we cannot have acrylic fingernails

Oh lord have mercy! If this girl is worried about her daggum nails over everything else, she AIN'T gonna make it! And no, you cannot have acrylic nails when practicing nursing.

I don't know of any hospital or other health care facility that allows acrylic nails. It's a well-known fact that they harbor bacteria and increase infection risks. If your friend gets a job with any kind of patient contact, she won't be able to have fake nails.

Sorry to tell your friend but at the last 3 hospitals I worked(different states), acrylic nails were not allowed-you signed the expectations paperwork for clothing, hair, earrings,jewelry, nails, etc prior to being hired.

No fingernail polish except for clear if you are in a patient care role (bedside RN), no nails longer than the fingertips. Absolutely NO fake nails.

as an example:

had a friend that was fuming that they were making her get rid of her acrylic nails in the hospital(policy change)-she quit and went to the sister clinic because they didn't have that requirement-the ONLY reason she changed jobs-6 months later they had the same policy and all the other health care facilities in the area now have the same policy.

If your friend wants to be a nurse, she better forget about her dreams of having acrylic nails. Does she understand why the CDC doesn't want nails to be longer than a certain length. Deadly Medicine - Kids & Family Life, Medical Conditions, Coping and Overcoming Illness : People.com That's the link about the nurse who accidentally killed babies with the pseudomonas infection underneath her artificial nails...Your friend should care more about patient safety than her nails. If they're that important to her, then she definitely doesn't want a job in healthcare period.

Oh No is this Ghetto Nurses are us? Reminds me of this one Charge Nurse i worked with when i was an aid. She had long fake nails and rings on all her fingers and two on her thumbs. And she would sit on the nurses station and she would tap her nails on the station and she would snap her gum while talking to you all the while screaming Wheres my vitals it's 10:00 lol. With that being said I think your not allowed to have fake nails but always check the policy's of the place of employment or your handbook. Even in clinicals they tell you what you can and can not have. These are my thoughts use them as you wish.. Anthony

Welcome to the forum! I was at my first clinical assignment at a nursing home on Friday and we noticed the nurse had acrylic nails. We were all horrified, as was our instructor. We did that experiment in micro, too!!

Acrylic nails are a breeding ground for bacteria, the ultimate fomite! And, as for natural nails, those should be no longer than finger tip length, without nail polish... The reasons are really simple, bacteria live under the nails, and some patients can be allergic to the ingredients in the nail polish. Plus, as if the issue of bacterial growth and possible allergies couldn't be enough, think of the possibility of the nail tearing a glove and exposing the nurse and the patient to a whole slew of issues. If your friend is more concerned about her nails, and doesn't understand why she can't have them, maybe nursing isn't for her, maybe she should look into cosmetology!

It is selfish for her to think she can have fake nails when she becomes a nurse. If I had a nurse with fake nails (if there is a hospital that exists that even allows them) I would immediately ask for a new nurse. Not only does she put herself at risk, but she puts every patient at risk, as well as the community.

I'm continually surprised at how often "the nail thing" becomes an issue. And while I occasionally miss painting my nails ridiculous colors, I'm not willing to get an unsafe in clinical to prove a ridiculous vanity point. There's so many studies linking acrylic nails to nosocomial infections...evidence-based practice, dangit!