2. Presenting
A researched timeline and evaluation of the
history of a nurse’s uniform.
The purpose of this project is to display, in the form
of a presentation, the gradual development of the
trends of past nursing attire worn by health care
professionals in the United States of America.
Nurses play a huge role in our every day lives and I
have created this presentation for no other reason
than to honor their hard work and dedication. My
mother, Yvonne Brown, is one such nurse.
3. Florence Nightingale, founder of
Nightingale Training School for
Nurses
Florence Nightingale’s legacy is
that she opened the first official
nurses’ training program in 1860.
Before this, the sick were taken
care of in monasteries by monks
and nuns. It was looked down
upon to be a nurse and it was not
considered professional. When
she founded the school, she
became known as the Lady with
the Lamp, for patrolling the halls
of the hospital in Turkey during
the Crimean War. She is today
accredited as a pioneer of
modern day nursing. She also
had contributions to writing and
statistics.
4. 1899 Graduating class of the
Connecticut Training School of
Nursing
The Connecticut
Training School of
Nursing was
founded to model
the Florence
Nightingale’s
School of Nursing
in England.
Florence had
turned nursing in to
an honorable
profession. The
girls in this
photograph at the
future Yale School
of Nursing, carry
5. th
Beginning of the 20 Century
The nursing uniform for this
time is a stiff, white pinafore
over a floor length dress and
frilly-looking caps. There is
not much about this uniform
that is functional or
constructive. They are very
professional looking as this is
the first decade that Nursing
becomes considered an
honorable career.
The picture on the right is
from 1906, about 7 years after
the one on the previous slide.
But you can see the obvious
consistencies with the puffy
sleeves and frilly caps.
6. World War I Nurse’s Ward Uniform
During WWI it became
necessary to produce
uniforms which were easy
to wash and mass produce.
This is where the bleak grey
cotton crepe uniform came
in. The American Red
Cross brassard was strictly
worn my the Red Cross
nurses during this time.
Uniforms of this time
become a little more
practical and are often
coupled with shoulder-
covering capes called
tippets such as in the
photograph on the right.
These images were
photographed by Joel
Feder between 1917 and
1919
7. World War I Operating Room
Uniform
Also during World War I, in the
operating room and in dressing
of patients, a long “unromantic”
white apron came
about, addressing the still
existent laundry crisis (Nurses
and the U.S. Navy). The easy
production and exchange of this
garment made tending to
multiple patients easier and
more sanitary. The nursing
profession became highly
sought-after at this time and
made this new apron a “badge
of service coveted by thousands
of untrained women” (Nurses
and the U.S. Navy).
Photographed by Joel Feder.
8. 1920’s-1930’s Uniforms
The nursing uniform
becomes much more
practical. The hem
rises to mid calf and
the dresses are not
quite as bulky. In 1924
it is required to have
the hem 10 inches off
the ground and in 1929
it was changed to 12
inches. Some also
reflect current trends
with a dropped
waistline. Caps are
now far less elaborate
and they begin to
display their ranks
through the buckles
and straps.
9. 1930’s: Pre-World War II
The picture on the
left is an earlier
nurse’s
1930’s
uniform. The cap is
a new military
nurses cap
introduced in 1929.
The hem is now 12
inches from the
floor and the caps
are standard of the
military nurses.
The picture on the
right is of a
nurse, Jeanita
Griffin, taken in
1938, just before
10. 1940’s Nurses Outfits and Caps
Still very starched and
stiff, the nurses
uniforms become more
simplistic and the major
change we see in this
time period is in the
caps. They now have
stripes denoting the
rank of a nurse
depending on the
number of years she
has served. These
nurses are showing off
the elaborate styles of
caps known up to this
time and are wearing
the common cap found
in the 1940’s.
In 1948 the National
Health Service is
11. The “Golden Age”
A “Golden Age of
Uniforms” begins
in 1950 as the
Nursing industry
becomes more
popular. Long
sleeves are
replaced by short
sleeves or are
rolled up with arm
cuffs. At this time
it became
required for all
nurses to own a
cape. During the
mid to late 1950’s
the nurse’s cap
evolves in to a
more pillbox
12. 1960’s
In the 1960’s the
necklines begin to
open up and many
are peter-pan styled.
The aprons now
button on to the front
of their shirt dresses
and are fitted at their
waists. Tights are the
new stocking and it is
now not uncommon
for a male to join the
work force.
As you see in these
stills from popular TV
shows, the nurses are
portrayed with
fashionable belts and
frilled cuffs.
13. 1970’s
The caps are now
paper and
disposable. The
stripes still indicate
the number of years a
nurse has been a
student or in training.
A “National” standard
is put on the uniforms
and they become
blue and white
checkered as seen on
the right. Although
politically disagreed
upon, private
healthcare takes off
and gives way to
uniforms such as in
14. The end of the “Golden Age”
In the 1980’s disposable
aprons replace the cloth
ones. The caps and
capes eventually fad out
to non-existence. It now
becomes acceptable to
wear make up, jewelry
and accessories.
Dresses are now
practical and comfortable
and incorporate “action
pleats” shown here
(Philswords).
16. Work Cited
quot;Florence Nightingale - Hero Workshop.quot; The Janus Center.
22 Apr. 2009
<http://thejanuscenter.com/heroworkshop/heronightingale.htm
>.
Museum of Health Care - Welcome to the Museum of Health
Care! 06 May 2009
<http://www.museumofhealthcare.ca/images2/3Nurses.jpg>.
quot;Nurses and the U.S. Navy, 1917-1919.quot; Naval History and
Heritage Command. 06 May 2009
<http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/prs-tpic/nurses/nrs-
e8d.htm>.
quot;Philswords.quot; Nurses Uniforms - Past & Present. 22 Apr. 2009
<http://dyk.homestead.com/Philswords.html>.
