Nurses caps!

Originally posted by we_rn

People are paying for the knowledge in my head not what sitting on top if it.

Well said.

And i am NOT working in starched clothes, I only appear in church in startched clothes.

I graduated in 1982 and have never owned a nursing cap. Our nursing instructors said that they would not attend our pinning ceremony if we included capping and candle light vigil. They were very modern in their thinking and told us that both the capping and candle light portion of the ceremony denoted the "old school" that depicted nurses as the doctors handmaidens (I don't think anyone out there believes the handmaiden sh_ _).

As far as Nurses' caps are concerned, I just graduated from an R.N. program and our school no longer issues caps at graduation, besides....being a male, I would be kinda' embarassed to wear a nurses' cap to work:chuckle

Personally, I would never wear a cap or a dress of any colour. Not a functional uniform in my opinion. Also, I don't need a hat to define my profession.

I think we should be given them, at least for graduation photos. But they stopped doing that at my college about 8 years ago. There are only a couple of nurses i've seen do it, one was older and one was only in her 40's. I don't think I would like to wear one on a regular basis, nothing to do with it being cumbersome, but i think it wouldn't be appropriate these days considering the different team players we work with. The cap, though earned, is a bit over the top these days. Perhaps i could see the charge nurse wearing one, so she can stand out as The person running the show, but as a new grad i wouldn't feel right wearing one when there are plenty of RPN's who have much more experience. and even some Unit aides who are extrememly knowledgeable. In my ultimate opinion the cap is outdated, but i wouldn't hold it against anyone who wanted and felt they should wear one.

Probably wouldn't wear one to work, but don't see the problem with wearing them for pinning/graduation ceremonies or pictures. After all, I wore a morterboard for my graduation from high school & when I got my BA, why not a nurses cap for my ADN? (well, maybe not for the guys, but I think the gals should have that option).

there is a nurse on the west wing of our floor who wears her nursing cap all the time. If I see her in the distance it looks like a KFC bucket on her head. All the power to her if she takes pride in wearing it, that's her business. I personally do not look good in any kind of cap so a nursing cap would be out of the question for me. As far as distinguishing us from other floor personnel, there has to be some other way because to the pts on my floor we all look the same. Sad, should be different uniform policies for different positions but there is not. Confuses the pts all the time.

Anyway, if you're looking for a nursing cap there is a website out there called kayscaps.com or something like that.

Originally posted by AmyLiz

Probably wouldn't wear one to work, but don't see the problem with wearing them for pinning/graduation ceremonies or pictures. After all, I wore a morterboard for my graduation from high school & when I got my BA, why not a nurses cap for my ADN? (well, maybe not for the guys, but I think the gals should have that option).

AmyLIz, I have an A.A.S. Degree -- Major in Nursing, and I wore my nursing cap for the pinning ceremony, and the "mortarboard" cap you speak of for my college graduation ceremony. The nursing cap is NOT the college hat, it is strictly for graduating nurses at their pinning ceremonies. Just wanted to explain to you the difference between the hats worn.

I still enjoy wearing my white uniform (the white uniform to me includes the nurse cap). I may start wearing it more and more in spite of ONE PCT who frowned at the idea and laughs about the hat. She's an older woman too. Wonder why it bothers her so much anyway?

I'm not ashamed of my entire uniform that I earned the right to wear as a nurse. ONLY a licensed nurse can wear the full dress of the white uniform. Anyone can wear just a white top, white pants, white scrub coat, or any other color or print scrubs, but ONLY a nurse can sport the white uniform in its entirety, and no one should have the right to deny any nurse who wants to wear it the right to do so.

Oh...by the way...that is NOT me in that nurse picture, it's a pic I found on the web somewhere, but thought I'd post it for posting sake anyway.

that is why at my facility we need a change in the dress code to differentiate the nurses from the CNA's. If the CNA's come straight to work from clinical they are allowed to wear their all white uniform. I disagree with that but what can I do?

Originally posted by cheerfuldoer

AmyLIz, I have an A.A.S. Degree -- Major in Nursing, and I wore my nursing cap for the pinning ceremony, and the "mortarboard" cap you speak of for my college graduation ceremony. The nursing cap is NOT the college hat, it is strictly for graduating nurses at their pinning ceremonies. Just wanted to explain to you the difference between the hats worn.

Yeah, I know...I meant that wearing a cap for pinning or nursing class graduation type stuff/ceremonies should be ok. Mortarboards then for the school graduation ceremonies.

In the CNA training class I'm in now through my school, we have to wear all white uniforms to our clinicals too. Student nurses have the same uniform, nametag & patch being the only differences. (Although I did hear a rumor that this was changing for the nursing students to marroon pants/white top, but I haven't heard anything for sure).

Kudos to you for wearing your whites & cap, cheerful! The school nurse at my elementary (in the 70's) wore a cap, white uniform dress & white stockings/shoes & I always thought she looked ultra classy! :)

I, for one, am old-fashioned enough to know that patients, residents, clients, etc. do like their nurses in white and with caps. However, that discriminates against our male nursing colleagues (who are very valuable to our profession) and many nurses did not/do not keep their caps clean. I worked hard for mine, liked wearing it and only stopped because I got out of the hospital setting. Am just gutsy enough to wear it on occasion and my staff are surprised but respectful! The cap does not make us a professional, but it distiniguishes us from the rest of the employees! And each school (used to) has their own cap, usually with significant meaning behind the design. Find out what your school cap is and wear it proudly! Even if it is only on occasion!