The Cap.......

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Saw a post about new scrubs. But I was wondering how many of us had to wear THE CAP. Went to LPN school 16 years ago and we had to wear the nursing cap to clinical. I remember I had the long puffy late 80's style hair and had to get all of that under that cap and off the shoulders. It was so funny because my hair was mid back and before the last day of clinicals I had it cut to my shoulders. So here we were sitting around the table telling about our last day of clinicals and I pull the cap off and let my hair fall and a big gasp was heard. Everyone just looked at me with open mouths and said "You cut your hair." But it was so weird because for the two days of clinical no one knew because it was all shoved under that cap.

Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

I am still hearing from patients that they wish nurses wore caps so they would be able to see who they are.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, School and Correctional.

I am currently in LPN school and our director requires all of the female students to wear the cap. We also were the complete (non-figure flattering) white uniform for clinicals. Thank goodness we are allowed to wear white sneakers (white Skechers for me). We had a capping ceremony prior to first round of clinicals. The guys had coffee filters put on their heads and wear a pin as opposed to the cap. After each level of completion, they add another small baby blue stripe in the school color to the one side of the cap. When we graduate we get new ones. I have a little case I carry mine in to keep it clean and it will be a keepsake for my daughters.

We get compliments on the complete uniform and how professional we look-mostly the older generation.

I look ok in mine, and have a hairstyle it works with; however, you tend to forget it's on your head and bump into walls and such with the thing and makes for a really bad hair day after you take it off. :uhoh3:

:smackingf

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Our class wanted caps just for graduation but our director said no because it was old fashioned and that in real life nursing caps are an infection control issue...blah blah blah.

It would have been nice to have just one Cherry Ames style picture to frame. I still have my graduation dress, maybe I will buy my own cap and one of those old nursing capes and take some pics for lol. :idea:

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Hey Logos I'm 35 and I wore the cap to clinicals.

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Specializes in Maternal-Fetal.
i am in school now, and we have to wear the cap.. and omg is it ugly.

Wow, I didn't know anyone did that anymore! You poor thing!

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Specializes in Maternal-Fetal.
LOL!! I only had to wear it the day I graduated. It looked like a dixie cup on top of my head. I hated it! I kept it though, and put it on every once in a while to make my Fiance laugh. I did do a rotation with a class from another LPN school and they had to wear the cap, the white dresses and navy blue CAPES. I'm all set with the capes.

OMG!!!! I would just love to have a talk with the dean of that program...talk about living in the past!

capes! LOL

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Specializes in med-surg 5 years geriatrics 12 years.

Yes, I had to wear my cap during school and I graduated in '92. We had nonflattering dresses at the start. My class tended to think outside the box. Circulated a petition asking for change. Many instructors were alumni; the dean { new to the school and not an alum } agreed to white uniforms and cherons, school patches etc. The alumni on the committee threw out the old uniform and the caps as well. We didn't want to wear the caps but wanted it to be an option for others. We told them we looked silly in those caps and if we had to wear them the guys should have to wear beanies with propellers. They were not amused. Now mine sits in its little case in the closet. We did have a "hat " day at one place I worked but they didn't stay on....was a good reminder of why we all DIDN'T wear them.

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Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

I have my cap displayed in a place of honor along with my school picture, lantern, certificate from school, and my school pin. I'm PROUD of my cap, and yes, I have worn it to work before. People, including patients, responded most favorably.

To me it's a symbol of all I've worked so hard for and achieved.

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Yeh, I remember caps. I went to school in the 70's. I remember we had a guty who would be considered a "hippy". He had the big "afro" hair style. He did the rebel thing and wanted a cap too. He pressed it to the point that he actually got a cap at the capping ceremony. It was halarious.:rotfl:

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

I've never seen a male nurse with a nursing cap! LOL! I would like to see that. I wore a cap from 1975 - 1982 or there abouts. I didn't mind it at all. The all while uniforms I hated!

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I wore a cap for both my LPN program and my ADN program; they were required. I finished in 1983 and 1985. At that time, you did still see nurses in the hospitals wearing caps.

For some reason I didn't keep either cap and now I wish I had them. Not to wear, just to display!

I always had a problem with flipping my stethoscope over my head and knocking the cap forward into my face.

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Specializes in ICU, CCU,Wound Care,LTC, Hospice, MDS.
I'm curious, did the male nurses have caps to wear?

Back then, men in nursing were definitely in the minority!

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