The Blue Hair Nurse

[rosomebody007]

A friend and ex coworker posted on facebook about how much she has been criticized by her superiors at the hospital for her new hairdo... She decided to get a new hair color: blue... Unconventional color in the conservative nursing system in Panama where nurses wear nice caps, white uniforms, and long white stockings.

Although I truly believe in the right of expression of every human being, nurses have to take care of their image and honor. Hair color has to do nothing with skills, clinical judgement, decision making, and teaching...But credibility.

Any thoughts about hairdos and the use of fantasy hair colors by nurses???? Any thoughts???

[2k15NurseExtern4u, BSN, RN]

I've seen AWESOME nurses with eccentric hair colors and tattood sleves. I believe times are changing and it is becomming more acceptable to don a more ecclectic style in the workplace. Im 23 years old and I see it all the time. For some reason it is VERY prevalent amongst EMTs. I love it! Blue's, purple's, silver's, magenta's, teal's are all the rage now a days and I love it! Times are changing! Fading are the days when only cookie-cutter, generic styles are acceptable.

[amoLucia]

Those nurses with the bizarre haircolors - I wonder if they interviewed with those colors or were they more reserved in order to play into the 'professional image'?

Just curious -

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

However this nurse is not in the U.S. This nurse who dyed their hair blue works in a facility in Panama where nurses wear starched white hats, white dresses and white hose/shoes. Dress many modern nurses may have only seen photos of or perhaps at a traditional pinning ceremony. Knowing the facility has a dress code and is more conservative, making a conscious decision to go against conformity may result in loss of employment. Each choice in life has a consequence, some consequences unintended and some consequences desired.

[Emergent, RN]

It entirely depends on the region where one works, and the local customs. In a very liberal area such as Seattle, San Francisco, etc, unusual piercings, tattoos, and hair colors are more mainstream, and few people blink an eye. In a more conservative area those thing are associated with the drug culture and distrusted.

I personally don't like the style much. I've never dyed my hair, I'm very distrustful of all the chemicals, plus was very slow to get grey hairs. and the ones I have look fab in my opinion. I've worked with some fantastic nurses who have styles I think look ridiculous though, but some little old ladies might be scared of more outlandish looking caregivers.

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

Facial piercings, tattoos, and purple hair, is not professional in any area I've ever worked. Or in any place I've ever lived.

I'm not saying they're bad. Just saying.

As others have posted times are changing. The above won't always be true.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Our hospital's dress code prohibits hair colors that "don't exist in nature." And they prohibit "offensive" tattoos that aren't covered. "Offensive," it seems, is in the eye of the beholder, but some tattoos on our non-professional staff sport words that aren't allowed to be used on this forum. It would seem, then, that those should be covered.

Perhaps blue hair doesn't impede one's critical thinking skills, but it does imply a rather cavilier attitude about professional demeanor.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I am from a large city. Nobody cared at many of the urban centres about tattoos, piercings or dyed hair where I lived. However, nursing culture varies so what is acceptable in one area may not be in another.

[IsabelK]

If nursing as a profession wants to be seen as professional, nurses should look and act the part. No funky do's. No visible tats and piercings. Dress like you want to be part of a professional team of health care providers, not a college kid or hippie, etc.

For the record: I do have tats. They just don't come out to play at work.

[loriangel14, RN]

I work with a gal with a full sleeve. She's a great nurse.

[ProBeeRN, BSN, RN]

I like to color my hair a deep purple and I'm working on a half sleeve, but I recently started a new job and before I interviewed I colored my hair to a dark brown and currently I make sure my tattoos are covered while working (which isn't difficult since I wear a lab coat in my current setting). First impressions are everything! My current job entails a lot of one on one patient teaching and I'm not doing the nurse-patient relationship any favors if the little old lady in the bed is intimidated by her nurse at first sight, or feels like I am not professional/competent.

[IsabelK]

I work with a gal with a full sleeve. She's a great nurse.

I would never say that anyone with tats, piercings, odd hair colors etc. are not or do not have the potential to be great nurses. Just saying that in terms of professionalism, they should be hidden at work. It's an image issue for nursing. If nurses look like the local goth, tattoo artist, hippie, etc, it's probably hard for some people to take those nurses seriously, which impacts the entire profession.

Go ahead and do what you want, just don't show it off at work.

[odaat]

😂 sorry couldn't resist