Forced wearing of nursing cap.

[onetiredstudent]

I'm a senior registered nursing student and our school has a pinning ceremony to mark the completion of our program.

Our class contains about 20% men, equal split of black and white in both genders. I am approaching 50 and this is not my first career.

The director of the nursing program gave the class the "option to vote" on the wearing of a nurses cap for the pinning ceremony and our class photo. The majority of the class voted to wear the cap, men excluded from wear.

I do not wish to wear the cap and have been told by program director that "the class voted to wear it and you have to or you will not be able to participate". I understand the cap is traditional, but I feel it calls specific attention to my gender and not my success in passing nursing school. I've worked very hard to get where I'm at and I wish to celebrate my success with a pinning ceremony.

I truly feel that being "forced" to wear the cap is discriminatory based on my gender alone. Period. The guys are not made to wear them because they are considered "feminine or female dress", and I don't wish to be "forced" to dress as such either (we are all wearing pant-scrubs by unanimous vote).

I respect the choice of anyone else that wishes to wear the nursing cap. I don't and won't presume to force my opinion on them.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Does anyone know of any precedence against forced wearing of nursing caps to participate in school activities, etc? Any input on how else to proceed in approaching my school administration would be appreciated.

I welcome the input from both genders, seasoned and new nurses, students and educators, and anyone else on here that wants to chime in.

I ask only, that you be nice to me and each other. This is very serious for me.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

"it could affect your JOB"

Unfortunately we live in the real world. Real world example: NM of a unit is interested in hiring Kate Jones. The NM is at the pinning ceremony. She asks one of the instructors, a close friend, "why is Kate not here tonight?" Instructor tells the NM "well, she raised this big stink about wearing the cap, threatened to go to a lawyer because the females all had to wear one, and rather that wear the cap she went just decided not be here out of principle." Thought in the NM's mind: "jeez, she sounds like she could make trouble over the silliest little things."

Is it fair for this conversation to take place? The conversation itself is not necessarily the issue. Is it fair for the NM to have that thought? No. But, she might. Then it is true, it won't affect Kate's job, because she won't have one. Doesn't seem all that farfetched to me. It stinks...it's not fair...it's life.

[somenurse]

Unfortunately we live in the real world. Real world example: NM of a unit is interested in hiring Kate Jones. The NM is at the pinning ceremony. She asks one of the instructors, a close friend, "why is Kate not here tonight?" Instructor tells the NM "well, she raised this big stink about wearing the cap, threatened to go to a lawyer because the females all had to wear one, and rather that wear the cap she went just decided not be here out of principle." Thought in the NM's mind: "jeez, she sounds like she could make trouble over the silliest little things."

Is it fair for this conversation to take place? The conversation itself is not necessarily the issue. Is it fair for the NM to have that thought? No. But, she might. Then it is true, it won't affect Kate's job, because she won't have one. Doesn't seem all that farfetched to me. It stinks...it's not fair...it's life.

It is 'possible' for that to happen, which is probably why some people replying to this thread told the OP if she does want to take this on, she should wait til AFTER the ceremony, ha ha!!

You are right, it's not impossible there could be a risk IF IF IF IF (scandal!) that if the OP actually ever did take this to ACLU or a lawyer, or whoever one takes this kind of thing to.

It would take a kind of courage to stand up against this irrational mandating of sexist headwear, if anyone reeeeally cared THAT much,

but, i kind of got impression, the main thing the OP really wanted, was to just be allowed to go to her pinning and feel dignity, that she herself did not apparently appreciate one gender being forced to irrational, lil pointy hats,

and

it seemed she, and others, really just wanted to talk her feelings out in the safe haven of an anonymous nursing forum,

but, that's just a guess on my part, but to me, the OP did not seem like a "trouble maker" or even silly, i did totally 'get' her point of view. I actually rather admire that quality in a person----the ability or fearlessness to question stuff that just doesn't seem logical to them,

even if everyone else is saying, "Oh, it's always been done that way." who knows, that might be a good quality , to have a questioning, logical type of mind. who knows.

[nursel56]

When i wore a cap, it was a huge nuisance, hard to keep spotless, and even harder to keep centered on my head with my stethy going on and off, always banged it. Each school has their "own" style of cap, and our schools' cap looked just like a dunce cap. We all hated the shape.

It's hard to find underwear that doesn't glow under white uniforms. Might not bother some ppl, but, it used to bother me that my underwear was so so visible under most pure-white fabrics. Even skin-color underwear, still visible. Most old time uniforms were made of nylon mixes, and tended to be freakishly sheer, and back then, our tops did not often go past our hips, either.

You must've worked in a very different environment than I did, because most of the white nursing uniforms of my first decades of nursing were that godawful '70s spongy polyester you could probably use for blackout curtains. At least you didn't need to iron them. The only sheer uniform top I had was a darling little pale pink wraparound top with a white collar I wore with my spongy white nurse pants.

