Diamonds in school?

not now, RN · Nov 11, 2004

It could also be that big diamonds/stones can be intimidating. You're trying to find a common ground with your patients or at the very least connect with them so they can trust and feel comfortable with you. Some might be put off expensive jewelry especially if they have a lower socio-economic status than you. For some diamond studs are something they'll never have no matter how much they scrimp and save.

My mother works with migrant children, she leaves the huge diamond ring my father bought her home because she knows how it is to be a poor migrant worker. Never did she think she'd ever own a ring like that. When my father gave it to her she was slightly in shock since she'd never seen diamonds that big up close and never thought she'd be wearing them on a daily basis.

Just a thought.:)

JoniL&DRN · Nov 11, 2004

I see the point on the bling thing.. i just wondered if diamonds were breeders of some kind of microbe...

Burnt Out, ASN, RN · Nov 11, 2004

When I was in nursing school, we could wear stud earrings, a wedding band, or if engaged, we could wear our engagement ring, and our watch...that was it.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2004

Infection control for one thing - germs getting into jewelry crevices and not being properly cleaned out.

Loss prevention for another - no one NEEDS to wear expensive things to work. There is little more annoying, than chasing down lost jewelry for a patient other than chasing down lost jewelry for a coworker, that should know better than to wear it at work.

Injury for a third reason - sharp stones can cut through gloves, and tear skin, exposing the wearer and the patient to injury and disease.

NO ONE NEEDS TO WEAR JEWELRY AT WORK!!!! Barring a medic alert or wedding rings that can sit on a chain under your uniform, or a watch, there is no need to wear jewelry. Like cell phones, and PDAs, one can learn to do without them.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2004

I don't know....we're allowed to wear one pair of stud earrings. I wear my diamonds. They're okay with that, but I can't wear my diamond wedding ring, just a plain band. They said MOs breed in diamonds. I guess they think they won't get to our ears. Hmmm....

The germs multiply in the cracks, crevices and spaces in a ring with stones. A smooth band is easier to clean, and has fewer areas where germs are shielded from hand-washing.

mitchsmom · Nov 11, 2004

We aren't allowed to wear much either (flat wedding ring/plain small stud earrings)... and it doesn't bother me at all. I'm with all the above reasons listed!

rn undisclosed name · Nov 11, 2004

Why would someone even want to wear something like that to clinical. You're there to take care of someone - who cares if your jewelry is on. I wouldn't want to risk bringing something home to my family. Sorry, but I think someones health is more important than what jewelry you're wearing. The only piece of jewelry I wear is a jelly watch I bought specifically for clinicals. You can't always depend on a working clock to be in the patient's room. Plus I feel pretty confident I can grab an alcohol swab and wipe it down.

Also, in my program we're not allowed to have artifical nails. Not that I have them. I think it's a great rule!

Kelly

purplemania, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2004

The facility and/or the school may not want the hassle of being responsible for your loss, if any. Also, jewelry does not really have a place in a germy environment. Third, what would the diamond do to gloves????? And fourth, we are not impressed with all that jewelry. Save it for Sat. nite.

QuilterLPN · Nov 13, 2004

Our only restrictions are; no necklaces, no dangly earrings, keep jewelry simple. So, I have no problem wearing my diamond wedding ring every day, so what's wrong with wearing diamond earings (studs of course)? Generally if they are going to make some kind of rule (like no diamond studs) they will usually provide some scientific study that proves the rationale for such a rule. Like no acrylic nails, for example. We can't have them at our school, because it has been proven that they harbor bacteria. Now, I would have trouble imagining how my earings could harbor anything, unless you are constantly fidgeting with your earings or somethink like that.

I love my diamond studs. They are drop-dead gorgeous in my opinion. Since the rules already cover how I wear my hair, what kind of watch I wear, my shoes, my scrubs, no tattoos, no perfume etc, etc..... I understand the reasoning for all that. But dang it, let me at least choose the kind of stud earring I want to wear!!!!!

KrisRNwannabe · Nov 14, 2004

I wear 4 ct (2 each) princess cut diamond earings and I will take them out over my dead body. They were a gift from my husband for getting in to nursing school. and they have not been out of my ears since. Now, I wear the whites and I even forgoe wearing my thongs, I wear the dumb white shoes with the white socks, my hair up (thank god for fake hair) and I wear the spacer for my tongue piercing. But never will those earrings come out of my ears. and when i lose enough weight to wear my huge wedding set than I will. I have taken gloves on and off with it for years and never had a issue. I am tired of people saying you shouldn't wear your diamonds at the hospital because it might people feel bad. well my husband works his butt off to buy me the jewelry that I have and I am not ashamed of it. And as for the poster that made the comment about cell phones and pdas: I will never come to work without my pda. If i need to look up a drug i can. wake up this is the electronics age.

my 2 cents

Kris

jenrninmi, MSN, RN · Nov 14, 2004

I wear 4 ct (2 each) princess cut diamond earings and I will take them out over my dead body. They were a gift from my husband for getting in to nursing school. and they have not been out of my ears since. Now, I wear the whites and I even forgoe wearing my thongs, I wear the dumb white shoes with the white socks, my hair up (thank god for fake hair) and I wear the spacer for my tongue piercing. But never will those earrings come out of my ears. and when i lose enough weight to wear my huge wedding set than I will. I have taken gloves on and off with it for years and never had a issue. I am tired of people saying you shouldn't wear your diamonds at the hospital because it might people feel bad. well my husband works his butt off to buy me the jewelry that I have and I am not ashamed of it. And as for the poster that made the comment about cell phones and pdas: I will never come to work without my pda. If i need to look up a drug i can. wake up this is the electronics age.
my 2 cents
Kris

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JoniL&DRN · Nov 14, 2004

Well still I wonder are diamonds in some way like the acrylic nail issue... (by the way I wear artificial nails and HATE going without them but nursing is more important to me than those) I googled it and couldn't find ANYTHING about diamonds and germs so I am guessing it is either a status thing or a liability thing...this has been a fun thread though. Since I don't like pearls or yellow gold I guess I'll be earringless during my clinical rotation...