Are nurses allowed to have their nails painted?

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Jul 18, 2012

I've never heard of nurses not being allowed to, as long as the nails aren't long. I wear my nails painted occasionally.

Sparrowhawk · Jul 18, 2012

*looks down at gunmetal gray on her nails* Yep I reckon we are. :)

brillohead, ADN, RN · Jul 18, 2012

Depends on the facility's policies. Each facility is different, and sometimes each unit is different. For example, in L&D and Mother/Baby at a local hospital, you're allowed NOTHING below the elbows -- no watch, no rings, no nail polish, etc. One floor below was a Med-Surg unit that allowed nail polish as long as it was in good shape (no cracks/chips/peeling). Same facility.

RNewbie · Jul 18, 2012

Depends on where you work. All the places I've worked had a specific policy against false nails but they never enforce it. I used to wear fake nails and no one ever said anything to me. Now I always wear gel/shellac polish on my natural nails. Sometimes I have loud, crazy colors; I get lots of compliments. If anyone has time to focus on if your nails are real, fake, and polished they need to get a life and do some work.

roser13, ASN, RN · Jul 18, 2012

Depends on where you work. All the places I've worked had a specific policy against false nails but they never enforce it. I used to wear fake nails and no one ever said anything to me. Now I always wear gel/shellac polish on my natural nails. Sometimes I have loud, crazy colors; I get lots of compliments. If anyone has time to focus on if your nails are real, fake, and polished they need to get a life and do some work.

It's not a matter of needing to get a life. It's a simple matter of infection control. The amount of bacteria we all carry around under our nails multiplies exponentially with the addition of chipped/cracked polishes and acrylic.

Salisburysteak, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2012

It's not a matter of needing to get a life. It's a simple matter of infection control. The amount of bacteria we all carry around under our nails multiplies exponentially with the addition of chipped/cracked polishes and acrylic.

I was just going to post the same thing. Why would you want fake nails anyways when your hands get so dirty at work. Plus you run the risk of having your nail(s) break your gloves.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Jul 18, 2012

Well, if you worked where I did you would get a few days of unpaid time off for having fake nails on...nothing like passing a little MRSA on to your patients!

In our hospital, you can wear nail polish as long as it isn't cracked or peeling. But I have a feeling that is going bye bye too thanks to infection control.

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Jul 18, 2012

Depends on where you work. All the places I've worked had a specific policy against false nails but they never enforce it. I used to wear fake nails and no one ever said anything to me. Now I always wear gel/shellac polish on my natural nails. Sometimes I have loud, crazy colors; I get lots of compliments. If anyone has time to focus on if your nails are real, fake, and polished they need to get a life and do some work.

I would hope being a healthcare worker you wouldn't need someone breathing down your neck to enforce such a policy, you would just want to do what's best for your patients and yourself by not wearing fake nails that can harbor and transmit germs.

Aeterna, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2012

Similar to what others have posted, we're allowed to wear nail polish (just that - no fake nails) as long as it's in good condition. It's great because I love nail polish, including fun colours and especially for holidays and such (i.e. last Halloween, I wore orange nail polish with black tips). And the "good condition" part doesn't bother me because I hate the look of chipped nails, anyway, and take it off before it gets the chance to look too chipped.

hopefulwhoop · Jul 18, 2012

I guess it would depend on facility policy, but where I work, of course, we're allowed to have our nails painted--just gotta keep them chip-free.

RNperdiem, RN · Jul 18, 2012

My toenails are always neatly painted, and my fingernails are short, clean and unpolished.