we cannot have acrylic fingernails

[jh56031]

This is my first post on allnurses, and I wasnt sure where to ask this question...Hopefully I dont make anyone mad if its in the wrong spot!

I am a student and at my school we cannot have acrylic fingernails (I feel like this is standard in nursing schools). One of my peers is taking it hard that she had to take hers off when school started. She states that once she graduates, passes the NCLEX and secures a job that she will get her nails back. I feel like getting her nails back is what is keeping her in nursing school.

I was wondering if current nurses could shed some light to me, so maybe I can pass some info along to her or I can just make her stop talking about it because I hear about it on a daily basis.

Thanks

[buzzbe453]

Studies have shown that bacteria transmitted on nurses' fake nails have caused severe infections and were even the cause of some deaths in a NICU. An investigation was done that traced the cause of the severe infections directly to bacteria transmitted from nurses' fake nails.

I am against them for nurses. If I worked in another field, I would consider getting them myself. If you do a search, you can probably find some articles on hospital infections and deaths related to fake nails.

[RNtobe556]

I don't think nails are even allowed in the work place, I am only a student thought but I work in food and beverage no nails. and I assume that it is the same way no nails at work. those things carry bacteria and EWWWWWW. Why introduce those nails to an already compromised patient?