the RN's appearance

Ah yes, chewing gum. I personally love to chew mint gum because I think it is a favor to my patients. After downing a quick cup of coffee or a cheese stick, I can get nasty breath. A breath mint or a quick brush just doesn't cut it. I've talked with some nurses who have the worst breath I've ever smelled. And when we bend over patients while auscultating or adjusting linens, many patients have no choice but to smell it. I think a small piece of gum, discretely chewed, is more professional than awful halitosis.

What do the rest of you think?

I was just reading another forum here "What do you bring to work." Many RNs mentioned they bring gum. One RN though said that she forbids her staff to chew a gum on the floor. I sure understand that it does not look good when you obviously chew the gum when taking to a patient or a family but on the other hand... are we to much restricted when it comes to our looks and actions? I also always have a pack of gum with me and I only heard the compliments from coworkers, my supervisors and patients , noting about being unprofessional... Maybe we are not just RNs, but women too...

For one with the gum, I always have gum.... forbidden or not and keep from chewing it when with a pt. Easy to keep under the tongue. Do you think the pt wants to smell the last drink/instant snack I grabbed in the two second break I had or my breath after I've been there 9 hours? I've never had a complaint.

As to appearance; the managers say "don't dress up and look like a professional" and then hospitals are all changing dress codes because so many look like slobs. Well duh!

I say dress professional and be made up. It reflects upon you and will carry over into pt care and your pt's (and pt's family's) feeling about you.

This doesn't just go for the women in nursing but the men too. The people that look good and professional have a far different experience. First impressions are not alwyas right, but it sure helps if the first impression is one you want to project, rather than one you hope people get. Nursing school breeds uniformity and political correctness, the reality is different.

I'm not against it in principle, but there are some people who just can't seem to control themselves when they've got gum. I think we all have to abstain because the few crackers, smackers, poppers, and open-mouthed chewers have gone too far....:anbd:

Agree with the breath issue. People that are against gum haven't smelled their own breath after a long day!

I'd rather stick hot irons in my nostrils.

Although I am not a nurse yet, I have been a patient quite a few times and I think it is perfectly fine and maybe even better for a nurse to chew gum. Not Bubblelicious with all of the smacking. But absolutely a piece of mint gum as opposed to smelling their tuna that they had for lunch.

As far as dress/make-up. I do not wear a lot of make-up or have a fancy hair style but do try to look my best and plan to continue once I become a RN. I think that someone who is very neatly groomed (make-up or not) makes a good first impression and that gives the patient more confidence in their nurse. I know this is how I feel when I am the patient.

I had an assistant NM that really had it in for me. I was called into her office numerous times because she did not like the way I wore my hair, she didn't think I should wear make-up, she thought my nails were too long, etc. I pulled out the employee handbook and took her to the NM office. In the end, the ANM had to step down because I followed employee guidelines. I never understood why she gave me such a hard time when I looked professional. She should have been concerned with the employees who came in with their hair soaking wet and looked like they had slept in their clothes for days!

As far as the issue of gum, I always have it. As long as a nurse is not smacking and popping it I don't see a problem. I agree that it is actually a favor to all not to have to smell our lunch, coffee, etc. after we have been at work for such long hours.

I go through a box of trident each night that I work. I also chew tic-tacs. Wintergreen all around...I love wintergreen. One of the main reason that I go through an entire box is that I often spit my gum out before I get up close and personal with a patient, or when I am talking on the phone, etc. I also have a toothbrush and toothpaste that I keep in my locker for after I eat, or when I come on shift if I've had a cup of coffee in the car on the way into work. I don't really think gum is that big of a deal. I'm not OCD or anything, but I don't like the thought of having bad breath. Then again, I'm one of those people that gives myself a small shot of cologne after I shower when I get home from work - just to clear my nose of the work smells (the hand sanitizer, body fluids, the soap, etc)!

PS I'm a guy not a woman...

I totally agree that gum is a must, should be chewed to keep breath from being offensive to patients.

As far as makeup is concerned, nice natural makeup is fine and I think acceptable to all patients. Not to be conceited, but I have gotten compliments by many of my older patients saying that I'm a pretty girl, things like that, nothing out of line. I agree that it is important to have a nice appearance at work, as long as the message you are sending is that you take care of yourself. I don't agree with extreme blue eyeshadow, horribly drawn on eyebrows and things like that. I saw one nursing student at school last semester before I graduated and was horrified when I saw how her makeup was done because she was telling me how she had just been to clinical earlier that day. EEK!

Fingernails have been proven to harbor bacteria, so I believe they should be kept short and natural (please no acrylics) and polish should be chip free because apparently bacteria like to grow in the chipped areas.

Overall I think all nurses should have a professional appearance but also keep infection control as the number one priority when choosing hair, makeup, and nail style, as well as clothing.

I wear makeup to work, i definitley agree that it improves my appearance. I feel like a slob without it! I definitley think about the choices I make as to what "looks" I might do. I wear more subtle colors than when I am going out with friends. I do like to wear professional-appearing scrubs. My favorites are my embroidered scrub jackets with my name and title on them. I feel like that helps me look as professional as the MDs, who can wear whatever they want.

I must agree with JBudd. I have seen too many people smacking, cracking and otherwise showing me their gum. It's personally disgusting to me. I always have wintergreen mints, peppermints, and a toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash. Too many bad associations with gum-smackers. There are some people who can be discreet with the gum; however, those who can't be have ruined it for everyone else.

I always try to look professional. I work pediatrics, so some of my tops/jackets are child-oriented (no SpongeBob, though). I'm one of those dinosaurs who irons uniforms. I take a lot of kidding for it - but I can't stand looking like I slept in my clothes. I fix my hair and do wear makeup. Nails are short and well groomed. They're short mainly because all that foam and handwashing just does them in.