Anyone sporting a beard?

IMHO, a short, close cropped beard can look nice, while a big bushy beard makes you look like you just crawled out of the woods.

REGARDLESS of that, I've been told that you cannot get a proper fit on a TB mask with a beard-it screws up the seal. That might help make my decision, if I was a guy.

I entered nursing school with a beard, did all my clinicals and graduated with a beard, worked almost my entire 24 years with facial hair.

No one ever said squat.

A good beard is like a good haircut. The quality of either can enhance or subtract from your professional appearence.

ps.

I had to go through a mask fit test before starting a new job. Where they do like ~ 10 different tests while a machine measures the pressure/air loss.

Employee health suggested I might want to shave the non chin areas, but I passed it anyway with my neatly trimmed full beard.

Actually, I've had more patients comment on my facial hair than coworkers. Obviously, some like it and some don't. But I agree that it's just another form of hairstyle and certainly not unprofessional as long as it doesn't get out of hand. They make me do fit testing yearly, and I fail every time. That's fine with me since I prefer to wear the hood rather than the mask anyway. They always says "maybe you'll shave soem day and it will seal for you." No, I don't think so. I can get away with shaving far less often by wearing a goatee, and when I do shave every few days it only takes a couple of minutes instead of doubling my time spent on daily grooming. I say, wear it proudly; It's nice to see all sorts of faces at work and remind patients that men do exist in the care setting. Does anyone work at a facility that prohibits facial hair at all? I've always wondered if my hospital is more or less liberal than average with its grooming policies.

I've been sporting a Vandyke since high school, no negative comments or N95 fit-test issues yet... in fact, it seems to be a predominant style amongst most of the male workers around the hospital.

Mike in Michigan

I grow a beard from Sept - March every year for the past, i dunno, 10 or 12 years now.

I'd keep it year 'round, but summers here are too hot and humid, and my wife honestly can't stand it, so I get the beard for 6 months, she gets me clean-shaven for 6 months. :)

I had to shave early this year specicially for respirator fit testing in February, because you cannot get an airtight seal no matter how short your facial hair is.

I agree that a well-maintained beard is certainly not unprofessional - I trim it weekly and keep it close-cropped.

I have bearded up in the past

I have bearded for Xmas with my gray white facial hair

now Im just lazy and shave every 3rd day or so, unless Im feeling romantic for my wife, then I shave and and good cologne.

OK my bearded friends; what about long hair?

I had very long hair about 3 months ago but have since cut it short.

I sport a biker handlebar mustache

Most of the time I would just grow a beard for the playoffs, but since the Cards won last year I just kept it. No shaving or shaping just short from the trimmer. No one has said anything yet.

No beard at present--not since I started in healthcare, mostly r/t N95 issues--but I started my moustache in 8th grade, and by 11th grade it was actually noticeable. I know it would grow back, but I'm not willing to risk it.

My facility says hair, facial or otherwise, should be clean and well groomed. Seems like common sense. Length doesn't seem to be an issue, though, which is only fair, since some nurses have quite long hair. Obviously, it needs to be kept out of one's work--tied back or whatever.

One of my co-workers and personal heroes is an old hippie. He also has an extremely cool nickname, which I won't relay here out of respect for privacy, but it's way more macho and way more "mountain" than boring old Nurse Mike, so I'm way envious.

My own hair is usually only moderate in length, but around 0400 has a tendency to become sort of an "Einstein" do, which my young female colleagues tell me is extremely sexy.