Question about gauged ears.

Flare, ASN, BSN · Apr 28, 2012

it's been brought up before - if you search you may find the last discussion. As far as nursing school goes - a lot of schools have very conservative rules about jewelry - so the plugs in those schools would probably not be allowed. Many schools only allow wedding bands, wrist watches and medical id jewelry. Part of it is professionalism, part of it afety. The gauged earlobed can bet pretty big and the potential for a combative patient injuring or tearing an earlobe is fairly high in day to day patient care with certain populations.

Bear in mind that phlebotomy schools anf nursing schools often have very different views on what is proper. You may also find that getting a job may be a bit more difficult. No, they can't not hire you because your ears are gauged, but it can prompt them to find another reason not to hire you.

lovetosleep · Apr 28, 2012

I have gauged ears and wear flesh colored silicone plugs to work, and I wore them to my Lvn program. No one ever mentioned them at school, so I don't know if they even noticed. I didn't ask about wearing my regular plugs because I would rather blend in at school and work.

The silicone plugs are only 6 dollars a pair on Amazon. I have multiple pairs to keep in my purse, my car, and at home. It makes it easy to change them real quick before work, and they are super comfortable.

allan87 · Apr 28, 2012

I have gauged ears and wear flesh colored silicone plugs to work, and I wore them to my Lvn program. No one ever mentioned them at school, so I don't know if they even noticed. I didn't ask about wearing my regular plugs because I would rather blend in at school and work.
The silicone plugs are only 6 dollars a pair on Amazon. I have multiple pairs to keep in my purse, my car, and at home. It makes it easy to change them real quick before work, and they are super comfortable.

What size are your ears?

lovetosleep · Apr 28, 2012

They are 3/4 of an inch.

Crazed · Apr 28, 2012

I always wondered if nurses have gauged ears can they use them like extra pockets?

I never understood the whole gauge thing. Perhaps I'm just old fashioned but it seems a little silly to me. Exactly what does it express about you personally? (I don't mean this as a snarky comment I am serious)

The only people I know with them are teenagers so I always wonder about adults that have them.

Our program is very conservative. No jewelry other than a watch and a wedding band, no visible tattoos, no strange hair colors, hair must be away from the face and off the collar, no scents, one set of earrings (studs), no crazy make up, etc.

Clovery · Apr 28, 2012

I always wondered if nurses have gauged ears can they use them like extra pockets?

LOL. I'm picturing a nurse with a saline flush syringe sticking through each earlobe... very fashionable, slightly edgy and 100% useful

OCNRN63, RN · Apr 28, 2012

I always wondered if nurses have gauged ears can they use them like extra pockets?
I never understood the whole gauge thing. Perhaps I'm just old fashioned but it seems a little silly to me. Exactly what does it express about you personally? (I don't mean this as a snarky comment I am serious)
The only people I know with them are teenagers so I always wonder about adults that have them.
Our program is very conservative. No jewelry other than a watch and a wedding band, no visible tattoos, no strange hair colors, hair must be away from the face and off the collar, no scents, one set of earrings (studs), no crazy make up, etc.

There are some countries in Africa where women wear some kind of lip stretchers; they make them look like they have giant beaks or something. Will that be the next fad here?

I'm with you; don't get it, don't want to get it. It looks gross to me.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2012

I'm so square I don't even know what "gauged" ears are.

Pneumothorax, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2012

im not 100% sure, but i think the lobe stretching is similar to the lip stretching of the african tribes. How a suburban kid, goin to a nursing school has a link to that idk. correct me if im wrong.

its cool if thats your thing, but it looks unprofessional, at least to the older patients , they just think u have a gross floppy earlobe. (ive seen em. & they're not cute)

PRNketamine7, BSN, RN · Apr 28, 2012

I don't think that's just for older patients... I'm 24, and I don't get it. I agree, not cute.Sorry if it sounds judgmental, OP. I just really don't understand the point.

im not 100% sure, but i think the lobe stretching is similar to the lip stretching of the african tribes. How a suburban kid, goin to a nursing school has a link to that idk. correct me if im wrong.its cool if thats your thing, but it looks unprofessional, at least to the older patients , they just think u have a gross floppy earlobe. (ive seen em. & they're not cute)

hijadecalifas · Apr 28, 2012

LOL. The Director of our nursing program has his ears gauged. My classmate does too and he just wore plain, semi-discreet ones throughout our clinical rotations and no one had any issues with it.

And regarding taste, to each his/her own, I guess. What some people/cultures view as hideous, other people/cultures would find it absolutely beautiful. It doesn't matter much to me how you look on the outside, as long you're a kind, compassionate nurse :)