Some people here are missing the point that a vote was held. It isn't an edict and it seems to me that if someone is so vehemently against caps they should've raised hell before a vote was held where wearing a cap was one of the choices.

[somenurse]

You must've worked in a very different environment than I did, because most of the white nursing uniforms of my first decades of nursing were that godawful '70s spongy polyester you could probably use for blackout curtains. At least you didn't need to iron them. The only sheer uniform top I had was a darling little pale pink wraparound top with a white collar I wore with my spongy white nurse pants.

Some people here are missing the point that a vote was held. It isn't an edict and it seems to me that if someone is so vehemently against caps they should've raised hell before a vote was held wear wearing a cap was one of the choices.

Glad you had white uniforms that you can't see through! Even some of today's white scrubs are kinda sheer-ish compared to the colored scrubs. But, i've got a white top that is almost microfiber-ish, very opaque. there are better fabrics nowadays, imo, than we used to have.

I did used to go to a golfing store to buy heavier weight white clothing than i could find in uniform sections of stores. (back then, not every town had a uniform shop, and we had no computers, either, to order things online) Lol, remember catalogs? Yes, young ones,

we used to order things from catalogs. Those uniforms were always cheap and sheer-ish, i always ended up sending them back, and just stuck to golf stores.

but, lots of my coworkers did have on sheer uniforms, cuz it did take some effort to find non-sheer ones.

anway, re the vote, etc etc,

It's possible, that the thread is so so long now,

that now we are kinda rehashing the same ol, same ol, over and over,

as new people arrive to the thread. Not sure, but, that is possible. This same point has been made and addressed a few times now.

yes, there was a vote held. Voting does not always prevent discrimination, as most americans might be aware of. Democracy and rules which are discriminatory can live side by side, as they did for 100s of years in the USA.

Someone wondered, if the students realized, when asked if they want to wear a hat,

that that "yes" would equate to EVERYONE else being forced to wear a hat to even participate at all.

If you can not go, unless you wear a lil pointy hat if you don't have a member, then it is an edict. Or, you'd miss your pinning, which is kinda big deal for some graduates.

It's possible, the OP did not imagine in a million years, that wearing the lil pointy hat would be mandated/not optional, til after the decision was made, is why she didn't make her wishes known more forcefully,

or, perhaps she did, who knows?

This might have been a surprise to her, as in all her years of clinical, she's never worn a hat, nor seen one either.

It's probably best, if the cap are optional. then,

everyone is happy!!

[nursel56]

Glad you had white uniforms that you can't see through! Even some of today's white scrubs are kinda sheer-ish compared to the colored scrubs. But, i've got a white top that is almost microfiber-ish, very opaque. there are better fabrics nowadays, imo, than we used to have.

White scrubs! My position has always been that they should be banned. Yeah they are like translucent jammies. At least the traditional whites were fitted and had such things as belts, buttons, and zippers. I know the cheapie Dacron you're talking about, lots of men's shirts were made out of that, and yes I remember catalogues! White shoes had to be Nursemates ♥!!! My allnurses profile picture is me in the sponge-set. I hated my school cap and if nurses still wore them I'd probably get a generic cap from Kay's caps. I'm sure that would be considered heresy, but I felt goofy in my school cap.

[x_factor]

*Shakes head*

In my nursing program I was in previously, our clinical uniforms were different for guys than girls. The guys were allowed to wear cargo scrubs, the ones with all the extra pockets on the sides. The girls were only allowed to wear the two-pocket standard scrubs, despite the fact that they do have cargo scrubs for girls. The guys had all these extra pockets for their little clinical gadgets, the girls did not.

No one screamed discrimination. At worst, a few people went, "awww, well that sucks," and life went on.

This is no different. Actually, this is more silly. Our uniforms were worn daily for months. This is a HAT that will be worn for an hour or two and never seen again.

I can't believe discrimination is even an issue over this. I don't even want to know what you'll do when your new nursing job requires you to wear a specific color uniform.

[somenurse]

*Shakes head*

In my nursing program I was in previously, our clinical uniforms were different for guys than girls. The guys were allowed to wear cargo scrubs, the ones with all the extra pockets on the sides. The girls were only allowed to wear the two-pocket standard scrubs, despite the fact that they do have cargo scrubs for girls. The guys had all these extra pockets for their little clinical gadgets, the girls did not.

No one screamed discrimination. At worst, a few people went, "awww, well that sucks," and life went on.

This is no different. Actually, this is more silly. Our uniforms were worn daily for months. This is a HAT that will be worn for an hour or two and never seen again.

I can't believe discrimination is even an issue over this. I don't even want to know what you'll do when your new nursing job requires you to wear a specific color uniform.

It is likely, that her unit, might assign a specific color scrub. but, in every unit i've worked, it was not gender specific. Like, everyone in ICU had to wear ceil blue, no matter if you had a member or not.

near as i can tell,

no one on this thread is "screaming". Near as i can tell, we are all just calmly sharing our views.

