Acceptance and Colour Preference of Nursing Uniform in Bangladesh: A Descriptive Comparative Study

<div> <b>Objectives: </b>Uniforms have an important role in conveying identity, discipline, and professionalism in nursing. In many countries, nursing uniforms are regulated institutionally. Bangladesh, however, has a national policy controlling nurses’ uniform colour and style. Concerns have emerged regarding the newly introduced olive-coloured uniform. Low acceptance of this uniform may reflect limited professional satisfaction and well-being. This study aimed to explore acceptance of the current uniform and colour preferences among nurses and nursing students in Bangladesh. </div> <div> <b><br></b> </div> <div> <b>Methods: </b>This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among nurses and nursing students in Bangladesh from May 18 to August 2, 2025. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Acceptance of the current olive-coloured uniform was assessed using an eight-item measure. The measure has an excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92). Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics and colour preferences. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to explore differences across groups. Data were analyzed using R version 4.5.2. </div> <div> <b><br></b> </div> <div> <b>Results: </b>A total of 1403 nurses and nursing students participated. Among them, 525 were nurses, and 878 were nursing students. The mean age of nurses was 28 ± 4 years, and that of nursing students was 22 ± 1 years. The mean acceptance scores among nurses and nursing students were 14.91 ± 7.44 and 16.79 ± 8.91, respectively. Among nurses, being married, living in urban areas, having higher household income and salary, having more work experience, and being employed in the private sector were significantly associated with the acceptance score. For nursing students, being male, from Sylhet division, enrolled in the BSc in Nursing, from government institutions, and having no prior experience wearing an all-white uniform were significantly associated with the acceptance. Regarding colour preferences, white was most preferred for top wear, and black was most preferred for both bottom wear and winter wear. </div> <div> <b><br></b> </div> <div> <b>Conclusions: </b>The low acceptance of the current olive-coloured nursing uniform highlights the importance of research and involving nurses and nursing students in policy decisions. Evidence-informed, participatory reform of national nursing uniform policies may improve professional satisfaction, identity, and acceptability across nursing education and practice settings. </div>