How strict is/was your nursing school concerning your appearance?

[KarynicaRN]

I teach for a community college. This program is being ran almost like a military school. When I was attending the same college many moons ago, our lab instructor literally got under the bed to see how well we put a bottom flat sheet on the bed and if there were wrinkles underneath the bed.

We were expected to all dress alike, hair off the collar,(no ponytails) one pair of post earrings or none at all, only a wedding ring allowed with no diamond set (so as to not accidentally hurt a resident/patient) , no make-up, no fingernail polish except clear, fingernails trimmed where they could not be seen above the fingers, no perfumes, tattoos hidden, no necklaces, and no going to the store in your uniform after clinicals.

What about your schools? Are/where they the same? Just very curious.

[Faith213]

I'm not in nursing school yet, so I don't have any thing to say on that front, but that sounds alot like my high school I attended. I certainly hope my school is nothing like that.

So, you had to have your hair cut above the collar? If so, I would definately transfer! :stone

[vashtee, RN]

We are allowed to wear makeup, and ponytails are okay, but everything else is the same.

[Ang_RN]

No drinking in uniform

no heavy makeup

no diamond set rings

hair nicely arranged and away from eyes

[rndavu729, ADN]

Ours was pretty much the same. We were allowed to wear make-up. People had ponytails, howevery they preferred us to have our hair more in a bun type style. Ohhh...so glad to be graduated! Although I understand the professionalism.

[Quidam]

We can wear make-up but were told to keep it subtle. Only natural haircolors are acceptable and we can wear 2 pairs of earrings. Both must be small and tasteful. Ponytails are ok...no visible tattoos. Uniform dress is very regimented. Must always be in complete uniform with ONLY all white shoes....nametag, etc. They frown upon wearing your uniform to class even if you are leaving from the hospital...they want us to change out of the uniforms, which I can see the rationale behind...but it is a pain in the butt to carry extra clothes.

[puresass]

We are allowed to wear makeup, and ponytails are okay, but everything else is the same.

same here.

[sm6531]

the same

[linzz]

Same here in Canada.

[RNperdiem, RN]

That's how it was when I went to school in the mid 1990's.

Once long ago, getting into nursing was like joining the military. There was the same concern about uniforms, appearances, rank and following procedure. A few vestiges of this lost culture survive in nursing school.

[GilaRRT]

I teach for a community college. This program is being ran almost like a military school. When I was attending the same college many moons ago, our lab instructor literally got under the bed to see how well we put a bottom flat sheet on the bed and if there were wrinkles underneath the bed.

We were expected to all dress alike, hair off the collar,(no ponytails) one pair of post earrings or none at all, only a wedding ring allowed with no diamond set (so as to not accidentally hurt a resident/patient) , no make-up, no fingernail polish except clear, fingernails trimmed where they could not be seen above the fingers, no perfumes, tattoos hidden, no necklaces, and no going to the store in your uniform after clinicals.

What about your schools? Are/where they the same? Just very curious.

Essentially the same when I was in nursing school. I am happy to see some programs actually have higher standards and push their students to pay attention to detail.

[MikeyJ, RN]

There is no dress code for classroom appearance but when in clinicals we obviously have to wear our scrubs with white shoes. Women are supposed to wear their hear in a pony tail.

Thankfully my school is fairly liberal and realizes there are more important things than if we look exactly like they want. Although there are a few "old school" instructors that could be rough in clinicals -- thankfully I never had to experience them.