NP with a beard?!?!

[Erclifton85]

I am currently in school working on my MSN and FNP, I have a pretty decent 3 month beard right now; planning to make it a 6 month beard soon. I am wondering if anyone else has a good beard and if it has presented any professional problems? So far as an RN the only negative comments I have gotten are from coworkers, patients all interact great with me. Anyway, it is shaped and clean. I just wanted some opinions and wanted to break the monotony with an off the wall question. Thanks!

[FlorenceNtheMachine]

I like facial hair on men. I wouldn't find it unprofessional, unless it was an untamed mountain man level of unruliness. Even then, I'd still probably not care a whole lot.

Basically what I'm saying is, I'm too worried about not having facial hair on my chops to worry about what my coworkers have on theirs.

[elkpark]

I have worked with lots of male colleagues, physicians, nurses, and everything else in healthcare, who have had beards. As long as it is neat and clean, it shouldn't be a problem.

[alexnextlevel]

Definitely go for it! I personally love beards on men if they are well kept. Shouldn't hinder you professionally.

[ComeTogether, LPN]

I would just be worried about germs. Same lines as long hair.

"No day but today"

[SycamoreGuy]

I think the military is the only profession that frowns on beards anymore. I have even seen cops with beards.

[TX RN]

I'd rock one.

If I could grow one.

[amoLucia]

You woud meet one of my necessary male criteria --- big, tall, Southern or fuzzy.

[sharpeimom]

I don't see any problems with your having a beard. My husband keeps his beard well trimmed and the guy who cuts our hair trims it every month, along with his nose hairs, eyebrows, and ear hairs. The joke is that since he's really bald, he gets his beard trim free!

If your beard is curly or has a lot of red in it as my husband's is, it will need to be trimmed more.

[zenman]

I'm a contractor working with the military. Several of us have beards. It's been a non-issue.

[logank622]

I think beards are a non-issue as long as they're clean, but I'll bring up one consideration. Many deaf or hard-of-hearing people read lips, and a scraggly beard may hinder their ability to understand you. I work at a facility with a high number of patients who fit this profile, so it's been mentioned there. If the population you work with will include Deaf or HOH, you might consider keeping the beard/mustache trimmed - I think it's still fine to have one though.

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

One of the owners where I part time is an NP. With a beard. And shoulder-length hair. We all love him to death. No one's ever said boo about any of it.