Threatened dismissal because of wrinkly clothes :0(

[hotdog19d]

Hey everyone, I was just trying to get some opinions of an incident that happened to me recently.

I was pulled aside by the director of my nursing program, and was told that if I wore wrinkly clothes to clinical again I would be kicked out of the program. I was wearing a polo and khakis to clinical which I did't think were wrinkly, but apparently the clinical instructor did, she didn't say anything to me about it,but she said something to the director.

Edit= Thanks for everyones advice! I took a lot of it and the next clinicals went fine, as far as my attire went.

[TinyNurse, RN]

do whatever you have to to graduate.......conform to whatever they tell you to. Then after graduation, you can do whatever you want (or what your facility tells you to)!!

[Kiren]

If you have time to read and post on this board, you have time to iron your uniform. If you are reading this post and show up to clinicals with a "wrinkly" uniform, let's face it you are lazy!!!! We tend to find time to do the things we want to do. When I say "wrinkly" I don't mean the wrinkles from your car ride to the facility. It's pretty easy to tell wrinkles form sitting and wrinkles from not ironing your uniform. I look at nursing school like being in the military whatever the instructor says goes, like it or not.

[RebeccaJeanRN]

You know...the more i think about it...usually if its said more than once and by more than one person, it really must be noticeable. Also, I'd wonder about maybe whether it was even more than just wrinkles, like maybe I gave off a 'sloppy' general appearance. With sincerity in your demeanor, I'd pull one of those instructors aside when I came in MINUS the wrinkles and ask them 1) if the improvement in your clothes now met the school's standard and 2) if there is anything else in your appearance that they recommend or think needs to be changed. (Be careful to be sincere and not sarcastic!) Nows the time to get the kind of honest feedback that most people will NOT give when you are out working (like telling that other guy that he has BO...pew!), and which also may keep you from not getting a job someday and not knowing why. Your instructors will be impressed.

[Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN]

I'm looking at this philosophically.

Some of didn't grow up learning how to be presentable. My parents were redneck hillbillies and I've had to learn things like cleanliness, punctuality and grammar from other people. Anytime someone comes up with a rule regarding appearance or etiquette I figure they're doing me a favor. In one of my first office jobs I was reprimanded for my appearance. I was so mortified but had no idea what I was supposed to do. It wasn't until I got a job with a dress code that I finally understood the concept of "business dress."

So even if YOU think it's okay to be rumpled and casual, other people may not think so, and unfortunately people will judge you by your appearance. Whether or not it's fair is another matter. If you show up for duty sparkling clean, odor free, on time or slightly early with your clothes sharply pressed people will perceive you as being more competent.

For the poster who says she prefers body odor over the smell of deoderant, I tend to agree with you. However, most people do NOT agree with that so you should defer to what the people around you prefer. When I'm home I don't wear deodorant, but if I'm going to be anywhere around people I make sure I do.

[kenny b]

personally I think deodorant smells worse than light body odor but I'm a hippie). I just sucked it up (from a woman who came to teach clinical with her hair dripping wet every day) and bought some unscented deodorant (it still smells like chemicals to me).

My wife is from The Philippines and she brought some kind of hard, white substance (like rock almost). She says it's natural deoderant from PI. You might check that out if you don't like the chemicals in deoderant.

[NaomieRN]

i just ironed my clothes for work this morning. i timed myself and took me 7 minutes!!!

step 1

the first step in successfully ironing your clothes is making sure you have the right tools for the job. you'll need a good iron, a hard surface to iron on (preferably an ironing board), and some spray starch.

using starch will make your clothes feel crisp and look even better, while cutting down your ironing time considerably. simply lay the garment down flat on the ironing board and spray the starch onto it from at least a foot away before you begin.

step 2

before you start ironing, make sure you read each clothing tag carefully to determine the fabric composition and ironing instructions for each item. then simply choose your iron's settings accordingly.

step 3

remember not to leave the hot iron on the same spot for more than a few seconds, as it might burn and permanently damage your clothes. step 4

as well, it's best to iron clothes inside out in order to preserve the garment's color and prevent staining.

shirts

when ironing shirts, start with the collar; move the iron up and down smoothly around the entire area. then shift down to the cuffs and sleeves.

