?? for long-haired female nurses/student! How do you wear your hair at the hospital?

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Silly question I know. I'm starting nursing school this month, and I have long hair (past shoulder length) and I'm assuming I can't wear it down in the hospital. The thing is (not to be vain), I look better with my hair down, and I don't want to cut it. Half of my hair up and rest down is probably not acceptable either?

So how do you all wear your hair? I was thinking a low ponytail.....blaaah boring. Maybe I'll get some side sweeping bangs to make it look more interesting.

Specializes in Neuro ICU, Neuro/Trauma stepdown.

i wear my hair in a bun everyday. 1. because i'm hot and sweaty and cant stand for it to touch my neck 2. i'll get yuckies in it and 3. i work with head traumas and they WILL grab it (good luck there!)

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I wonder what would happen if a really well respected school required their students to wear hair nets to clinical.

I wonder what would happen if my unit required the nursing staff to wear hair nets ... I wonder if anyone would resign because of this.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

I have been a nurse 23 years and when I worked the floor my hair was in a braid or bun every day. They told me the first day of nursing school that I had to cut it. I said, "uh HUH! Not me!":uhoh21::madface::down: And I didn't. It has never gotten in the way or been an issue in any way since then.:lol2:

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Specializes in acute care.

Mine is down to about mid-back, no bangs, and I almost always wear it in a low ponytail (occasionally a high ponytail or a bun) at clinical/work; in fact, that's how I generally wear it at other times as well. It's quick and easy to do in the morning (I am NOT the high-maintenance type!), it keeps it out of the way and it looks decent. The rule at my school is just that long hair needs to be pulled back.

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School says you have to wear it off your collar, but the real world just wants it out of your face. I have short hair now but I wore my long hair in a ponytail or a barette.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

You know the trick where you put your hair in a ponytail, but the last turn you don't pull it all the way through? That's my current favorite, makes a sort of sloppy bun that winds up as a loose ponytail by morning. Quite a few nurses that I graduated with did this in school. They didn't want us to have a lot of clips, etc. in our hair, have it off the shoulders, out of the face, natural hair colors (no pink or blue), etc.

I've tried to wear my hair cute like I would when off work but it just drives me bananas. It's nice to just not have it in my way at all.

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I wear that half bun / half pony tail all the time at home and gym, lol. It's so easy.

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Specializes in Peds ED, Peds Stem Cell Transplant, Peds.
Silly question I know. I'm starting nursing school this month, and I have long hair (past shoulder length) and I'm assuming I can't wear it down in the hospital. The thing is (not to be vain), I look better with my hair down, and I don't want to cut it. Half of my hair up and rest down is probably not acceptable either?

So how do you all wear your hair? I was thinking a low ponytail.....blaaah boring. Maybe I'll get some side sweeping bangs to make it look more interesting.

In a ponytail

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in school it had to be up. in the hospital where I work there is not a policy that I know of. and if there is, I have never been approached by management and been told to put it up. i very rarely ever wear it up. I have so much hair i get a headache if it is up more than a couple hours. mine is about shoulder length. never had anyone grab it, or get in my way. most on my floor wear it down

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Specializes in OR, Robotics, Telemetry.

congratulations on starting nursing school! :balloons:getting accepted is half the battle! (well, maybe a little less than half!)

the previous posters have given some great advice. check with your school though, mine strictly regulates everything! can not touch collar, no excessive accessories, all hair accessories must be a neutral color to blend in with natural hair tone (no kidding - specified in our hand book under dress code).

i had mid back length hair when i started and have recently cut it to a few inches below the shoulders and i wear mine in a bun. i know, i look like an old maid with it in a bun, but it does stay out of the bed pans, emesis basins, and wounds!

good luck in school!

_________________

graduating in december 2007!

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My hair comes down past the waistband of my pants, so I asked my clinical instructor for advice. Our school's policy is only that it must be pulled back, and in real life I normally wear it in a long braid, but she recommended that I wear mine up in a bun for reasons that have already been stated. No problems here, I'm not going into nursing to look pretty at work.

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Specializes in PICU, surgical post-op.

My hair isn't always long enough for a ponytail, and one of my favourite styles has always been 2 little buns at the back of my head. My HN usually laughs at me, and the kiddies think it looks silly. Anything to get a smile! Unfortunately, the last 2 times I've worn it that way, I've had kids pass way on me, so I'm retiring the style indefinitely...

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