It kinda surprises me, that so many people aren't recognizing that yes, it IS discriminating when a facility is demanding one gender to wear some illogical hat from the past, that does NOT have a positive connotation to many of today's modern professional women,

to even be allowed to even participate in their pinning,

but the other gender doesn't have to wear the lil pointy hat.

The fact that you once had to wear a different kind of uniform than your male counterparts, is no way, negates the fact that this "wear hat or stay home, if you don't have a member" IS still discrimination.

That's kind of like saying, "oh that slap didn't hurt, i used to be PUNCHED, so a slap IS okay.". It's not a great argument really. My point is, saying something else is worse,

doesn't negate the point made here, that is makes NO SENSE to force people with no memberes to wear a hat to be able

to participate in their own pinning ceremony.

Now, it's entirely open to debate, how serious of an offense this is, i'll agree with that! But even if you feel it's no big deal, it is still undeniably discrimination, and kind of illogical as well. there is no logical reason to force the women to don a hat that some of them might find embarrassing or demeaning.

some nurses love hats and some nurses find them sexist and demeaning.

some graduates find their Pinning a pretty big deal,

maybe a few don't care if they go or not.

but, Compared to many other things i've seen women go through in my lifetime, in a fight for equality, this hat is not on par with other discrimination i've witnessed.

I don't think anyone here has said this is some huge deal.

but, it's still discrimination.

it IS discriminating to force one gender to do something illogical or irrational for a job or a school, that the ones with a member don't have to do, too. Not the worst thing in the world, no one said it is,

but, it is discrimination.

I think the caps should have been optional,

then

everyone is happy.

[somenurse]

White scrubs! My position has always been that they should be banned. Yeah they are like translucent jammies. At least the traditional whites were fitted and had such things as belts, buttons, and zippers. I know the cheapie Dacron you're talking about, lots of men's shirts were made out of that, and yes I remember catalogues! White shoes had to be Nursemates ♥!!! My allnurses profile picture is me in the sponge-set. I hated my school cap and if nurses still wore them I'd probably get a generic cap from Kay's caps. I'm sure that would be considered heresy, but I felt goofy in my school cap.

oh that post takes me back! Nursemates! I'd forgotten them. wonder if they still make those?

Glad someone else remembers that terrible kinda sheer fabric that some remember as "looked so professional"(?????.)

when nurses used to wear all white....that everyone could see through...which nurse wear bikini underwear, which ones wear low cut bras, which ones wear high cut undies, which ones must have on a front hook bra, which ones have a heavy-duty five-hook bra on, which ones have lace on their bras, which ones are wearing socks and which ones are wearing panty hose, which nurses are wearing what, all the way down.

even a good sized birthmark could be seen.

Yeah, sure, the pure white uniform was real "professional".

shiver! so glad we can wear colors now!! YAY!! Makes it easier to feel modest.

Yeah, i think it's heresy to wear "not your school's" cap, ha ha!! You'd have to move to another state or something to do it! ha ha ha!!

[Ntheboat2]

Curious if the male students, who were NOT affected, had a vote in the matter?

I'm sure they probably did. Their opinion is important you know! It doesn't matter that they wouldn't be impacted at all and wouldn't even be wearing the hat (or carrying the fetus.....whatever...)

[somenurse]

bye! For others who come by with

"but, but, it's history! Not wearing a hat is disrespecting our profession's history! To respect someone, you must dress like they dressed."

or

"but men wear ties! isn't that the same thing?"

or

"this person shouldn't be a nurse! if she questions things that seem illogical to her"

or

whatever, scroll back, it's probably already been posted. This thread is now just repetitive.

Again, i don't think anyone is saying this is end of the world/huge deal,

but, it IS discrimination. Discrmination can be both in small ways, and in huge ways. this one probably doesn't rise to level of huge deal, but, since it's posted, we are talking about it.

and no one is yelling/screaming/needs to chill out/etc etc. Its just a discussion.

but, anyway you slice it, it is makes No Sense to force people without memberes to wear a hat to be able to even participate in their own pinning ceremony. And yeah, for some, a pinning ceremony is a big deal for some graduates, they do want to go, but just don't want to wear something that they personally feel has a demeaning aspect to it. (even if you don't see hats that way, some ppl do)

PEACE OUT!

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

To clarify there is a BIG difference between simply disagreeing with or "not getting" a tradition that some hold dear and calling it every degrading name that you can think of.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I don't know why OP is complaining. Women used to not be able to vote. Sheesh, she should just be glad that women can vote. And make 77 cents for every dollar her male classmates will make. Women used to only 70 cents on the dollar (50 cents on the dollar, 30 cents on the dollar...)

You do have to pick your battles. For a lot of people, this may not be a battle you would pick. But just because this isn't a battle YOU would pick, doesn't make it any less discrimination. Different rules for different genders IS discrimination.

How about this, only black students have to wear a hat? Discrimination?