throughout the process, make sure to follow and maintain your shirt's natural creases. once the sleeves are ironed out, move on to the buttonhole area (gradually iron around each buttonhole), after which you should move on to one of the front halves, and finally work your way around to the other front half. once you're done, make sure to properly hang your shirt.

pants

when ironing pants, start with the waistband and slowly move your way down to the cuffs (or hem).

place your slacks parallel to the ironing board and slowly move the iron up and down, working your way over the entire wrinkled areas. again, always make sure to follow and maintain your pants' natural lines and creases.

once you're done, hang your pants without delay.

laundering tips

before even whipping out your iron, make sure your clothes are in tiptop shape because ironing a dirty shirt could permanently set stains into the fabric.

when washing your clothing, always try to use high-quality detergent and fabric softener, as they will help keep the fabric in good shape for a longer amount of time. by using high-end products, your clothes will maintain their durability, which might also render them less likely to wrinkle. furthermore, throwing a good fabric softener into the mix relaxes your garment's fabric, decreasing the chances of their getting wrinkled in the first place.

also, get into the habit of hanging up or folding your clothes as soon as the drying cycle is over. take your clothes out of the dryer as soon as they are dry (they're more likely to wrinkle when their left in the dryer), and that should make your ironing task that much easier. be safe!

never leave the iron unattended when it's on because it could tip over and burn something or worse, someone. remember to unplug the iron before filling it up with water. to prevent your clothes from burning, place a cloth or towel between the garment and the iron (especially useful for delicate fabrics like linen or nylon). some articles of clothing such as suits and silk shirts are more difficult to iron, and require more care. for these pieces, consider a trip to the dry cleaner.

[kenny b]

An adult needs to be warned ahead of time that "he will be spoken to if his uniform is wrinkled"? Should he also be warned not to burp, fart, pick his nose, or scratch his butt while he's doing clinicals?

If I had an instructor/manager EVER speak to me about my personal appearance or hygiene, I would be mortified!

I think we need to encourage some personal responsibility here.

I agree to a point. However, while teaching high school I learned that a lot of people do not get the foundation from their parents that used to provide for "common sense." If we don't make allowances for this, then we're discounting a lot of very talented people who just don't have the basic knowledge which ought to have been provided throughout childhood.

If they are motivated, then they only have to be told once, but once compassionately is warranted.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

My wife is from The Philippines and she brought some kind of hard, white substance (like rock almost). She says it's natural deoderant from PI. You might check that out if you don't like the chemicals in deoderant.

I've seen that "crystal" in health food stores' personal care sections. It's not just from PI, there's lots of sources. How well it works in keeping nasty smelly bacteria from growing, can't say. And keep in mind: everything is a chemical! Natural just means a different set of chemicals than in mainstream deodorant, but still, chemicals.

I still think artificial Powder Fresh smells better to people in close proximity than au naturel :uhoh21:

[augigi, CNS]

FutureNurse35 - very practical and thoughtful response! Sometimes we forget not everyone grew up knowing how to iron clothes. God knows, I'd be lost without my mum having taught me!

[NaomieRN]

FutureNurse35 - very practical and thoughtful response! Sometimes we forget not everyone grew up knowing how to iron clothes. God knows, I'd be lost without my mum having taught me!

My mom did not teach me. I learned on my own.

[CTRNTOBE]

Forget the wrinkly clothes; it just proves you are working hard. As far as the stinky student; get over your natural smell and save the rest of from your offense. Your comments about wiping patients butts and there just unconscious anyway are distasteful and show nothing but ignorance on your part.

You must be a dream as a lab partner. Stuck up and smelly at the same time.

[Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN]

FutureNurse35 - very practical and thoughtful response! Sometimes we forget not everyone grew up knowing how to iron clothes. God knows, I'd be lost without my mum having taught me!

That's kind of what I was trying to say. I didn't learn anything from my parents about cleanliness, professionalism, appropriate dress, punctuality or keeping my thoughts to myself. I had to learn them from being told, and sometimes not in a nice way, from people around me. It was a real disability when I was younger. I managed to overcome it and hopefully I'm a better person for it.