The nursing uniform is often seen as a symbol of serenity, cleanliness, professionalism, and selflessness. However, the uniform did not always carry that symbolism—as it progressed from its first iterations of long, cumbersome dresses to modern scrubs, with the status and responsibilities of nurses within healthcare systems changing too. For May, and in recognition of National Nurses Week, the Mütter Museum has chosen to honor the profession by highlighting Philadelphia-area nurse Vera Sweet’s 1925 uniform. Sweet, a graduate of the Graduate Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1925, was issued her iconic uniform upon graduation. Sweet went on to dedicate 20 years of service within the Philadelphia health care system. Her uniform included a cotton blue and white stripped dress, separate cuffs, collar, bonnet, two-part apron, and a wool overcoat. Even after her years of service, Sweet proudly kept her uniform pressed and washed.
National Nurses Week is celebrated around the birthday of famed nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale on May 12th. Credited as one of the founders of the nursing profession, Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) revolutionized patient care after her experience caring for wounded soldiers during the Crimean War (1853-1856). Nightingale was appointed as the “Superintendent of the Female Nursing Establishment of the English General Hospitals in Turkey” (Medicine, 2016, p. 142)—which she did not take lightly. Nightingale was a militant enforcer of discipline amongst her orderlies. Some rules that Nightingale put in place included sobriety, abstaining from fraternizing with patients and doctors, and promoting good manners and hygiene (Medicine, 2016, p. 142). This level of discipline marked a departure from the nursing profession’s previous reputation, which included promiscuity and drunkenness in prior eras (Medicine, 2016, p. 142). It was common to have untrained personnel healing patients and soldiers providing care as there were few secular nursing schools training competent care providers.
Known as the Lady with the Lamp, Nightingale made frequent rounds to check on her patients throughout the night to ensure they had all that they needed. During the Crimean War, Nightingale advocated for proper diet and clean water and even ordered the English Sanitary Commission to improve the sewers and “upgrade general hygiene” (Parker, 2013, p 192). Death rates dropped through the implementation of her prescribed changes, though she never claimed personal responsibility for the change. Her work changed sentiments and emboldened trust in the nursing profession, unlocking potential in the medical field for future generations of nurses. After the war, Nightingale created her own nursing school and published articles, such as ‘Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not.’ ‘Cassandra: An Essay,’ ‘Notes on Hospital,’ and ‘Florence Nightingale to Her Nurses.’
The Establishment of the Nursing Uniform
Florence Nightingale was not the first to establish a formal nursing uniform, but did shape one of the most recognizable versions. During the Crimean War, the standardized uniform consisted of a full-length, long-sleeved dress and apron and a cap to cover the hair. In “Looking Back at nursing uniforms,” author Judy Rollins explains that the primary function of the uniform was to protect patients, as well as preventing illness in the nurses providing care. This uniform distinguished nurses from other medical personnel within hospitals and medical facilities. The outfit of a long dress, cap, and apron would become so iconic that iterations would last until the 20th century.
As for Vera Sweet’s nursing uniform, not much had changed between the 1880s and the 1920s, outside of more modern means of laundering, clothing production methods, and length of dress. Nevertheless, different iterations of the nursing uniform existed amongst secular and non-secular nursing schools and hospitals. The creation of the American Red Cross by nurse Clara Barton in 1881 introduced a prominent red cross as an armband. The uniform was created to be distinct from other nurses' uniforms of the time, reflecting the nursing school they attended. (Doering, 1979, p. 33) The large red cross was meant to protect volunteers from attack during conflict (Pickover, 2016, p. 208). The dress and white apron were symbols of purity and cleanliness but quickly became a laundering nightmare when faced with the messy realities of the profession.
The cap, or bonnet, of nursing uniforms, has its own storied history, originally based on a nun’s habit. “Its origin is in the early Christian Era as a head covering for deaconesses that cared for the sick.” (Museum of Nursing). The cap’s primary purpose was to keep hair in place and to distinguish nurses from other personnel. Unique versions of the cap were created to represent their respective institutions or hospitals. Today, the cap is used for more ceremonial purposes.
As the world plunged into conflict during the World Wars, doctors were in desperate need of nurses. That need catapulted the profession, as physicians were overwhelmed by the number of patients, and nurses became pivotal in providing care. (Medicine, 2016, p. 143). As Rollins explains, the uniform during the World Wars became shorter due to material rationing. The nurse's uniform would move from its dress and shrinking hemline in the 1950s and 1960s to variations with pants and a matching blouse in the 1970s.
As the profession progressed, the need for a more symbolic uniform was overtaken by the need for utilitarian garments. Today, modern nurses are responsible for a wide variety of health care duties that a cotton dress and wool overcoat may impede. Even perfectly pinned caps and bonnets were prone to fall during inopportune moments, and the dress and sleeves were difficult to keep clean, as well as limiting mobility. As responsibilities changed and nurses became involved in more aspects of patient care, the uniform transitioned from starched whites to today’s versatile scrubs.
Vera Sweet’s nursing uniform exemplifies her pride in her profession and provides a snapshot of what medical care looked like in 1920s Philadelphia. When you look at this outfit, it can be difficult to imagine its daily use within a hospital environment. Compared to modern scrubs, the iconic uniform is a testament to how far the nursing profession has evolved and the incredible care and preservation of a piece of medical history.
Please check out more examples of nursing related objects in our .
Work Cited
- Doering, Mary D. 1979. “American Red Cross Uniforms.” Dress 5 (1), 2013. 33–48. doi:10.1179/036121179805298774.
- “Medicine: The Definitive Illustrated History.“ New York: Dk Publishing, 2016.
- Museum of Nursing, Nurses Cap Collection,
https://nursinghistory.org/nurses-caps/ - Parker, Steven. Kill of Cure: An Illustrated History of Medicine. New York: DK Publishing, 2013.
- Pickover, Clifford A.. The Medicine Book: 250 Milestones in the History of Medicine. Barnes & Nobles, Inc. New York, 2016.
- Rollins, J.A. “Looking back at nursing uniforms.” Pediatric Nursing, 50(3), 2024. 109.