Gel Nails

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I know that this may seem like a trite topic, but our local hospital has just created policy that gel nails are unsanitary and has banned their use. It seems to me that gel nails aren't much different than regular nail polish, other than it lasts much longer/looks better. What's the general consensus on whether or not gel nails are unsanitary/inappropriate for the workplace?

Specializes in Ortho, CMSRN.

I think a no nail polish rule would be a deal breaker for me. I grew up skirt-girl Pentecostal. No cutting hair, no makeup, no earrings and no nail polish. I also went through nail polish prohibition in nursing school. Nope. Not doing without it again. I LOVE my job, however... I'd probably find another job that allowed me to wear nail polish if mine threw a fit about it. I usually redo mine every 2 days anyways. I've never had gel nails, because I like redoing mine frequently. I've heard gel lasts awhile. I do like Sally Hanson's gel effects nail polish. It stays well, and as far as the "lifting".. I've never experienced that.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
I do wear nail polish and yes, I shake people's hands without gloves on, but I do that at church and the grocery store and the like.

This is kinda gross to think about…but, who is to say that the people you encounter at the grocery store or church do not have C diff, etc. on their hands? It great that you glove and it sounds like you are diligent with your hand hygiene. However, don't be fooled into thinking that you won't come into contact with potent germs if you are not in the hospital.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
I don't agree that hospital policy is the ONLY relevant issue. With some sincere effort, some dedication, good scholarship, there could be some change.

Why? So that nurses can wear a certain type of nail polish? As a male, I really don't care what the policy says or how much evidence there is (or is not) to support that policy--so maybe it's just that I don't care. However, it just seems that there are much more important issues to research.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
I think a no nail polish rule would be a deal breaker for me.

I don't know you, and I'm not going to pretend that I am in a place to tell you what you should think/do. However, this rubs me the wrong way. It seems a bit, shall we say, shallow to put the ability to wear nail polish above a nursing job. I can't put myself in your shoes, and I can't really know what the issue means to you. Having said that, would you quit/refuse your "dream job" just over a nail polish policy? When I was a kid, my parents were cheap-o and I had bland, generic, solid colored sneakers. Not that I wear a gaudy pink, green, and orange pair now, but they are not solid colored. However, I can't even imagining quitting if work mandated that I wear solid white shoes (which my school did mandate that).

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Specializes in Ortho, CMSRN.

Back when I barely had 2 nickels to rub together, I quit a bank because they used cascading overdraft fees. The fees were fair, and they were mentioned in the contract. However, I am not a glutton for punishment. Yes, if a job has unfair and ridiculous requirements I will find a better job. I think that no nail polish is a pretty ridiculous requirement. So long as it's kept clean and unchipped and germ free, what's the issue?!

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Specializes in Ortho, CMSRN.
Would you quit/refuse your "dream job" just over a nail polish policy? .

And no... I probably wouldn't. However, if something better presented itself, I would be much more likely to leave. I LIKE nail polish. Some people like tattoos, chocolate, pizza, diamonds etc.. Seeing a cheerful color on my nails brings a smile to my face... silly as it is. I think I would be more happy to deal with white shoes or scrubs than a no polish policy.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I think that no nail polish is a pretty ridiculous requirement. So long as it's kept clean and unchipped and germ free, what's the issue?!

I actually don't think it's ridiculous. I think that it's been shown that any nail polish at all can harbor more bacteria than no nail polish.

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Has this been asked and answered over and over? :***:

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I think a no nail polish rule would be a deal breaker for me. I grew up skirt-girl Pentecostal. No cutting hair, no makeup, no earrings and no nail polish. I also went through nail polish prohibition in nursing school. Nope. Not doing without it again. I LOVE my job, however... I'd probably find another job that allowed me to wear nail polish if mine threw a fit about it. I usually redo mine every 2 days anyways. I've never had gel nails, because I like redoing mine frequently. I've heard gel lasts awhile. I do like Sally Hanson's gel effects nail polish. It stays well, and as far as the "lifting".. I've never experienced that.

You'd quit a job over nail polish? Maybe you should be a manicurist instead. :nailbiting:

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Specializes in Ortho, CMSRN.

I do that in my spare time... To my right, I have two spice racks chock FULL of nail polish mounted to my wall beside my desk. There are TON'S of things that could be infection risks. My number one gripe is the curtains in rooms that we walk past, brush past, bring bedpans around and are pretty much nearly never changed. Jackets, Dynamaps, stethascopes and keyboards that are rarely sanitized. I think that nail polish would be a petty issue in the grand scheme of things. No need to bully people because their hobbies and likes are different than yours. Really, if you gel/wash in and gel out and wear gloves when appropriate, nail polish should be a non-issue.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
Back when I barely had 2 nickels to rub together, I quit a bank because they used cascading overdraft fees. The fees were fair, and they were mentioned in the contract. However, I am not a glutton for punishment. Yes, if a job has unfair and ridiculous requirements I will find a better job. I think that no nail polish is a pretty ridiculous requirement. So long as it's kept clean and unchipped and germ free, what's the issue?!

I don't believe there is any such thing. Fingernails carry germs---regardless of how pretty they look. It's just a matter of how many get trapped when you bring polish into the equation....

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I think that no nail polish is a pretty ridiculous requirement. So long as it's kept clean and unchipped and germ free, what's the issue?!

So who determines if it's clean, unclipped and germ-free? You? Your nursing supervisor? The nail police? Too bad you don't care as much for your patients, their safety and infection control as you do about your vanity and your nail polish. :confused:

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