when did they stop wearing those cute nurses caps?

[johnnyDoGood]

those used to be really cute. when did they stop making those a requirement?

[Mike A. Fungin RN]

Hahahaha...

[elkpark]

Decades ago, for the most part, although someone will occasionally post here that her employer still requires them ...

[x0pinky_x]

I think I would hate wearing one of those. Although they do look really cute in movies, like Pearl Harbor for example. lol

[llg, PhD, RN]

I wore one in school. It actually hurt my head because there was a stud inside that used to jab my skull.

One place I worked several years ago, we wore them 1 day per year -- on Halloween! I liked that tradition.

Just think of all the germs they transmitted over the years.... ...And they were very impractical. Trust me on that.

[FowLaf24/7]

I have a textbook which featured photos of female nurses with the full uniform, which has a copyright year of 1983. In the late 1980's, I believe was the phasing of the cap, and more of the colorful tops. I do know of one nurse at our hospital, who in her late 50's, who wears the white cap minus the white uniform dress. She wears white pants with a white top. Each to their own..... Some nurses believe this is about the time when nurses began to lose some of the guaranteed respect forward by the patients. I do not know if the statement is true, nor do I know if this would even be a factor. I believe the media portrayal of nurses with regard to hospital medication errors would have more of an effect. The internet also is a full of medical information (some true and some not) and many patients believe they know more than the professionals, including nurses. I know shut-up... this is another thread:eek:

[Sue Damonas, BSN]

I refuse to ever wear one, reminds me of a french maid. I never thought they were cute.

[elkpark]

I wore mine (my hospital-based school's) daily (four days a week) for clinical in school, and daily with my full "whites" (uniform) in my first job out of school. The cap was not uncomfortable or clumsy (ours didn't fall off or catch on things much -- maybe because they were fairly small and we were so very accustomed to functioning with them on). Most of my career, I've worked in psych and have worn street clothes, but I continue to wear my cap on the rare occasions when I'm "in whites" -- and always get a lot of positive responses.

Of course they carried some "critters" -- but so do lots of other items we take for granted in healthcare settings.

[LA_StudentNurse]

I have to chuckle. Those of us you who remember or wore nursing caps...well, you are showing your age. I seem to remember the caps started to be phased out in the late 70s. Anyone remember when the dresses were phased out.

At least we don't have to wear the blue nurse's capes. Could you imagine...

[PeachPie]

Nurse caps were descended from wimples and habits, which kept hair out of the way. Some types evolved into the mob cap style, which also kept the hair contained. This was practical, as they kept hair from getting dirty and getting other things dirty. For this reason, I actually kind of envy Muslim nurses who wear the hijab (headscarves), as they can wash them in the scrub loads and just throw on a spare one if a TB patient hocks a lugey at the back of her head. However, they eventually evolved into a useless little accessory that fell off, jabbed, and couldn't be washed easily, so they were abandoned.

[CeilingCat, ASN, RN]

I miss them, too. I think they're adorable!

[caliotter3]

My first DON wore hers along with a white uniform dress and white stockings. She looked like a nurse.