Gel polish

topazann · Mar 20, 2017

Each hospital has their own regs and standards. Some won't allow a nurse to wear anything, while others will. But [personally I think If you are part of any kind of patient care at all (housekeepers, aides, lab, radiology, therapy, etc.), our town hospital doesn't permit enhancements of any kind. No polish is allowed, either colored or clear.

Office workers are not included in the ban. I prefer nude nails like http://newaylook.com/best-ideas-on-nude-nails/or cream tip french.Now I have done real short gels with a sheer pink polish.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Apr 9, 2017

Well, it's no less sanitary than regular nail polish.

Actually, gel polish is less sanitary than regular polish!! Since the gel polish is designed to stay on longer than regular polish, bacteria has several weeks to grow in the tiny chips and along the edges (vs. standard polish, which is removed every few days). The protected areas around and under the edges of the polish serve as a petri dish for bacteria, even if you practice diligent hand hygiene. In the NICU, babies have actually died from hospital-aquired infections due to long-wear nail products, which is where the whole concern began.

In the units/hospitals where I've worked, 'standard' nail polish has been permitted, but any polish that requires 'curing' (gel, acrylic, etc.) is not allowed. In theory, you could be asked by your charge nurse remove your nail polish, and if you couldn't do it with plain nail polish remover you could be sent home (I doubt that actually ever happened, though). Like OP said, I'd hold off until reading the policy and seeing if it's actually enforced.