Published Oct 19, 2006
KLeigh
23 Posts
Do you wear your wedding / engagement rings to work? In what setting do you work (hospital, doctor's office, etc)? Newlywed here, just curious!!
I just got married in July, and didn't wear my rings to work on the hospital unit I'd been workng at for 4 years (they all knew I was married, so I didn't care), but I just started a new job at a different hospital, and I almost feel bad not wearing my rings (like I'm betraying my new hubby or something...haha I know that's probably dumb, but I'm just curious how other folks do it). So far, I've been wearing my wedding band and not my engagement ring, and I work on a M/S unit in a hospital.
mrscurtwkids4
108 Posts
I'm still a nursing student, but I do still wear my wedding rings during my clinicals. I think it depends on how comfortable you are with it. And how large the setting might be on the engagement ring.It might make it more likely to hurt a patient with it. I think the wedding band is fine, but might refrain from wearing the engagement ring just for safety reasons.
Gompers, BSN, RN
2,691 Posts
I wear my wedding band but not my engagement ring. I work in an ICU where I have to do a 2 minute surgical scrub at the beginning of each shift and the only hand/wrist jewelery we're supposed to be allowed to wear is a plain band.
While I am a bit jealous of my friends' fancy diamond-encrusted wedding bands or combo wedding band/engagement ring settings...I still chose to get the plain band so I wouldn't have to take it off. These bands look nice with either diamond solitaires or three-stone rings like mine. When I was engaged I safety-pinned my diamond ring to my ID badge and scrub top.
It's not worth the risk of infection - both to your patients and to you! Lots of germs can get trapped in ornate rings!
Here's some recent threads on this topic...
https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/wedding-rings-work-158276.html?highlight=wedding+ring
https://allnurses.com/forums/f98/silly-question-wedding-rings-155093.html?highlight=wedding+ring
https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/wedding-rings-sit-high-up-vs-gloves-113720.html?highlight=wedding+ring
Nurset1981
62 Posts
I just recently became engaged about 6 months ago. I wear my engagement ring and another silver band on my right hand. I feel funny without them. I tried not wearing it and I'd notice that my ring was gone and my heart would leap into my throat thinking I'd lost it! I had enough of heart palps and decided to wear it. =)
Ruby Vee, BSN
17 Articles; 14,036 Posts
i wear my wedding ring. it's fairly plain with one stone in a channel setting. no rough or sharp edges to hurt anyone. my husband designed it for me so it wouldn't be a problem to wear with gloves. our rings were blessed by the priest, and i never take mine off.
gentle
395 Posts
Plain comfort band to protect both myself and my patients.
Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN
12,126 Posts
I wear a plain comfort band, and not the original band either. I put it on a safety pin, and pin it on the left side of my scrub shirt, i put the pin through the brastrap as well, so i can't get the shirt off w/o taking the pin off, and therefore, making sure i have the ring.
RGN1
1,700 Posts
We are allowed to wear plain wedding bands but not any other rings. It's right because of infection control.
If I've been off & got to work before remembering to take my engagement ring off I have a small & very deep top pocket in my uniform where I can safely put it until the end of my shift.
NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN
10 Articles; 18,928 Posts
After the day shift laundry staff called to tell me they found my engagement ring in the washer, (long night shift...never even missed it), stayed at home. Wisely chose wider plain wedding band that still have 31yrs later.
Sarah, RNBScN
477 Posts
Depends on what your facility dress code has in place.
Where I work, we are advised to wear flat band. High settings can tear glove, or tear a person's skin.
It is infection control who has this in place.
Good idea in my opinion.
am17sg05
117 Posts
when i first came here in the us,i was not wearing my wedding band at work.they were asking me if i am really married.so a wedding ring or band is an indication in the hospital where i used to work if you are available or not.since then on,i wore my wedding band.
suzy253, RN
3,815 Posts
I don't wear my wedding band to work.