More dress code questions

Nurses General Nursing

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I have a question regarding dress code. Generally it's just an accepted rule that you should wear some form of scrubs or other professional looking attire to work in a medical field, but should dress code also apply to other things such as tattoes, piercings, or certain hairstyles?

I'm asking this because I myself have a mohawk but it's nothing extreme or over the top, and i personally think that with a little creativity a mohawk or even a tattoe or piercing can be tastefully done so as not to create a bad image. Some of my peers are concerned that in job interviews my would be employers might be less inclined to choose me because of my hairstyle, but my logic is that if I'm well qualified, good at my job, and have a professional attitude towards my co-workers, what difference does it make if I, or anyone else, has a mohawk?

Am i wrong in thinking this way?

Specializes in PCU, Home Health.
WOW- that is just about the most rude thing I have ever heard! So someone may have driven hours to interview with you, and if your secretary saw a pierced nose, you would have her LIE to them, turn them away, make them drive all the way home, and then never call them again??? That is just NASTY! I pray that I never have the misfortune of working for someone like you! :trout:

ERRN- it might be harsh, but do you think hopeful is the only one? While it might be better for the person to have the interviewee(is that a word?) come in and get an explanation that their appearance is not appropriate- that would be just a waste of time to some interviewers.

Specializes in School Nursing.

Wild hair, piercings and tattoo's would greatly distress me if I was sick in the hospital and you were my nurse. Sorry....but it's just the plain truth.

No matter how nice you were.....your appearance would over-ride.

Anyone else feel this way ?

Specializes in ICU, PACU, Cath Lab.

I do not think it would bother me as a patient. As long as it is clean ( the hair) I do not really care. But I can see where I am not normal..LOL!! Every place that I have worked has had a pretty strict code when it comes to peircings, tats..etc. My tats are all covered at work..and frankly most other times too. I think a mohawk...may not be the impression you want to make coming to an interview. If you were my nurse and you had a mohawk..it would not bother me...but I am not sure if an interviewer would see it that way!

..... Some of my peers are concerned that in job interviews my would be employers might be less inclined to choose me because of my hairstyle, but my logic is that if I'm well qualified, good at my job, and have a professional attitude towards my co-workers, what difference does it make if I, or anyone else, has a mohawk?

Am i wrong in thinking this way?

That's YOUR opinion though, and though all those things are probably true, what most people are going to see is the hair and at the very least make a snap judgement about it. I think piercings and different hair has become much more accepted, but as was mentioned earlier, that is mostly to the younger generation. Even then, it's not the norm.

You might get lucky and have someone that will reserve judgement until after actually interviewing you. Still, I think it's a bad idea to put yourself at a disadvantage... I would think many interviewers would see your hair as a fashion choice, and the fact that you wouldn't change it for an interview as being disrespectful. It's not a religious thing, it a choice, just like if you chose to wear jeans and a t-shirt.

Wonderful thing about hair is it always grows back. Once an employer sees all the good things you do in practice, and if it doesn't conflict with policy, then I would bust out the crazy hair.

I think for interviews it's perfectly acceptable for an employer to judge you on dress and appearence. There's a pretty well respected norm for interviews and it says something if you're unwilling to do that much to get a job.

Just my opinion... good luck!

Another thought, as a nurse I think it's probably more important... as the poster above stated they wouldn't have a problem with it. But I have a feeling that many of the patients you would see might have reservations... especially considering you will likely be caring for many elderly who might not be impressed. I know my grandmother wouldn't be. In most cases I am all for saying who cares what others think. In this situation I think it's very important that patients respect you. Again, seems silly to put yourself at a disadvantage.

Specializes in OB, NP, Nurse Educator.

A question for the original poster - did you have a mohawk during nursing school? Or if you are just starting out - is the school you will attend going to let you come to nursing school with a mohawk? Just curious.

