Should nurses with long hair be required to wear it up?

[dura_mater]

Do you think this should be a requirement for doing bedside care?

Just wondering what your thoughts were on this.....

Personally, I always wear my long hair up whenever I am doing pt care. Not because I am required to, I just don't want it getting in the way, etc.

Does anyone work for a facility that requires this?

[enca]

At my hospital wearing your hair up above the shoulder as with "bear below the elbow" that includes no jewellery and/or long or false painted nails or too much makeup is actually a policy and a must! I personally think it does help minimise untidiness in staff apperance, although quite truly some people dont look tidy no matter what!

[Libitina]

Our hair not only has to be tied up if possible, it has to be totally off the collar ie no long ponytails or plaits dangling down your back.

[Christen, ANP]

As a student, I was required to wear my hair up (which I thought was pretty appropriate). As an RN, my hospital policy mandates that I wear it up - but like most places, this is not strictly enforced by any means. I typically wearn my hair up as I don't want it to get in the way, but on the rare days I feel like fixing it, I always have a hairband within easy reach in my scrub top.

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

I wear mine up out of habit. At my old job it was required. One girl that had hair about as long as mine only wore part of her hair up, just the sides, in a clip. She wore it like this all the time and no one said anything so I figured I could too. I wore my hair down once and got scolded; obviously the same rules did not apply to her. I see people wear their hair down at my current job all the time. I still wear mine up though anyways, it more convenient, and I work L&D and there is just too much "stuff" I don't want to drag my hair in.

[Peetz, BSN]

I have long curly hair and would never even think of wearing it down at a clinical or lab. ( still a student, with one classroom week to go before preceptorship) Anyone who wears long hair down in a hospital setting is just asking for trouble. IMHO.

[lil pixi]

I personally feel I don't have a choice in the matter considering I have 3+ ft. of wild hair.

In my case, I see it as a comfort as well as a hygienic issue. It's just too long & there's just too much. And it's very blond and....glowy distracting. Lol

And I'd have a hard time concentrating, seeing well, being comfortable in my work with all that hair in my face or down the front of my uniform.

And the more hair, the more you shed. Certainly wouldn't want to be shedding over a patient or in the workplace.

I can switch up the dos well, tho - Buns, tails, pigtails, braids.

Maybe the day I cut it (still keeping it long, but not like what it is, and if that ever happens. Lol), I'd probably wear it down every once in a while.

However, if someone's hair is long, and clean, but not out of control or unmanageable, and they can work well with it down, I don't see a big problem with it.

[Chixie]

My hair is currently just below shoulder length and i either wear it in a bun or with a 'crocodile' type clip (those plastic things with massive teeth) If i have bits that dont stay back then i use kirby grips. I dont want my hair in patients face/wounds/waste and im sure the patients dont either.

A few of the girls in my nursing class have the fake plastic acrylic nails and they wear them for practice despite the rules stating 'no fake nails,no nail polish' for infection control and patient safety issues.

[HyperSaurus, RN, BSN]

I have waist length hair. Very rarely, I will wear it in a ponytail--usually if I already have a headache and putting it in a bun would worsen that. But frankly, I don' thtink I'll do it that often--my hair tends to swing over my shoulder if I am bent over, which is not great when trying to use sterile technique.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

containing your hair shouldnt have to be a requirment. It should be a simple act of professionalism....

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

Do you think this should be a requirement for doing bedside care?

Just wondering what your thoughts were on this.....

Personally, I always wear my long hair up whenever I am doing pt care. Not because I am required to, I just don't want it getting in the way, etc.

Does anyone work for a facility that requires this?

I don't feel that facilities should require it because as for myself..my hair is long and I put the sides up with a clip but refuse to put all of my hair up because I have a medical condition that causes considerable breakage to my hair if I do.

However, nurses should be professional enough to where it should never hang down to touch a patient, break a sterile field, etc.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

have waist length hair. Very rarely, I will wear it in a ponytail--usually if I already have a headache and putting it in a bun would worsen that. But frankly, I don' thtink I'll do it that often--my hair tends to swing over my shoulder if I am bent over, which is not great when trying to use sterile technique

So you are aware that your hair may contaminate a sterile field, or may end up dragging in something but you still won't put it up? Maybe you should look into getting it cut.

[leslie :-D]

containing your hair shouldnt have to be a requirment. It should be a simple act of professionalism....

i agree, but if too many nurses are ignoring professional standards, then i'd have no problem it being mandated.

leslie