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.

[hlj123]

I don't doubt that at all. Hey, I'm only 40, but I like the way nurses looked wearing the white dress/cap. Now, you can't tell who the heck is who. "Hey, are you my nurse or from housekeeping?" lol.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

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.

Well, just because some people "hold it dear" doesn't mean

they should be able to force it on the OP.

And, let's be honest. In no way is this any sort of "sacred tradition" for the classmates who voted for the cap. For crying out loud, they are new grads. They have never been nurses. How can they have any traditions?

I "get it". This has nothing to do with the classmates' traditions being violated. They are throwing a hissy fit because the OP not wearing a cap might spoil their pretty pretty princess group photo moment.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Where is this coming from?? This debate has nothing do being transgender, which is a totally different discussion.

The spirit of the post suggests that the OP could be either transgender, identifies with an alternate gender, or has a belief system that should give right to not wear what is a classically female dress.

Therefore, seeing as students should have rights as adults, even if one finds a nursing cap demeaning to women, there should be a choice. And I think nursing needs to get away with what are classic roles/unrelenting rules within the occupation--you can be the least strong nurse, but put a cap on and wa-la you are nurse extrodinare? It is putting far too much meaning on an article of clothing that a large majority of nurses don't/can't wear in their practice. (and I do know their's a number of nurses who do/can/required to). So it is ultimately not a reflection of anything other than a female role in nursing. And that there's no thought for males to wear headgear, then it becomes discrimitory. And the OP paid for nursing school, succeeded, and now not choosing to participate in one small part of a ceremony that because of a personal reason (and honestly, it is not our business the specifics) one is told "stay home". Inappropriate.

It would be interesting if a female were a firefighter or a police officer upon academy graduation insists on wearing a skirt and heels instead of pants, and was told that she couldn't come to graduation unless she put on the cargos and boots. But because she identifies with the fact that she is a female in a male dominated profession, she would like to look feminine. Skirts and heels are not something that a female firefighter would wear on the job. She has strong feelings about retaining her femininity on this occasion. Should she have to stay home?

The OP has strong feelings that suggest that she not identify with classic female roles. A college that she has paid to attend should not have a say in a ceremony that she is entitled to attend.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I'll say it again. If we clung to every tradition, we'd all be walking around looking pretty ridiculous. Time passes. Things change. Traditions die.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I'll say it again. If we clung to every tradition, we'd all be walking around looking pretty ridiculous. Time passes. Things change. Traditions die.

Therein lies the problem.....

You have to know where you have been to clearly see where you are going.

[elkpark]

I never hear anyone complaining about the gowns and mortarboards at graduation -- that's old-fashioned! Nobody dresses lke that anymore! It's a stupid, meaningless tradition! People should be able to wear whatever they feel like wearing to Commencement!

This is the same thing. It's an official school function. Get over it.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I never hear anyone complaining about the gowns and mortarboards at graduation

The difference being EVERYONE wears the gown and mortarboards. It's not dependent upon whether your crotch is an innie or an outie.

[x_factor]

Back in the "white hat" days of nursing, almost all nurses were FEMALE. The FEMALE nurses wore the white hats as a part of their FEMALE nursing uniform. So I don't see the discrimination in acknowledging a tradition in which includes a specific addition to a FEMALE nurse's uniform, by requiring the FEMALES to wear the white hats.

People these day's are just so quick to scream discrimination.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

I honestly wouldn't participate if they made me wear the hat. Having said that, I don't think it is gender bias- as the hat is simply traditional from a time when men simply weren't nurses.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

How stupid. I wouldn't participate. Oh yeah, I did skip my nsg school graduation 20 years ago cause I thought most of them were jerks!

[doomsayer]

Nurse's cap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The uninteresting Hx of the cap. It identifies you, assumes your modesty, and keeps your hair in place? *yawn*

I understand going with the majority of your class- but I cannot understand the instructors taking such a hard stance on it.

[Compassion_x]

I voted no because there was a vote for it.