School nursing more fashionable?

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

The thread on the General forum about not being fashionable in nursing got me thinking. When I was in the hospital setting, I always wore my hair up, no nail polish, no jewelry, etc. Since I have been a school nurse, I have slowly began transitioning to a more "un-nurse" look: hair down sometimes, earrings and necklaces, always wear my wedding ring and my grandmother's ring on my right hand, sometimes a bracelet, nails are polished. Part of it was that I felt so frumpy compared to teachers and admin.

I do wear scrubs this year. Last year I did not and the kids did not believe I was their nurse! They were so used to the nurses in this district being in scrubs that it took some convincing, so this year I am happily back in scrubs!

Does anyone else find that the fashion rules for school nursing are different than the hospital setting?

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

hello, i wear street wear, along with colorful scrub jackets. i have special ones for christmas, valentines, easter, etc.

the kids know i am the nurse and they love the different jackets i wear each day. many comment on them. i wear jewelry, wear my hair down and wear nail polish too !

i do wear tennis shoes because they offer the most comfort. i have never had a problem with anyone not knowing i am the nurse. when i worked the hospital, i would wear scrub tops and bottoms all the time.

best wishes to you and i hope you love your new job !

praiser :heartbeat

[Aneroo, LPN]

I still wear a lot of scrubs, but just because I have a lot, and they are comfortable.

If I have a lot of meetings or will be in front of a class, I try to dress up and look nice. Otherwise my hair is usually up in a ponytail or clip. I've been too stressed lately and have been biting my nails.

I still don't wear perfume b/c I get some bad asthmatics.

My rule for most of the clothes is if I can't run a code in it, I'm not wearing it.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

Yeah, perfume is a huge no-no for me too , not just for the kids with asthma, but the smallest whiff gives me raging migraines also! Some of the teachers - Whoa! I can smell them coming before I ever see them. So far it has not been an issue with kids having reactions, but it may only be a matter of time.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I wear both scrubs and regular looking clothes. Though generally no matter what i wear i almost always have a lab coat on. I need the extra pockets and the extra layer.

[bergren]

I have never worn scrubs in a school setting, but then I worked in Children's hosptials that did not want us to dress like "nurses" on the premise that it scares the children. Both in school and hospital, wore washable street clothes. I have never had anyone assume I was anything other than the nurse.

FYI The National Association of School Nurses has a position statement on attire:

http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=203