Nursing caps required at your job?

RNKPCE · Mar 6, 2004

When I started working as a nurse in 1987 there were only 3 nurses that wore caps in my whole hospital. I have not seen a nsg cap on a nurse since 1990. I thought I remember reading that they weren't very sanitary, because nurses kept adjusting them, or repinning them. I would never work somewhere that they required one because it would make me think they had a lot of other archaic (sp) rules. For instance I had one instructor in the mid 80's that still stood up when a doctor walked on the unit.

orrnlori, RN · Mar 6, 2004

We have one nurse in our large hospital that still wears the white starched dress, white stockings, real nurses shoes (not tennis shoes) a pink sweater over her shoulders, a page-boy hair cut and the little cap. I always magically transport back in time 25 years when I see her. She always looks neat as a pin. No, I don't want to give up my scrubs and walkers but boy, she really does look neat and professional. I would guess her a 50. Everywhere she goes, people look at her. I just find it very interesting. I think she works in the urology offices, she's not a floor/unit nurse.

When we took our pictures for the graduate collage, we voted to wear a cap in the pictures. We had one cap and it was passed from person to person during the shoot. I'm still very proud of my picture with my cap and pin. :)

Katnip, RN · Mar 6, 2004

We have a few nurses who wear caps in our hospita. A lot of our NMs wear all whites, and often dresses.

As far as standing when a doctor comes in, nowadays we just shove 'em out of our chairs when we need the seat. :)

fiestynurse · Mar 6, 2004

When I graduated in 1978 we were the first graduating class to vote against the purchasing and wearing of caps at our graduation ceremony. I have never owned a cap and have only worked with 3 nurses in my entire career who have worn caps. It is funny how they stand out in my mind and I can remember each one of them. If anything, it sure will get you noticed!

Interestingly, my alma mater has one of the largest cap collections in the world:

http://www.son.wisc.edu/alumni/history/historical_collections/caps/caps.html

RNKPCE · Mar 6, 2004

We may have had nursing caps at our school but don't know of anyone who bought one.

movealong · Mar 6, 2004

Wow! Nursing caps, does that bring back memories. We even had a "capping ceremony" in my school. but that was a ong time ago.

I don't know anyone who still wears a cap. The last person I knew who did was about 10 years ago, and even then she was an exception.

My first job was at a Catholic hospital and the nuns would charge 25 cents to wash and starch a cap! Such a deal!! heeheehee, thanks for the memories!

susan18 · Mar 7, 2004

Are there still places that require nurses to wear nursing caps while they are at work? When I use to live in Wheeling,West Virginia I was told that nurses at the nursing home were required to wear nursing caps while working.
Wearing those caps in "the old days" gave me headaches. Do other states require that nursing caps be worn? Which states? Thanks

I remember having to wear my cap until about 1980. I was in ICU by then, and we all voted to not wear them, except on Nurses Week in May each yr. for fun. My cap is pretty traditional with one red velvet band across it. It reposes in a spot on the shelf of my closet in a tightly closed plastic bag, with my capping ceremony program. I used to like to wear it years ago, but only to keep my French twist anchored up under it! I could not WAIT to ditch the white polyester pantsuits and dress uniforms for ICU scrubs in 1979, and never looked back!:chuckle

tmiller027 · Mar 7, 2004

I wonder what people will do when I become a nurse if I wear a nursing cap? LMAO

sorry, I'm in a smartass mood tonight.

Tim

bigred · Mar 7, 2004

When I graduated in 1977, just about everyon in the nursing home I worked at (reg. staff) wore a nursing cap. Those caps got caught in curtains, fell off, etc. When I worked in a small general hospital in another province, we wore caps there too. Mine had a green stripe; many people asked me where I went to school. When I worked at a LTC facility in the same province we were told it would be appreciated if we would wear our caps. I stopped wearing mine there when a resident with dementia wacked me over the head with my cap while I was doing a dressing on her leg, then wung it across the room and hit and broke her room mate's ornament on the window ledge. When I came back to my home province and worked at that same nursing home, only 1 nurse wore a cap. She wore that cap until she retired 4 years ago. Now, no one wears one there.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2004

I wore a cap (purchased on eBay) a white dress, white stockings and even a cape to work this past Halloween. Pts kept saying things like "Wow! A real nurse!"

They got a kick out of it and so did I. In my 12 years as a nurse, I've seen only one nurse wear a cap. She was an L&D nurse where I had clinicals in 1991.

Blackcat99 · Mar 7, 2004

:chuckle Thanks everyone for your messages. I am so glad nursing caps are not required at most places. I feel sorry for those nurses at the nursing home in Wheeling,West Virginia who are required to wear nursing caps. :uhoh3: