Being an ugly nurse - Page 6

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  1. Aug 24, '12 by
    When I first read the heading of your post , I thought it would be concerning the heart of a nurse, perhaps a mean spirited nurse
    or other behavioral control issues agendas. Ha ha

    Surprised was I to read you refer to your outer appearance, or actually how you perceive yourself.

    If I was a patient, the most important thing to me would be how a nurse cared for me, how well they performed nursing duties, knowledgeable, if they were clean and washed their hands...
    but especially especially how emphatic they were to my situation of being in a place
    I know not, fearful of what lies ahead for me, perhaps in pain.....(aside from the technical professional) aspects of your job, how you relate to their humanness and venerability and advocate for them in a medical system ( sometimes confusing or gone astray)
    is the most important number one thing.
    P_RN likes this.
  2. Aug 24, '12 by
    if i were your coworker, i would be more than happy to work with you regardless of how you look as long as you were a respectable man and a hard worker.

    if i were your patient, i would not give a rat's ass what you looked like as long as you took good care of me in my time of illness.

    end of story.

    with love from another RN who thinks you're overthinking this <3
    hey_suz and P_RN like this.
  3. Aug 24, '12 by
    Wait, do I have to be young and good looking to be a Nurse? I'm a 52 year old lady in my 2nd semester of Nursing School. Should I change careers again? Maybe an underwear model?
    Gradius, ALavallee, anotherone, and 4 others like this.
  4. Aug 24, '12 by
    Quote from mofomeat
    Surely some of you Studly Guys and Lovely Ladies have had to work alongside someone who looks like they stepped out of the Mos Eisley Cantina scene before (and I don't mean that in the cool way). "
    That just made me aspirate my drink while laughing so hard!

    I'd work with you any day, sense of humor and confidence rather than cockiness trumps all in my opinion. BTW I am also 40+, > than size 6, minimal makeup etc. but I doubt people look at me and say I fell from the top of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down
    jadelpn and P_RN like this.
  5. Aug 24, '12 by
    Quote from BluegrassRN

    Seriously, beauty and youth really don't count for much with patients. They want someone who is friendly, professional, and confident. They are scared, they feel rotten, they are out of their element, and they aren't looking too hot themselves. They don't care about your looks, just about how you take care of them.
    This^

    Plus, there are some advantages to being male and a bit older. I am 23 and sometimes I think others dont take me seriously because I'm young, which can be frustrating.
    esperanzita and anotherone like this.
  6. Asst. Admin
    Aug 25, '12 by
    Y'all, 56 answers to the OP and I estimate 99.9% were sincere. I read every one and I am so proud of the responses. I'm pretty much older, heavier, grey haired and happy as a clam to claim 38 years as an RN. To the OP, square up those shoulders, look in the mirror and see a N*U*R*S*E and go get'em and make us happy to consider you as a member of the "hardest job you will ever LOVE!"
    sharpeimom and nursel56 like this.
  7. Aug 25, '12 by
    Contrary to popular belief, the only thing patients are worried about in their nurse is that they are competent, friendly and can make them feel better. Your looks will have VERY little to do with your abilities as a nurse. I am 43 years old, 40 pounds overweight conservatively and missing a couple of teeth. It does not impede my abiliities to do my job and do it well. You are not going into this to make the cover of nurse vogue. In my honest opinion, you will do very well as a nurse because you said it, you are driven to help people...it sounds to me that you have some confidence issues which is completely understandable. I am willing to listen, go to my profile for my email. Friend me in FB...you will be just fine. Don't pack it in and don't sell yourself short...if you have the heart and sense of humor you day you do, use it to your advantage. Your looks will not keep you from getting hired...trust me it doesn't work that way. You will find your niche...
    esperanzita and P_RN like this.
  8. Aug 25, '12 by
    If I were your patient I would be much more concerned with the care you provide, besides would you care if your patient was so called ugly? I have gotten some funny looks when I walked into a room,I wear bilateral hearing aides and was diagnosed with a mild form of Treacher Collins Syndrome (if you don't know what that is....look it up). That's just my outer shell and has nothing to do with the real me and my ability as a nurse. I'm a damn good nurse and I give good patient care....at the end of the day that's all that matters to me. If a patient wants pretty...he ain't getting it from me, but if I'm their nurse they can be sure they will get quality care.
    nursel56, sauconyrunner, and P_RN like this.
  9. Aug 25, '12 by
    It's true, looking cute gets you more. There have been a ton of studies on it. I think that OP's frustration is valid.
    Last edit by Esme12 on Aug 25, '12
    esperanzita and anotherone like this.
  10. Guide
    Aug 25, '12 by
    You're probably too critical of yourself (aren't we all?), but seriously, all I'm concerned about with respect to any health care provider is this: competence, compassion, and politeness. Anything else, I could care less. While we are an image conscious society, most people could care less about the looks of their health care provider, as long as he/she is clean and professional. Don't sweat it