How do you wear your hair for clinicals?

[Kamdyn]

I've been hearing that our clinical instructors are super picky about our appearance at clinicals (As they should be!). Our hair cannot touch our collars but I'm afraid that a ponytail may be looked down on as being sloppy?! I want to look like I care about my appearance but I don't want to spend a long time in doing my hair when I have to be there at 5:30 am!!! Any ideas?

[starletRN]

My hair is down to my waist and heavy, so during clinicals I would wear what is called a Chinese bun. For someone like me who is not good with doing my hair, this was really easy to do. Not to mention, the hairstick kept it from falling down during the day. I'll include the link that shows how to do one.

http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/default.asp

Now that I'm working as a nurse I still wear the bun but I also wear a braid. The length of my hair keeps it from falling forward when I'm taking care of my patients.

[ladyarawin]

My hair is very long, I would either have it braided or would put it up into a pony tail then on the last twist of the schunchy I would pull my hair threw it just enough that the bottom part was not touching my neck and then take a clipcomb that I got from dollar store and place it on the part that out of the last part of the scrunchy. The instructors said that they like it and wish others would do it that way also. I know one student her hair to thick to do it that way and she would just braid it down and roll the braid up in a circle and pin it down that way. Not sure if you can wear the headbands in front we couldn't but I do for work which also keeps the hair looken good while up in a pony tail.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Buzz cut. I hate doing my hair in the morning so it went bye bye.

[miss-vikki68]

i have thick curly hair that reaches half way down my back.. i have such a problem deciding how to wear it on morning shifts (always rushed for time..)..and always opt for the classic pony tail...i straighten my fringe (takes 2 minutes) and off i go..!! On afternoon shifts or even nights i have heaps of time to do something different...but always pulled back off my face - making sure my hair will not be able to come into contact with any body fluids.....!!

[ErinJane]

I have layered hair just past my shoulders. I pull back the top part first and then pull the rest back. It keeps the different lengths from falling out of my pony tail, and it looks better.

I also have blunt cut bangs and I put product in so they are sideswept and less likely to be in my way.

I still like to look cute, I also wear makeup to clinicals :omy:. Not alot, just enough to feel confident.

It's all about preferences.

[Nurserton]

I have long frizzy hair that can be hot even indoors in the GA heat, plus my stethoscope gets all caught in it if its just a pony so usually even if i go to work with it in a pony, I end up winding it up into a bun. Its so much neater and out of the way, and you don't have to worry about your stethoscope pulling at your hair, getting caught, or causing breakage.

[Nurserton]

I rediscovered hairspray recently. I have this fine wispy hair and after an hour in a ponytail little baby hairs stick out -- after 2 hours I look like I have been pulled through a bush backwards (I kid not).

So a ponytail w/ hairspray for me. Better than looking like a hag!

Oh yea I totally forgot...hair gel is a must for my bun to prevent "wings"!! Just throw on a little mascara, under eye concealer, and gloss, and bam, fresh faced, clean, pretty, and ready to roll.

Although I must say when I was a student, I never wore makeup..having to be there at 6:05, 6:15, was such torture to me that I could not muster the strength for makeup.

[biblepoet]

Well I used to wear it in a pony but got tired of fixing it because it always slid out. I got it cut shorter and now I just wear it down and put the sides behind my ear when necessary.

[brokenroads27]

ok, every instructor is going to be different. some will be strictor but others won't care what you do with your hair as much. my instructor was really laid back with that sort of thing and people in my group got away with wearing their hair down and hoop earrings....dont do that! lol

i started out wearing my hair in a bun because it's long-ish. but then i started wearing it in a braid (even though it touched my collar) and a ponytail. yes, you want to look and feel somewhat professional but a nurse should be comfortable too. you're constantly moving around so a ponytail and a headband is what i would say to wear.

[shrimpchips, LPN]

I throw mine back in a ponytail and pin down parts that stick out with bobby pins...sometimes i'll also wear a headband, or sometimes I'll wear my hair in pigtails lol...just something different

[CuriousMe]

Ok, so WOW.....6 pages of hairstyles for clincials?

This shouldn't be that complicated, if it isn't short enough that it's out of your face and off your shoulders, put it up...out of your face, off your shoulders and securely fastened......trust me, this will be the easiest thing about nursing school!

[mechai44]

Our instructors told us we could only use a ponytail. They said that banana clips, barettes, boby pins and other "clips" could be used as weapons against us by delirious or aggressive patients. They also told us no scarves, head bands, etc. It was a pony tail only and we have to figure out how to make it happen or get a shorter hair cut.