A Comparative Analysis of Nursing Students' Dress Code: Insights Beyond the Scrubs from Iran, Duke University, Griffith University, and the University of British Columbia

Background Nursing students' attire and appearance can significantly influence their relationships with patients.This study aimed to compare the dress codes of nursing students at four universities: Iran, Duke University, Griffith University, and British Columbia University.Methods This comparative descriptive study was conducted in 2025, employing Bereday's four-stage model (description, interpretation, juxtaposition, and comparison).Data were collected by reviewing official professional dress code guidelines in Iran and those published on the websites of nursing faculties at Duke University (USA), Griffith University (Australia), and the University of British Columbia (Canada).Keywords such as "professional attire," "professional appearance," "uniform policy," "dress code," and "nursing students" were used for data retrieval.The analysis focused on five key areas: objectives, clothing and professional appearance, personal hygiene and grooming requirements, conduct standards, and monitoring and enforcement. ResultsThe updated dress code guideline in Iran represents an advancement over the previous version.However, there remains potential for further refinement by incorporating practical and safety aspects from the guidelines of Duke University and the University of British Columbia.While the Iranian guidelines emphasize comprehensive and formal attire, Western universities have largely adopted scrubs or more comfortable clothing as the standard uniform for nursing students.Notably, Duke University's dress code is exceptionally comprehensive, placing significant emphasis on the ethical, professional, communicative, and behavioral dimensions of students.Furthermore, Western universities employ a more direct, expeditious, and decisive approach with serious consequences to address violations. ConclusionThe nursing student dress code in Iran exhibits less comprehensiveness compared to those implemented at Western universities.To strengthen the Iranian guidelines, several key areas warrant consideration: emphasizing practical and safety considerations, providing more detailed and precise specifications for attire, integrating evidencebased infection control and patient safety protocols, and addressing the appropriate use of social media and smartphones within clinical settings.