Hijab (headscarf) Nurses

[skybmonkey]

Do any of you know of any nurses who wear their Hijab (headscarf) to work? I have yet to meet any. Only once did I run into a medical professional who wore one, but she told me she had been hired a long time ago, way before the whole Islam conflict began in the States. I would really like to know of any who have been hired within the last 10years and how do the patients react to them when they see them. Thank you all :-)

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I have a girlfriend who is hijabi who works in a southern Catholic hospital. A drunk rowdy guy looked and her and said, "Oh, no, y'all sent in the nuns!"

She has no problems.

:)

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I know plenty in Baltimore, along with Orthodox Jewish nurses, and Sikh MDs. No problems here, but then it is a teaching hospital.

[skybmonkey]

@ SuesquatchRN--> wow really? That's really nice, and yes sometimes hijabis are nicknamed nuns

@ Caroladybelle--> That sounds reallly nice, what a cultural popurri.

I guess I worry about not being hired once I'm a nurse because of the hijab, I know there are laws about discrimination but seriously it's really hard to prove that's the reason you weren't hired, they will always find a different reason why you weren't hired if that was the case. All of my friends who are nurses or in the medical field (even those who aren't in the medical field) don't wear the hijab and don't want to wear it because they themselves say it would bring a conflict with their work, with customers or getting hired or patients. Sad that that has to be the case.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

I work in a large teaching hospital in a major city. I've actually never seen a nurse wear any type of head scarf, but I've seen many male doctors wear them. It's never been an issue as far as I know and I don't think it would ever be an issue for a nurse either.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

I work in a large teaching hospital in a major city. I've actually never seen a nurse wear any type of head scarf, but I've seen many male doctors wear them. It's never been an issue as far as I know and I don't think it would ever be an issue for a nurse either.

I do know a few Indian nurses who don't wear their head scarves to work, but I never asked why. Now I'm wondering if it's because they have the same concerns as you.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

@ SuesquatchRN--> wow really? That's really nice, and yes sometimes hijabis are nicknamed nuns

It wasn't a nickname. The guy thought he'd been reaaallly bad. Seriously, people who don't know much about Islam seem often to think women with hijab are nuns. They have no reference.

I really don't think you'll have a problem. At least, I really hope you don't have a problem.

[bewitched]

I was just on an airline flight with a hijabi flight attendant. I felt bad for her because I'm sure people would give her a hard time a lot. It must be a brave thing to wear such an obvious symbol of Muslim faith to her job in this day and age where so many people are classifying all Muslims as terrorists, etc etc.

[Lola77]

at my old hospital there were a lot of nurses who wore them - I was always so jealous of them because I thought they looked pretty plus they didn't have to worry what their hair looked like lol. As far as I know, there was never a problem due to them.

[bewitched]

at my old hospital there were a lot of nurses who wore them - I was always so jealous of them because I thought they looked pretty plus they didn't have to worry what their hair looked like lol. As far as I know, there was never a problem due to them.

I'm glad I'm not the only one to feel like this!

[mammac5]

I would have no religious or cultural objection to working with or (as a patient) having a nurse who wears the hijab. However, I would have objections from a microorganism standpoint. The hijab or any other headcovering must be held back away from the face and up off the neck, the same way a female or male's hair must be for safety and sanitary purposes.

A few years ago there was a study done about how nurses' caps were sources of nosocomial infection...I would think the hijab would pose the same sort of risk. I am not sure of the rules for posting links to studies here, but it can be found by using Google scholar and searching for nurse cap infection.

[IHeartPeds87]

Isn't it sad that people are afraid to wear something so dear to their faith because of a fear of what customers will say? It just makes me sad....my grandparents came to this country to GET AWAY from this type of mentality.

I don't think i've ever seen a nurse wearing a hijab before....it never occurred to me that some may have wanted to and aren't because of the current tensions....