Long nails as an ER nurse

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So if you have been on tiktok recently, a nurse named "NurseBrat" went viral, showing her luxuries and how much she gets paid as an ER travel nurse. I'm not in nursing school yet, so my question is: is it common that nurses have long nails like her? No hate to her, but I thought it was very controversial and I have not seen people asking her about it in the comments 

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Each facility will have different rules. Certain units within facilities will have even stricter rules (think ICUs, OR, NICU, Oncology). I don't see a ton of nurses with super long nails but I wouldn't  call it rare. I, personally, wouldn't have them because of the ick factor plus they can tear the gloves we use. Other people's MMV.  

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As Wuzzie said, each facility will have different policies. Way back in the day, when I worked in the hospital,,, any type of artificial nail was prohibited. This was for infection control. It's not possible to thoroughly clean fake nails. Very long nails slow down patient care. Even placing a blood pressure cuff is hard.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

As others mentioned every hospital has different policies and levels of enforcement. 

With that being said I am not a huge fan of long nails both artificial and natural. They are difficult to maintain clean, multiple articles showing an increase in infection especially in vulnerable patient populations.

Also in general, you never know what your'e getting into, gloves break and bodily fluids are everywhere. 

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I have to add that TikTok has a recent "phase" of  people posting the most ridiculous stuff and its just a trend. For instance, one of the people I follow (an NP) all of sudden posted that they now operate independently, managing anesthesia during the operation as well and then the patient gets up off the table and makes the comments, "oh and I didn't even have to see a doctor." So, it was just like an exaggeration of their usual duties. 

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Specializes in Nurse Anesthesiology Student.

You'd be surprised with what you can get away with at work. Especially in the ED.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
traumaRUs said:

I have to add that TikTok has a recent "phase" of  people posting the most ridiculous stuff and its just a trend. For instance, one of the people I follow (an NP) all of sudden posted that they now operate independently, managing anesthesia during the operation as well and then the patient gets up off the table and makes the comments, "oh and I didn't even have to see a doctor." So, it was just like an exaggeration of their usual duties. 

Total b.s.  It can't have been much of an "operation" if someone without anesthesia education do it:)  I'd love to know ehat the procedures were.

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