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.
WOW- that is just about the most rude thing I have ever heard! So someone may have driven hours to interview with you, and if your secretary saw a pierced nose, you would have her LIE to them, turn them away, make them drive all the way home, and then never call them again??? That is just NASTY! I pray that I never have the misfortune of working for someone like you! :trout:

Ya, but it is the truth. That is the problem the OP is going to face with most managerial types. It doesn't matter what you or anything "thinks" is rude, it's just the way it is. To me the haircut would be fine, but I know most people don't agree with me.

I would be worried that it would keep me out of a nursing job that I really wanted. Not all units have a nurse shortage--some are very popular with a lot of people applying and I would hate to see someone not get a job they are qualified for because of a haircut that looks unprofessional.

I don't think Hopeful was rude, I think it's status quo. There are many people who apply for jobs and just don't hear anything, either before or after interview. Those that call back to ask why can be told the truth. Otherwise, if someone comes in to interview at a company that adheres to a dress code and the interview outfit is way out of bounds, the company is well within its rights to deny that person even an interview.

Specializes in Peds, ER/Trauma.
I don't think Hopeful was rude, I think it's status quo. There are many people who apply for jobs and just don't hear anything, either before or after interview. Those that call back to ask why can be told the truth. Otherwise, if someone comes in to interview at a company that adheres to a dress code and the interview outfit is way out of bounds, the company is well within its rights to deny that person even an interview.

I have driven 3 hours for an interview in the past. I don't have any facial piercings, but I would be royally pi**ed off if I walked in the office only to have my interview cancelled before it even started. It would be common courtesy for Hopeful to tell the person flat out ahead of time "if you have any piercings, your interview will be cancelled." That way the interviewee can prepare by taking their piercing out, or cancelling the interview and not wasting their time interviewing with that particular company.

I understand that it is pretty much status quo in a hospital or professional setting to prohibit facial piercings, and I don't necessicarily disagree with that, but it should also be expected for professionals to treat eachother with common courtesy- and that includes giving interviewees fair warning so they can either remove their piercing, or not waste their time with the interview. Waiting until the time of the interview and then having her secretary "scope out" the interviewee is just plain rude.

I respect your right to have an opinion.

I'm from Kansas, and here piercings aren't generally allowed. I sometimes encounter someone with a different sort of appearance on the night shift, but that is usually why they are on the night shift, because the facility does not want to show that to the public. People in general will assume a certain stereotype. You're best bet is to change your look to something more socially acceptable if you are looking for a job in nursing.

I have pink and blond chunks in my hair and I am about 99% sure I missed out on a job because of them. I ended up getting a job in one of their sister facilities and something they mentioned when I interviewed was that their policies about hair and piercings wasn't as strict. They are strict about tattoos though...one of the CNAs wears a cock-up splint whenever she works because that is the only "acceptable" way to cover the tattoo on her wrist.

Well thank you all so much for your opinions. I noticed a lot of you were describing dress code rules about piercings. In a medical field I can understand piercings to be unacceptable simply because of the risk of infection. I'm most concerned, of course, with whether or not a mohawk is acceptable. And yes, a mohawk CAN be tastefully done.

Many people see or hear the word mohawk and think this:

http://blog.kingsoutdoorworld.com/wp-content/trapshoot-mohawk1.jpg

Or if you're truly frightened by them, this:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/photos/borejournal/img/mohawk.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nofxofficialwebsite.com/photos/borejournal/photo.php%3FID%3D75%26img%3D2&h=467&w=350&sz=18&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=qAloUjGIUiyg_M:&tbnh=128&tbnw=96&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmohawk%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

I assure you I do not have any hairstyle of that nature. What I mean when i talk about a tastefully done mohawk is something along the lines of this (just concentrate on his hair, I know I'm not going to get a job dressed like him or with that facial hair):

http://www.poorsportmusic.com/assets/pics/Ben_Mohawk1.JPG

Remember, none of these pictures are me.

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