Your hair-do. Is it mandated?

Nursing Students General Students

Published

Specializes in ED.

Hi folks

Does your program require you to wear your hair a certain way for school or clinical?

I'm starting school in January and am trying to decide if I should cut my hair short or grow it longer in case it has to be worn up. it's sort of chin length right now

thanks in advance!

Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

Our school's policy is that if it can touch the collar not the shoulders it has to be put up in a pony tail (only if it doesn't touch the collar) or a bun. The only thing we are allowed to use to put our hair back is a scrunchie either the same color as our hair or uniform. My hair is to my waist and I REFUSE to cut it for the program. It's only a year and once I'm in the real world I'll be able to wear it down or in a pony tail if I want. We also are not allowed to have any unnatural hair colors. Those burgandy highlights that I want are going to have to wait for the day after graduation.

Specializes in L&D, High Risk OB, OR, Med-Surg, PHN.

]Off the collar and I hated it because hair was at my collar and you can't do much c it.

Lisa :trout:

Mine was chin length when I started taking pre-reqs a year ago and I immediately stopped doing major cuts and stuck to trims. Now it's long enough to pull up and look decent.

ours pretty much just has to be out of the way. most of us wear it up but some people will just use a headband or put the front up. if it's really short it usually isn't an issue, you might just have to use bobby pins to keep the front out of your face

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

I'm starting school in January and am trying to decide if I should cut my hair short or grow it longer in case it has to be worn up. it's sort of chin length right now

Wear it the way you like, what makes you happy. If that's chin length that's appropriate. If you want to grow it out just make sure to put it up once it starts touching your collar.

I had long long hair as a student in 1975. I wore it up under my cap everyday. I got such a headache. After a couple of weeks I got my hair cut short. Everyone was shocked. But I was comfortable

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

School: no restrictions

Clinical: has to be off collar and tied back or pinned up. Color and style has has to be WNL (i.e., no blue mohawks)

Same as everyone else - off the collar for clinical. Colors such as blue or orange are frowned upon. I had mine cut right at the shoulders and have grown it out some because it wouldn't stay up in a pony properly, but I like having long hair and my hair doesn't typically do as I say anyway. Choose a style that you like, really. There are enough hair ties and bobby pins and clips and thingamabobs that you can definitely style it the way they want you to, and still like your hair the rest of the week.

Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg, Nursery.

I'm not exactly sure what our policy is, my hair is about shoulder length and I always wear it in a pony tail. However, I have had some classmates that have had hair longer than "off the collar" length who just wore the front pulled back and nothing was said to them. I always wear mine up though - its too hot to leave it down and I don't wanna take my chances on getting points counted off.

I had hair to my butt and cut it off. Donated it. So the answer is YES. We have a policy. It seems less strict on females than males. If a males hair touches the collar OUCH. But i see many females who still have ponytails past their collar. Such is life. I don't want it getting in the "eeckies" anyway. 2 years and we can grow it back, if we don't lose it from all the stress. :)

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

if your hair touches your collar it HAS to be in a bun, I started out last year with hair 1/2 way down my back, by the begining of summer it was all gone and I don't think I'll ever grow it back out unless my hairdresser moves or quits lolol

Hair must be off the collar for all nursing students for clinicals. Everyone in all of the clinical groups I have been in has either a short cut or is creative with ponytails. My hair is currently about 2 inches below my shoulderblades, I do a pony/ topknot for clinicals and whatever I want every other day ;)

+ Add a Comment