNIFORM BY NURSING STAFF IN THE KING'S HEALTH DISTRICT

Nurses in uniform presenting a crisp, professional appearance inspire confidence and boost the morale of patients, visitors, hospital staff and the general public with whom they come into contact.

INDOOR UNIFORM

• Dresses; All uniform dresses should be worn at knee lenght.
• Cardigans; Navy cardigans may be worn over indoor uniforms only in the classrooms, dining rooms and corridoors. Cardigans are not to be worn in the wards or departments or in any area in which a patient is being treated. Navy cardigans may be worn instead of uniform coats in hot weather.
• Aprons; Aprons, male nurses' white tunics, and Sisters' sleeve frills must be taken off when leaving the ward or department for meals, and for off-duty and may not be worn in the dining room.
• Jewellery; Wedding rings are the only form of jewellery which may be worn.
• Hair; Hair style must be neat and professional and be above the collar. If a male nurse wears a beard, it must be short and neatly trimmed.
• Nails; Nails must be kept short. Nail varnish may not be worn on duty.

OUTDOOR UNIFORM

Nursing staff must wear either full outdoor uniform or mufti when travelling and walking between staff residences, or non-residential accommodation, and the hospital in which they are working.

If uniform is worn when nursing staff travel to and from staff residences in hospital transport, they must wear either full outdoor uniform or full indoor uniform, except for aprons in the latter case.

N.B. Full outdoor uniform includes hat or beret, uniform coat, uniform dress, uniform shoes and stockings. (Colour of shoes and stockings are according to grade). In hot weather the uniform coat need not be worn, or can be replaced by the regulation navy cardigan. Nursing staff are asked to change from outdoor uniform in the accommodation provided and not in the wards or departments..

Added 2007

Two genuine 1970s/1980s Kings' uniforms, complete with aprons, belts and caps, recently on offer on Ebay.