Fake Nails

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I was talking to a friend of mine that is a LPN in LTC and she asked me if I wanted to go to get my nails done and I told her I couldn't because of school and she then sort of snickered and said that its was silly that they dont allow you to have them in school because every nurse she knows has them:icon_roll

I was just curious if you have them or the other nurses in your unit do.

TIA :)

I don't have acryllics, but I do get manicures with a gel coating over the top to make the polish (usually a French mani) last longer. They're short (just beyond the tips) and I dip in both 70% isopropyl alcohol and scrub with a nailbrush soaked in it when I get home. But I don't work on a regular basis - 90% school here - I know that once I go clinicals, full time, even this part of it may have to go. We'll see.

I curious what sort of gel coating is it? I have never heard of this but it sounds cool:D

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

I haven't worked in 4 yrs but a couple of yrs before that long nails or acrylic nails=home without pay until the nails are gone

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Specializes in IMCU.
I don't have acryllics, but I do get manicures with a gel coating over the top to make the polish (usually a French mani) last longer. They're short (just beyond the tips) and I dip in both 70% isopropyl alcohol and scrub with a nailbrush soaked in it when I get home. But I don't work on a regular basis - 90% school here - I know that once I go clinicals, full time, even this part of it may have to go. We'll see.

I though that alcohol, at best, had only fair fungicidal properties.

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Specializes in Case Mgmt, Anesthesia, ICU, ER, Dialysis.
I though that alcohol, at best, had only fair fungicidal properties.

You're right, I also use a hibiclens-based soap when I nailbrush it.

The gel doesn't have nearly the issues with pathogens that acryllics do.

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Specializes in LTC.

I' m a nursing student and we are not supposed to wear acylic nails or polish however... many of my nursing classmates and INSTRUCTORS do. Some of my instructors don't mind if students wear them and some do. I had a pretty, like pink polish on( fresh manicure) and my current instructor told me to make sure the polish is gone for clinicals. When I do work as a nurse, I may not do acrylic nails but I may do an overlay with gel just so the polish will last.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

my nails are thin as paper and when i am not working i wear them. that being said, no false nails if you are working, unless you just crave passing on some uggglie bugglies. the minute cracks and crevices collect the germs for you. no matter how hard you scrub you will pass them on to someone. maybe a patient, maybe a cafeteria worker, maybe your newborn baby. eventually someone will die. nails should be natural, clean,no polish, filed even with the fingertip and washed at least for 15 seconds in hot soapy water.

ps: 15 seconds is the time it takes to sing the alphabet song. a-b-c-d _e_f_g.... or if you wish twinkle twinkle evening star........

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

No fake nails here either. My own nails grow like crazy and I have to check them and clip them often. Saddens me, because it makes me look as though I bite my nails, but I don't want germs living where they're not supposed to.

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Specializes in IMCU.

I thought the deal with nail polish was similar to that of fake nails because bits can get between the polish and the nail. Presumably, a gel coating acts as similar to the gel used in fake nails (many years ago I had fake nails that were "gel" not acrylic).

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Specializes in med surg ltc psych.

So the nurses have clean short non acrylic nails, and the CNA's who do an awful lot of cleaning of patients and direct contact care, still sport their long acrylics.. yeah they do. I just feel it should be universal that if a nurse gets sent home or has to cut her nails, so should the CNA's.

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So the nurses have clean short non acrylic nails, and the CNA's who do an awful lot of cleaning of patients and direct contact care, still sport their long acrylics.. yeah they do. I just feel it should be universal that if a nurse gets sent home or has to cut her nails, so should the CNA's.

I have wondering this too as a aide I would never wont long nails....but that is just me

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Specializes in Orientation hahahaha.

Long nails and nursing = disgusting.

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Specializes in IMCU.

CNAs are not allowed false nails or nail polish at my place.

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