Hair does in nursing shoes

[Moonsun1996]

I'm beginning the nursing program in 2 weeks. I am so excited! :)

I have natural brown hair, but I want to add a bit of color to my hair.

What plan on doing pretty much highlight the bottom of my hair so when I wear a ponytail, there are highlights of (probably dark purple/light blue). When my hair is down the dye should be mostly concealed. I think it would look fantastic on me and be lots of fun.

As my colleagues I am asking for your constructive criticism/advice: Should I change up my hair, or should I not?

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

You start in 2 weeks. I would absolutely wait to do anything this radical to your hair until you begin and find out exactly what the dress and grooming code is for the program.

[OliveOyl91, BSN, RN]

I agree with 203bravo. My nursing school and even the clinical sites require that we have natural hair color. If we're a natural brunette and want to go blonde or want blonde highlights, that's fine. Unnatural colors are a big no-no, though.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

That would get you sent home from clinical in my program. Pick your battle- this is one you will lose.

[MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN]

Also your clinical dress code likely requires you to have your hair pulled back, they usually do not let you wear your hair down. Your hair coloring will show. As PP said, I'd wait on doing that if at all.

[katyq82]

Nope! Not worth the possible grief! Definitely read your nursing student handbook regarding appearance, but even if there isn't something specific in there about natural hair color I wouldn't do it. Whether or not its fair, instructors, nurses at your clinical sites and patients will form an opinion of you based on your appearance. Let them get to know you first, see what the handbook says, see what students further along in the program are doing, and if its really still that important to you, I would even ask an instructor or two if they think it would be okay. Do it over the summer if you have a break from classes and you can have it trimmed or recolored before fall semester. :)

[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

I would wait until you are in school to see the requirements for professional appearance. Don't do anything to rock the boat. Keep your brown color until you gradaute, pass the boards and get a job as an RN

[lehaley1989, ADN, RN]

I would strongly advise against this. Most nursing programs have very strict clinical dress codes. In fact, I'm not aware of a single program that allows unnatural hair colors. Mine also requires long hair to be pulled up during skills lab, simulations, and clinical. I suspect this is a common policy.

[ItsThatJenGirl, CNA]

Yeah, we're not allowed to have colored hair in my program. It'll get you sent home.

[verene, MSN]

I would not dye your hair any unnatural color until you have verified your school's clinical dress policies. In my program there was a little bit of wiggle room from the published guidelines but students still must be much more conservative in appearance than employees in most locations. Once you are done with school it will be up to your employer. Which in my area tends to be much more liberal than school - there were no unnatural hair colors in school, but two of my coworkers have garishly unnatural hair colors and no one cares.

[AnnieNP, MSN, NP]

I would wait too. Even if your school said you could have purple hair, I would send you home if you showed up to my office with purple hair! I'm in private practice and so far I have only sent one person home in the past ten years.

[caliotter3]

Even if it were allowed, it would be terrible to have the perfect clinical placement resulting in your desire to get hired onto a unit, and you find out after the fact that the reason your application at the facility was nixed was over attitudes about your professional appearance. Sound far fetched? Decision makers don't always voice their inward predilections. "Cutesy hair" is as good a reason to go on to the next candidate as any. Wait until you are working as a nurse to show non-standard appearance, and only then, as long as you follow the dress code.