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? In nursing school they provided a long list to us of what we should not wear to a clinical. My uniform was dark blue and made of polyster! I could only wear plain white shoes, white socks, white Tshirt, etc. No make up, no nails, no earrings. A hair should be in a ponytail. My instructor even suggested I do something with my bangs (they are long and to the side, not in my eyes though). But have you seen female residents? High heels, skirts, jewelry, hair done... maybe it's just at my hospital. Anyway, while in nursing school, I modeled too and I appreciate women's beauty. I refuse to accept that "plain" stands for "professional". I do use some make up, buy nice uniforms (no flowers and sponge bobs though!!!), and even though I have short nails, I always have them done and I still have my bangs to the side... 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...
I want my hair fixed, my scrubs ironed, short clean manicured nails, & Lifesaver sugar free mints work for me. If I were the patient & my nurse had unkept/unclean hair, wrinkled scrubs & bad breath...I would be under the impression if he/she can't take care of themselves......how can they care for me! Just my .
I work partially in food service right now and was told that we are not to chew gum at work because of the possibility of the gum chewing leading to saliva going places it shouldn't (on the food, on customers, etc.) We are not to wear fingernail polish except clear and I was told that it was because being able to visibly see under the fingernail to see if the fingernails are clean or not. Obviously no acrylic nails because of the bacteria they can harbor.
The only thing I have to say about hair is that it should not be hanging in the eyes or dangling over the patient when you lean over them. Don't have a problem with make-up but think that natural looks the most professional. I'm not a huge fan of the mis-mash of uniforms that people wear but don't really know what to say about that. I love print scrubs but think that the uniform policies have gotten pretty lax at a lot of places and I find it confusing when no one's uniform seem cohesive. How are you to easily tell the difference between an RN and a tech or CNA if everyone is wearing something different? The hospital that my cousin, who is an RN, works at has set colors for each unit. For example, her unit wears navy. They either have a navy top and solid colored pants or navy pants and a solid colored top. But this can be confusing too, obviously.
As far as clinicals, we were uniforms. We have dress-style tunic tops and white dress pants. All white, all leather shoes. White socks, only white undershirts, white lab coat as needed. Our uniforms have our school's name and other insignias on the arms. We get a LOT of compliments on these white uniforms and lots of people talk about how professional they look and how easy it is to identify us within the hospital. They're not the most attractive uniforms but I have to admit, they do look pretty sharp.
Well, I guess my ENTIRE unit is "low class." I can honestly say I have seen every person I work with chew gum at one point or another (ok, except for my manager who chews m&m's instead). I have passed out an entire pack at a time. Um, docs included.
Guess I am in good "low class" company. Whatever...
Specializes in Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.
Ok, so I know this will sound weird coming from a guy but I am very high maintaince with my appearance. I have blonde highlights (which I tone nearly everyday), I wear Prada or Gaultier colonge, and I have facial cream that costs me $200 for 8 onces - but its worth it for beauty. As for when I work, I wear my professional navy blue uniform, my colonge (not to much just 3 or 4 squirts) and i use Altiods for offensive breath.
Wow, cologne/perfume is something I definitely DON'T wear while working (even "3 or 4 squirts"). As someone with MILD asthma, I can only imagine how it would be for someone in the hospital with an asthma exacerbation would feel.
I know nurses who are sent home or made to shower before allowed to work if they smell of perfume.
I was also always taught people in the hospital have a heightened sense of smell. Whether or not thats true, I don't know.
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 agree, I always shower after work, not only before to get rid of the hospital's smell. I also bring my own hand lotion to work. Some RNs use a baby lotion we give to the patients at the unit (even though our patient population are adults only) and they all smell the same... I always use Dove/Nivea soap, lotion, deodorant etc because they just smell fresh (I hate the smells like "cucumber," "wild rose" and all that) and I might be a bit on OCT side but I prefer to change before and after work and not walk around in my uniform... I also clean all my stuff with the alcohol wipes at the end of the shift ( I clean my stethoscope in between the patients of course too). And for those people who say having a gum is a LOW CLASS... not having a gum, unfortunately, does not make you a HIGH CLASS... it's about a bit more than a gum...
Specializes in long term care, alzheimer's, ltc rehab.
okay...i admit it...im one of those horrible gum chewers (i dont smack though lol)...and as far as scrubs, my job doesnt do the solid color thing, so i have a bunch of stuff with animal and character prints on them, but as long as they look neat and not like i camped out in em, then i feel that's okay.
to that end, i worked with this lpn at my first nursing home job (i'll call her m) omg she must have been the worst dresser ive ever seen in my life!! she used to wear an all white uniform, but the top would be see through (i mean almost clear) with her bra showing! ugh! oh wait let me back up....she was in her 60's and just a tad bit overweight...and sometimes you could guess what she had for dinner by the stains she had all over her. she was a hot mess! if she was that sloppy about her own appearance, i hope to h--- she was more careful than that about her residents. okay, rant over:spbox:
Well, I guess my ENTIRE unit is "low class." I can honestly say I have seen every person I work with chew gum at one point or another (ok, except for my manager who chews m&m's instead). I have passed out an entire pack at a time. Um, docs included.
Guess I am in good "low class" company. Whatever...
yes well your in good company. i am plebian .( my grandmother's favorite word) .. i chew gum and i am proud.... i chew it all.. orbit, doublemint, double bubble.. i am less stressed when i chew gum.. i am a charge nurse over a 52 bed acute care med/ surg/ tele unit.... and gum is my friend
i did have a nurse tell last year she hated gum chewing .. i told her she didn't have to chew it... well .. one year with me .. and i drove her to the dark side.. she asks me for gum all the time.. she is now one of us... i just bought her a packet of her favorite .. watermelon flavored bubblelcious..i guess she couldn't beat us so she decided to join us..... atta girl....
I wish some nurses would look more professional. I would like to see :
- no gum
- no visible underwear...includes white bras and/or panties
- guys who shave daily
- clean hair
- no bracelets...including those string things and rubber thingies
- no rings
- clean shoes
- no nail polish
and for the millionith time....no fake nails
no engagement ring? I don't want anyone to question my status... nail polish is fine too as long as it's neutral color and not chipped. Some guys can't shave every single day because they have a very sensitive skin, as long as it's short and neatly trimmed I think it's ok... I am surprised you don't expect female RNs to shave their legs every morning :)
I am fairly neutral about gum. I really don't care as long as it's not smacking, popping, bubble-blowing, etc. I chew it but not religiously like some of my colleagues and keep it under my tongue when I'm talking to anyone.
All our residents (Ob/Gyn) wear scrubs, male and female. I don't think it looks unprofessional - it looks like they've been catching babies and doing sections all night...which is exactly what has been going on. If they're lucky, they catch an hour or two of snooze time. Most of the time they're not lucky. So scrubs it is. And, I prefer my own OB/Gyn doc to wear scrubs. I guess I'm a minority.
Whatever...
crb613, BSN, RN
1,632 Posts
I want my hair fixed, my scrubs ironed, short clean manicured nails, & Lifesaver sugar free mints work for me. If I were the patient & my nurse had unkept/unclean hair, wrinkled scrubs & bad breath...I would be under the impression if he/she can't take care of themselves......how can they care for me! Just my
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