Muslim nursing students

[mtcowgirl]

Have any Muslim nursing students had problems wearing a hijab to class or clinical. I am worried about being asked to take mine off for class.

[ComeTogether, LPN]

They can't ask you to remove it, but they can ask you to wear a certain color. Just be aware that hospitals are germ infested and don't wear it more than once without washing it, LOL.

When I hear that people don't wash their hair everyday and they work in a hospital it gives me the heebie jeebies. I feel like my head is a germ infested mess when I leave work ;-)

[mtcowgirl]

I don't see why there would be a problem with the hijab BUT the long sleeves as another person suggested could be an issue if you were looking into that as well.[/quote']

I was looking into a long sleeve as well. Most people around where I am associate a hijab with terrorism. I wish it wasn't the case but it happens a lot.

[mtcowgirl]

They can't ask you to remove it, but they can ask you to wear a certain color. Just be aware that hospitals are germ infested and don't wear it more than once without washing it, LOL.

When I hear that people don't wash their hair everyday and they work in a hospital it gives me the heebie jeebies. I feel like my head is a germ infested mess when I leave work ;-)

Thank you. I understand that, it will be in the wash right away.

[Dranger]

I was looking into a long sleeve as well. Most people around where I am associate a hijab with terrorism. I wish it wasn't the case but it happens a lot.

Long sleeve is an infection control issue that's why I would see it as a no go. It really is up to the clinical site standard operating procedures. Even stating a religion might not get you out of it. It's for your health and the patient's.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Long sleeve is an infection control issue that's why I would see it as a no go. It really is up to the clinical site standard operating procedures. Even stating a religion might not get you out of it. It's for your health and the patient's.

I have worn long sleeved jackets my entire career...and I'm not muslim

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

I'm wanted to ask why wearing long sleeves would be an infection control issue? The only reason why I ask this is because at my school we have to wear long sleeved shirts under our scrub tops. We were told that since we work with certain types of bacteria that could get on our skin we have to be covered. We sign papers at the beginning of the year stating we understand the lab dress code. So I guess now I am confused on what is the better way to control infection.

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

Why would wearing long sleeves be an infection control issue? I'm don't understand that.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Why would wearing long sleeves be an infection control issue? I'm don't understand that.

It's never come up for me as well...I am one (along with many nurses) who wear long sleeves under my scrubs, especially when it gets colder; also as Esme stated, people wear long sleeve scrub jackets. If anything it DOESN'T affect infection control, if anything, as Heathermaizey stated, I can see it from some form of barrier, unless there is a source that can be cited.

Sorry to derail, but this information of long sleeves helps the OP, and has been very effective for years, regardless of religion; I'm curious....where's this information????

[caughtbuckinoff]

Long sleeves are not an infection control issue in my area. Most nurses wear long sleeves under their scrub tops.

If you are treated differently by your employer, you have yourself a nice lawsuit. There is nothing we can do about the patients though, unfortunately. I wouldn't doubt that you may run into some very biased folks that will be unfairly judgmental based on how you dress, but you just have to let that roll off your back and keep smiling, no matter what terrible, albeit fitting names you'd like to call them, lol.

Good luck in nursing school, you'll have a blast! :)

[mtcowgirl]

Long sleeves are not an infection control issue in my area. Most nurses wear long sleeves under their scrub tops.

If you are treated differently by your employer, you have yourself a nice lawsuit. There is nothing we can do about the patients though, unfortunately. I wouldn't doubt that you may run into some very biased folks that will be unfairly judgmental based on how you dress, but you just have to let that roll off your back and keep smiling, no matter what terrible, albeit fitting names you'd like to call them, lol.

Good luck in nursing school, you'll have a blast! :)

Thanks. I will try to keep smiling.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

The only situation that I may see wearing a head-covering being a problem is in your psych rotations. This is because you are essentially dangling in front of patients a length of fabric that they can use to harm themselves or others...including you. In fact, the act of someone yanking it off of your head would probably cause you injury.

That being said, there's several psych settings where I don't think it'd be a problem at all: high-functioning units, CD, outpatient, community. But if you were to be assigned to clinicals on the psych ICU or child/adolescent unit, I'd be very uncomfortable seeing you (or anyone) walking around wearing one because of the potential danger that headcovering poses.

I would talk to your religious advisor to see if you could have a dispensation in case the school/clinical site is going to press the issue. Or maybe there's an alternative to allow you to satisfy both your religious requirement and your school/clinical requirement.

[peachshan, BSN, RN]

I will be wearing my head covering tied in bun just to make sure it doesn't fall off at clinical. Don't worry about being treated unfairly. Not everyone will be on one accord concerning religion but personal beliefs should go out the window when dealing with people's lives. Good luck! I start my program in January.