How important is your 'look' as a nurse

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Especially when it comes to getting hired, pay raises and such things. I mean, I'm sure hospital administration can't possibly expect us all to look like super models, but isn't there some sort of 'look' hiring managers tend to gravitate toward?

As a Clinical Coordinator who regularly interviews and helps make hiring decisions on RNs and CNAs, I can tell you that good looks aren't that important, but "bad" looks are. By "bad" I mean low-cut cleavage-showing tops, tank tops, stained shirts, faded slacks, flip-flops, dirty sneakers, hoodies, and jeans, all of which I have seen in interviews.Some nurses don't have "dress-up " clothes because they always wear uniforms or jeans, but it really is worthwhile to either borrow or buy an interview outfit. An RN doesn't have to be pretty or handsome but they do have to look clean and neat. An outfit may be cute, trendy, conservative or whatever gives you confidence. We just want you to shine and show your best self!

As for the overweight issue, it becomes a problem if the person is so overweight that there's a question if he/she could perform on a busy unit effectively. I have had obese nurses that work in ICU that do fine because they really don't do a lot of walking and running around. I think nurses are a reflection of society today. If patients are looking for their nurses to be their role model for fitness, then about half of them could be, and the other half couldn't be. I'm most interested in a compassionate, smart, organized RN!

Good point. Thanks for bringing us back to the question at hand. :cat: If a nurse, who makes a decent enough wage to afford such things as a simple pair of dress slacks, shoes, and a decent shirt hasn't bought them, then s/he might not be very civilized.

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I was always told to wear a nursing uniform for interviews.

I am not sure the reason,but since most of us do not wear regular clothes but scrubs anyway,i do not think it would hurt your chances of not finding a job.

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I was always told to wear a nursing uniform for interviews.

I am not sure the reason,but since most of us do not wear regular clothes but scrubs anyway,i do not think it would hurt your chances of not finding a job.

Really? I've been told to dress up. I usually wear dress pants, dress shoes, and a nice shirt, cardigan set, or sweater for LTC interviews. For hospital interviews, I have my suit ;)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
I was always told to wear a nursing uniform for interviews.

I am not sure the reason,but since most of us do not wear regular clothes but scrubs anyway,i do not think it would hurt your chances of not finding a job.

In this market and time-business casual; no scrubs, unless you are changing into them for a shadowing interview.

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Ideally they wouldn't care beyond you looking neat, clean and professional.

However there are many studies on the role bias plays in the hiring process. Height, weight, "attractiveness", the amount of make up worn, and even your name can all supposedly effect your chances of getting a job. Most of these aren't really things you can control, though.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.

It's important in the sense that I want to appear clean and well-groomed as it sends a message of professionalism, but beyond that, my "look" is more for me.

I remember being in nursing school and seeing my classmates look as if they'd rolled out of bed, put on a pair of scrubs, and showed up. While I don't think it's necessary to be done to the 9's to go to work, it is important to look your best, and that may include putting in a little effort to put some make-up on and blow dry your hair (these are of course examples and not mandatories). Wearing scrubs doesn't mean one has to look like ... well, a scrub.

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Obesity is still an acceptable form of bigotry. One can't say ****** or *** in public anymore, but fat bashing is still ok. Yes I agree that it is ironic that the fat nurse is giving health care education and in a perfect world, we would all be perky little blonde step ford wives. The real world in which I live as a fat nurse is not that way. I have worked in ICU/ER and other physically demanding areas for >40 yrs. I have a master degree and all the certifications I necessary, but I am not the image management thinks they want to portray. Nor are over 1/2 the other nurses I work with. I haven't asked for, nor have I received any concessions due to my weight. Yes image is everything. The only thing I have ever asked is that my peers keep the fat bashing to a minimum around me, and have the courtesy of saying of saying their comment about me to my face, I have to put up with rude comments from families and others about my weight without having to deal with my peers.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

When in doubt I tend to gravitate towards the "I'm crazy enough to show the #$%& up every day and keep a smile on my face look". What does that look like you ask? To be honest......a bit like an escaped maximum security psychiatric pt.

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Specializes in ANCC - Gerontological Nursing.
You get to decide for you how to live your life, whether you eat fries or not, whatever. You say you feel better when you don't eat them. It's a mistake to assume that your experience is the same as anyone who is not you. You do not get to decide how anyone else lives their life.

Discussing a healthy lifestyle does not mean prescribing weight loss.

Your posts smack of immaturity. You lost 40 pounds, you stopped eating fries, so now all the sudden you saw the light and can sit atop your golden throne and condemn all the fat people in society who want instant gratification and make excuses about weight. Give me a break.

No, what I'm saying is that when a patient tells me they haven't succeeded in changing to a healthy lifestyle because it's hard, I can agree with them that it's hard and share some of the ways that I've stayed on track and even my experiences when I've gone off track. I don't ever "prescribe weight loss" or force anything on them. I can't force anyone to make a change they aren't willing to make. I was overweight for a very long time because I wasn't willing to suffer and stick with the changes.

I did a whole lot more than stop eating fries to lose weight and make changes in my life. I don't condemn fat people at all, but I do encourage them to make changes when appropriate because they're usually complaining about how horrible they feel. If you're 300 pounds and feel great, more power to ya... I don't think gastric bypass surgery and "fat camps" would be such a booming business if that were the case.

I am shocked at how many nurses seem to think it's OK/harmless/acceptable to be overweight. Very few medical conditions cause obesity.... it's mostly choice.

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I still stand by my comment about the double standard I see here. It's okay to make fun of the overweight or obese patient who needed 4 medical people to move them but you can't say anything bad about overweight or obese nurses. Fat bias works both ways.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

I sit in on interviews with management, and I can tell you that anyone who shows up to an interview in scrubs has fundamentally failed to grasp the business meeting nature of an interview. It does not bode well for the applicant.

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I still stand by my comment about the double standard I see here. It's okay to make fun of the overweight or obese patient who needed 4 medical people to move them but you can't say anything bad about overweight or obese nurses. Fat bias works both ways.

Who here says that it is ok to make fun of patients? I'm doubting it is the same people that say you shouldn't say bad about nurses.

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