If nursing caps looked decent, would you wear one?

[Flynurse]

My school never issued nursing caps to us, only pins. Whenever I see old pictures of nurses wearing their caps I have this urge to want to find one for myself, if of course it looked decent.

Think about it...most nurses haven't worn them since the 70's, but it stands strong as a symbol of what we do and who we are.

I would definitely wear one, but I'm the least likely to start a trend. :chair:

[zooz]

My vote falls into the "No way!" category.

I could not, would not, wear a cap.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

I have worn one "years" ago. I would wear a cap again. I would not go back to wearing all white.

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

When they come out with the baseball cap for nurses, sign me up. :)

[loricatus]

No way would I have even gone to Nursing School if I would have to wear a cap while at work; and, especially so if I had to wear the white dress uniform! In no way do I mean to offend the traditionalists with what I am about to write (I respect them and understand where they are coming from); but, I wouldn't go to my pinning ceremony or graduation because I felt Nursing School's purpose should have been more like job training than indoctrination into a culture. I realized just before graduation that I was so poorly prepared for this profession by my university, that I wanted to distance myself from them as much as possible. I now regret some of my attitude then, not all of it.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

When they come out with the baseball cap for nurses, sign me up. :)

Eric, I have to agree with you...you would look rather silly in a nursing cap bud!

[rn/writer, RN]

When they come out with the baseball cap for nurses, sign me up. :)

I like the baseball cap idea. They stay on your head far better than any nurse's cap I've ever seen. Great for bad hair days. What about a helmet option while we're at it?

[rdop5388]

I would wear one. But only if I wasn't working in situations where it might get in the way. And I think special occasions all nurses should wear them. Also the elderly folks love to see nurses wearing them.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

Nope, nope, nope. Have never worn one, don't want one. One more article of clothing to get peed, pooped, barfed, bled on.

[Bridey]

I wouldn't wear it, but I'm glad at my graduation that we had the option of getting capped & pinned. I did both and my hat sits in my curio cabinet next to all my other nursing trinkets I've collected.

Funny enough, about 25 of the 40 students in my graduating class DID get capped. I guess even though we wouldn't necessarily wear them, we do realize the symbolism.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

We wear hats in the OR so the nurses cap wouldn't have any place where I work. I just ordered some new cloth scrub hats-should be here next week. Weeeee!

I do think that the sentiment behind the old nurses uniform was sound, though. I think we should have some part of the uniform that identifies us as nurses but I'm not sure what. I will wear white nursing shoes on occasion and I actually wear my nursing pin to work because my mom bought mine and said she wanted me to wear it proudly, not have it shoved in my jewelry box. The downside is, I'm always petrified I'll lose it! I've seen pics of the old nursing capes, and I have to admit, I think they look kind of cool! Very dignified.

I have a bigger problem with nurses that look sloppy. This is just my opinion but if a nurse has long hair-I think she(or he!) should tie it back neatly. I hate long "dragon lady" nails on nurses, and I've seen some fellow nurses that looked like they just rolled out of bed. Patients notice the hygiene of their nurses-in nursing school, I had a patient scold me because she could see the print of my panties through my white pants! In my defense, I usually wore my white granny panties on clinical days but I hadn't had a chance to do my laundry, and grabbed whatever was clean. She was a former nurse so she had an eagle eye for such things. Funny how I never forgot that, though!

[Bridey]

I've seen pics of the old nursing capes, and I have to admit, I think they look kind of cool! Very dignified.

A cape? Now THAT would be bad a$$. We'd look like Superheros! LOL

I have a bigger problem with nurses that look sloppy. This is just my opinion but if a nurse has long hair-I think she(or he!) should tie it back neatly. I hate long "dragon lady" nails on nurses, and I've seen some fellow nurses that looked like they just rolled out of bed.

I'm totally with you on this. I generally keep my hair pulled back out of my face or up when I'm at work. It makes for less accidents with my hair in peoples faces, falling into a sterile cath setup, etc...

The "dragon lady nails" are a pet peeve for me too. We weren't allowed to have long bright red nails in school, why would people think it was ok to have them at work? I get manicures, but stick to neutral colors or a french manicure when it's all said and done. I think it just looks a lot more professional. Besides what patient wants to see a nurse with 3 inch nails coming at them with a suppository? LOL

You present a better image if you look well put together. If you look a mess, though you might be a fantastic nurse, your patients might think you're actually a mess as a nurse. Harsh, but true. When I was in nursing school there was a girl in our class who was great nursing potential... her problem, she smelled like cigarette smoke, always had messy hair and looked like she rolled out of the bed for clinicals. Patients used to ask if they could have a different student nurse because she seemed disorganized and messy.

At least take a shower, brush your hair, put on deoderant, brush your teeth and put on a clean, ironed uniform... even if it gets wrinkled through your shift at least there will be a reason for the wrinkles.

[lil' girl, LPN]

Been there, done that, never want to again!!