I received this email from a professor. I was a little shocked. Opinon?

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Greetings. I just received this email from a professor. I was blown away by the content. I found it unprofessional. I wanted to see what other nursings students had to say. Have you received similar emails before?

Hi NUR 150 Students!

First of all, I would like to thank the majority of students who took to heart the need to dress professionally at clinical this week. The faculty of NUR 150 appreciates your dedication to learning and professional behavior.

This email is aimed at the small number of students who were not in uniform at clinical this week. I wanted all students to read this email, because the unprofessional dress and lack of professional behavior reflects badly on all NUR 150 students. I do not want your clinical group referred to as: the nursing students with the one student whose uniform was so wrinkled it looked like they just rolled out of bed”; the nursing students with the one student with tons of earrings in their ear, it sure was not like that when I went to school”; did you see the fake nails, do they not teach infection control at that college, I am not sure about that clinical group doing anything on my patients”; or lastly WOW, what is with the tattoos that student had, I sure do not want them to be a RN on our floor, my patients would be shocked!”

Your first impression is often what you will be judged by for the whole clinical rotation and nursing school career. Being in a clinical group with students who do not follow the dress code and professional policy, does reflect back on you. Every day you wear your uniform you are on a job interview. You represent every nursing student at the college. Your dismissal of the uniform policy and/or professional behavior standards is a direct reflection on every student, faculty member, and alumni of the college.

I know that the uniform policy has been taught and enforced previously. I know students are sometimes counseled in their weekly feedback about how to properly follow the professional standards. I am also very disappointed about the dismissal of the policy, since this was discussed in the NUR 150 course and clinical orientation on Monday. I stated the faculty knows that you are able to effectively follow the professional standards and uniform dress code, since you have completed NUR 121. I clearly stated that student who are not in uniform will be sent home for being unprepared. I fully believed that this would be a non-issue, since you are all adult learners.

Next clinical day at the beginning of your clinical day, you will line up and your professor will inspect your appearance to ensure that you are fully following the dress code. Students who are not in their proper uniform in accordance with the policy will be sent home. This will count as a clinical absence. No exceptions or excuses will be entertained by the faculty. Dress code policy from the ADN program handbook has been added to the end of this email for your convenience.

Again, I would like to apologize the large number of students who were following the uniform policy this week. The college faculty thanks you and is proud of you.

Thank you,

I see nothing wrong with this either. I remember our psych rotation people were picked apart something fierce our first day (we don't wear scrubs for psych clinical and our first clinical day we didn't go to the floor, otherwise people would have been sent home). If we looked like a slob, we'd be sent home. If we had visible tattoos, they were covered or we were sent home. Hair not pulled up? Pull it up or sent home. We even had nails checked to make sure they had been trimmed to an acceptable length.

I agree totally with the poster who said violating dress code is a dumb reason to get sent home. A little common sense goes a long way ;)

I was in dress code, thats not the issue. Also, I do think students should be sent home if they are out of uniform. I'm not looking to be lectured about the issue she is communicating, but how she communicated it. We weren't on the floor today, just in the class room. The only thing I witnessed were people wearing jackets because it was -12 outside. I believe the email was unprofessional because it rambled- and she made up subjective quotes. I just feel that it was a little much.I mean, personally I would have been more direct and matter of fact.

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

Everything the instructor is true,we have all heard it before.So your personal style in communication is a bit less dramatic,that's fine and it does not mean hers is inappropriat.You need to focus on the message and take it to heart.I often students looking like they slept in their uni and still have blanket fuzz in their hair.I always wonder if the instructor has seen them and if so,why are they still in the building.Sloppy students go on to become sloppy nurses......

I agree with the PP's POV - I don't find this email unprofessional. I also don't understand your reaction, if the email was not directed at you (as you say, you were following dress code that day). I don't find the tone or content to be demeaning given the circumstances - every student was already on notice regarding what was expected of them as it had been conveyed both in a written policy and by instructors. If a certain segment of your cohort was still unable to understand what the school's expectations were, then maybe more plain language was needed to drive the point home.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

She WAS being direct and "matter of fact." She gave you examples of the types of things people say about students who look and/or behave unprofessionally. Research has established that beginners often require concrete examples to grasp new material. You nursing students are beginners in this professional -- and apparently some of your classmates do not grasp what it means to be properly dressed for clinical/work. Your instructor gave concrete examples of the types of thoughts and comments that those students had stimulated.

Your professor used a sound teaching strategy. You just didn't like being part of a group that included people who needed to hear it.

I was in dress code, thats not the issue. Also, I do think students should be sent home if they are out of uniform.

Wait, you don't think students should be sent home if they are out of uniform? Then what, may I ask, is the point of​ a uniform?

Well, some people are a little long-winded ;) BUT, I will say that the email covers the bases. A more direct and short email would probably generate "what did s/he mean by that?" or "well you didn't SAY that in your email" responses. Happens all the time. And I would not doubt for one second that the instructor HAS heard statements like s/he "quoted" from colleagues. There are a lot of people with common sense out in this big world, but there are just as many (if not more) who are severely lacking in that department. Don't you sometimes read things and think "really??!" when in fact the author has to write in a manner that addresses EVERY person. So while most people think "wow, did they really have to state that??", for other people reading the same thing it's just the right amount of information. So yes, I still think the email was appropriate although I will follow that up by saying that there really should be no reason an instructor should have to send out an email about dress code to a bunch of adult nursing students (and I doubt you disagree with that!)

Have fun! Hope the rest of the semester goes better :D

Wait, you don't think students should be sent home if they are out of uniform? Then what, may I ask, is the point of​ a uniform?

No, the OP said s/he believes students out of uniform SHOULD be sent home.

That email seems extremely professional and well written. Nursing school has a standard to withhold, yeah it may be a little extreme at times, but it's necessary! I think all schools are probably the same when it comes to the need to look professional at all times.

I appreciate everyones opinion. I do agree that it's important to follow dress code, and yes- I am taking it to heart. I don't mind being reminded to follow dress code. I was sent emails about dress code before when I was doing my internship for dietetics (for my 1st degree) Therefore, I don't think it has anything to do about not wanting to be apart of the group. I'm an A student so I don't believe I need to rethink my career choices or that I'm going to suddenly find myself struggling.But, I still think it was an idiotically written email.

Well, some people are a little long-winded ;) BUT, I will say that the email covers the bases. A more direct and short email would probably generate "what did s/he mean by that?" or "well you didn't SAY that in your email" responses. Happens all the time. And I would not doubt for one second that the instructor HAS heard statements like s/he "quoted" from colleagues. There are a lot of people with common sense out in this big world, but there are just as many (if not more) who are severely lacking in that department. Don't you sometimes read things and think "really??!" when in fact the author has to write in a manner that addresses EVERY person. So while most people think "wow, did they really have to state that??", for other people reading the same thing it's just the right amount of information. So yes, I still think the email was appropriate although I will follow that up by saying that there really should be no reason an instructor should have to send out an email about dress code to a bunch of adult nursing students (and I doubt you disagree with that!)

Have fun! Hope the rest of the semester goes better :D

Thanks:):)

Specializes in NICU.

The email should have never been sent out. The students that were out of uniform should have been sent home, point made. The next clinical, everyone will be in uniform. In school we could miss one clinical (being sent home was considered a missed clinical). I think the instructor was being way to lenient on the students that they had issues with by sending a warning letter.

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