Hijab (headscarf) Nurses

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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 :-)

Specializes in DOU.

A nurse on my floor and one of our pharmacists wear the hijab. I haven't ever heard of them having a problem, and I live in a relatively non-diverse community. :)

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Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

I used to work with a fellow NP who wore the hijab. No one at our hospital ever gave it a second thought, or if they did, the kept it to themselves. Of course, me being me, and not wanting to offend, I did ask her one day what it was called, just for clarification, because I wanted to compliment her on them, she had some of the most beautiful fabrics I had ever seen.

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Seen plenty of MD's wearing hijab. No nurses.

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Lots of nurses wear them around here. Some are so beautiful! I love the fabrics they use.

I've never seen them loose when people wear them at work. They're always well fastened or somehow tucked into their top.

By the way, there was a guy who designed a sports hijab. It's a special one that fits well around the head and is somehow fastened down inside the clothing. This was done because here, girls wearing the hijab were banned from playing soccer because of so-called safety concerns.

I hope that designer does well. I thought it was a fabulous idea.

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Specializes in Health Information Management.
Lots of nurses wear them around here. Some are so beautiful! I love the fabrics they use.

I've never seen them loose when people wear them at work. They're always well fastened or somehow tucked into their top.

By the way, there was a guy who designed a sports hijab. It's a special one that fits well around the head and is somehow fastened down inside the clothing. This was done because here, girls wearing the hijab were banned from playing soccer because of so-called safety concerns.

I hope that designer does well. I thought it was a fabulous idea.

The sports hijab is a clever idea! We have a lot of Amish and Mennonites in our area and I can recall one girl wearing specially modified uniforms for band; her parents didn't want her wearing anything more revealing than an ankle-length skirt. No one gave her a hard time.

As for nurses wearing the hijab, I know of one nurse and one female physician in my rural midwestern town who wear them. I don't know either one well enough to know about complaints or rude comments one way or the other. In this neck of the woods, sad to say, it's a very brave thing to do.

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Specializes in MedSurge/Tele/Observation.
Thank you for such a candid question.

I just got hired as CNA two months ago, in the middle of the hard economic times and with no previous experience. Where there's a (God's) will, there's a way... :-)

I am Muslim and I wear the hijab, but most importantly I am passionate about nursing and I have a mature and solid work ethic.

Be yourself, be confident, be a good nurse. Respect of honest hard work, regardless of where you're from or what you believe in, is one of the most important values in the US, and God bless America for that!

On a technical note, I do find the "Amirah" hijab, the 2-piece, to be the most practical scarf for the job: it is relatively short so it doesn't hang past my neck, and it stretches so it makes it easy to slip the stethoscope earpieces in and out of my ears.

Peace :)

Lily

p.s. Happy Ramadan! :-)

Dear Lily,

Thank you so much for your reply. I too believe that Allah (God in arabic) has a plan for us all and regardless of what we plan or what we decide is something is meant for us it will happen. It's just hard not to think about the outcomes of wearing Hijab and trying to look for employment especially with these hard economic times. I would never think of taking if off just to get a job or please others, when I made the decision to wear it I meant for ever. I am not arab, middle eastern, I am actually Latin and I already have to deal with my extended Christian Family not liking that I wear it, and although I love them dearly I won't take it off for no one.

I've always been a hard worker with good work ethics, and passionate about the health care and helping out. I'm professional and dependable, and like you said regardless of who I am dealing with I keep those standards always.

I agree, I believe the Amira hijab would be the most convenient, I often use them when I'm outside with my toddler b/c they are easy to keep out of the way and easy to readjust and what not.

By the way Lily, how do you find average the patient reaction towards you when you are caring for them. I know even a non hijabi or non muslim will encounter all sorts of patients, but just wondered if wearing it made a difference with the patients for you, even if it was a good difference.

I know for me embracing modesty has brought more looks, but more curiosity than anything else. I just remind myself to smile at folks and make them feel at ease, a lot of the times they are burning with questions and as soon as they get the chance they will ask, and it does not offend me at all, in fact I am glad they are trying to understand. It's by choice that I decided to wear the hijab and dress modest, and so glad I have because since then i never get harrassed by men. :-)

Congratulations Lily on your success wa Ramadan Kareem wa alaikum salam wa barakatu

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Specializes in MedSurge/Tele/Observation.

Wow thank you all for your replies, you've brought a smile upon my face with all your stories. Thank you to those who think the hijabs are pretty and the fabrics too. They are so much fun to play with, like doing your hair but in a different sense. Ohhh, and yes we do save money on hair products hehehe

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

I see many hijabis in San Diego and nurses as well. I too am jealous because I have such thick curly long hair it would be a blessing to wear a headscarf. I would also think it more sanitary if worn close to the head rather than loose.

I love seeing women in headscarves. They are so beautiful. Our one nurse that wore the hijab has since moved on but she was very kind and infinitely patient so that's how I think of all hijabis now. :)

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I haven't seen anyone at my hospital wear them, but I'm not there too often.

I think they are gorgeous!! Definitely a bit jealous I must say. Of course, many of them have gorgeous hair too.

There will always be ignorant people who may some something, but I would bet that they would be more likely to talk behind your back instead of saying something to your face. Not that that is appropriate, but you know how people are.

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Specializes in MedSurge/Tele/Observation.

You are all so sweet, thank you dearly for your sincerity :-)

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Specializes in Neurovascular, Ortho, Community Health.

ASA; I've been a Puerto Rican Muslim for 8 years, which, as you might imagine, brings raised eyebrows because it's just not "the norm" among Latinos. I've always been too afraid of others' judgement to cover. I'm finally coming to a point in my deen/path of faith where I want to start wearing hijab, but I'm really terrified at the thought of one day coming to work in my ICU with a scarf on and people looking at me crazy and me having to explain to everyone that yes, I'm Puerto Rican, and Muslim. This thread has been comforting. Thanks :-)

Also, I live in a large city and I have seen one nurse in hijab at a downtown trauma center, as far as I could tell she was treated fine. There's also a respiratory therapist at the hospital I'm at now who covers. Again, never heard of any issues. Both of these places were large teaching institutions. I secretly envied both of them and wish I had the strength. God willing I will soon.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

When I was in Detroit, I worked with lots of Islamic nurses many of whom wore hijab to work. They typically wear the type that exposes the entire face, covers the hair from top to back, and gathers loosely below the chin and around the neck. The hospital required nurses to wear a specific scrub color so these nurses wore the required scrub color with some modifications on the scrub style. They typically wore a long sleeved undershirt or turtleneck under the scrub top or a long-sleeved cardigan-type jacket over their scrub top. It's amazing how some could coordinate the colors and patterns in the hijab with the cardigan sweater and the required scrub color. Some wore full length skirts with hems at the ankle instead of scrub pants. Because the area had many middle-eastern immigrants, it was never an issue as far as offending anyone's cultural sensibilities. These women wore a different hijab each day they worked so infection control wasn't an issue either (in contrast to other providers who wore the same white coat everyday and never washed it until it's visibly soiled).

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