Muslim nursing students

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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.

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.

I will do that when psych comes around. Thank you.

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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.

I did't think of that. I am new to wearing a hijab and have yet to figure out all the different ways others put them on.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

It should be no problem. However there are plenty of small minded people out here and I am sure you will hear some comments. I would not expect you to ever be asked to take it off as part of nursing school.

The only problem I have seen recently with female muslim nursing students was when they were doing clinical in the VA. Some of the Iraq and Afghanistan war vets didn't appreciate a nurse wearing hijab, enough so that some of them requested not to have a nurse in hijab care for them.

In my area we have several communities of muslims from different areas. I noticed that the Bosnian muslim girls don't wear anything that would mark them as muslims. They also tend to be blond and have very white skin. American's tend to be very ignorant of other religions and cultures. Expect people to make silly, rue and offensive comments. We have a Somali nurse who works in our hospital an wears hijab. I know that many female patients have told her things like "You know dear you are in America now and don't have to wear that here".

We also had a case where an ER patient who was on his way to our locked psych unit grabbed the scarf off the head of his muslim ER nurse who was escorting him and tried to strangle her with it. Lucky for her she was saved when the elevator opened and two male nurses who were waiting for the elevator dashed in and overpowered the patient. Something to consider if you will be working with the violent mentally ill.

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It should be no problem. However there are plenty of small minded people out here and I am sure you will hear some comments. I would not expect you to ever be asked to take it off as part of nursing school.

The only problem I have seen recently with female muslim nursing students was when they were doing clinical in the VA. Some of the Iraq and Afghanistan war vets didn't appreciate a nurse wearing hijab, enough so that some of them requested not to have a nurse in hijab care for them.

In my area we have several communities of muslims from different areas. I noticed that the Bosnian muslim girls don't wear anything that would mark them as muslims. They also tend to be blond and have very white skin. American's tend to be very ignorant of other religions and cultures. Expect people to make silly, rue and offensive comments. We have a Somali nurse who works in our hospital an wears hijab. I know that many female patients have told her things like "You know dear you are in America now and don't have to wear that here".

We also had a case where an ER patient who was on his way to our locked psych unit grabbed the scarf off the head of his muslim ER nurse who was escorting him and tried to strangle her with it. Lucky for her she was saved when the elevator opened and two male nurses who were waiting for the elevator dashed in and overpowered the patient. Something to consider if you will be working with the violent mentally ill.

Thank you. We don't have clinical at the VA. If we did have to do clinical at the VA I would explain I was born in America and have a brother in the army. I would keep that in mind when working with psych. That would be scary.

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As far as the long sleeves and infection control-----when doing clinicals for labor and delivery we were required to wear scrubs provided by the hospital in case we had to go into the OR for a csection. You aren't allowed to wear anything under these scrubs but your underwear.

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As far as the long sleeves and infection control-----when doing clinicals for labor and delivery we were required to wear scrubs provided by the hospital in case we had to go into the OR for a csection. You aren't allowed to wear anything under these scrubs but your underwear.

Okay. I will have to talk to the instructor at the time I get there then to see if I could still wear long sleeve.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Okay. I will have to talk to the instructor at the time I get there then to see if I could still wear long sleeve.

They had sterile paper lab coats we could wear. These were long sleeved. Just no outside clothing. Likely an option for you. When in the OR we had to wear the coats over our OR issued scrubs (thank goodness as most ORs are pretty cold)

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They had sterile paper lab coats we could wear. These were long sleeved. Just no outside clothing. Likely an option for you. When in the OR we had to wear the coats over our OR issued scrubs (thank goodness as most ORs are pretty cold)

Okay thank you.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

There will always be those who react out of ignorance and fear. Because this is America there are laws to protect you. Your chool and facilities will accommodate you.....if they get government money they absolutely have to. The ignorance of the general population can be challenging and in certain areas like psych and the ED where someone can grab it and hurt you...most will embrace you for who you are...this is your path.

I would also seek counsel in your community....see if there are other Muslims in healthcare and how they have solved these dilemmas.....I remember a while ago about a different way to fold/wear the hijab.

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/hijab-headscarf-nurses-499427.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/any-muslim-nurses-219396-page11.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/any-muslim-nurses-219396-page10.html

https://allnurses.com/emergency-nursing/word-advice-strange-823121-page2.html

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There will always be those who react out of ignorance and fear. Because this is America there are laws to protect you. Your chool and facilities will accommodate you.....if they get government money they absolutely have to. The ignorance of the general population can be challenging and in certain areas like psych and the ED where someone can grab it and hurt you...most will embrace you for who you are...this is your path.

I would also seek counsel in your community....see if there are other Muslims in healthcare and how they have solved these dilemmas.....I remember a while ago about a different way to fold/wear the hijab.

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/hijab-headscarf-nurses-499427.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/any-muslim-nurses-219396-page11.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/any-muslim-nurses-219396-page10.html

https://allnurses.com/emergency-nursing/word-advice-strange-823121-page2.html

Thank you. I will use nursing school and nursing as a way to educate people about Muslims.

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Lots of hospitals in my area have issues with long sleeves under scrubs unless you are wearing a hospital issued jacket like the military uses. My school also didn't allow us to wear long sleeves a clinical. Even then they only allow the jackets when you go to lunch or are off the floor.

Not all places are the same rule wise...

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How is it not an infection control issue? Umm let's see you go from patient to patient with your sleeves brushing against everything and then move to the next patient. Sure you wash your hands but I personally wash the length of my arm for better sanitation. Plus going home in those sleeves is just gross

You can't wash your sleeve mid shift...

This is the norm for the ICUs and ERs I've been in...

For the OP just check with your school and the hospital policies

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