The Cap.......

[Justhere]

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.

[slynn61]

just graduated LPN school in May. In clinicals, required to wear cap. Was and still am proud of the cap but don't wear to work. Keep it in case in closet.

[ScooterNurse]

I work with a nurse that to this day wears a cap, tho it is not required. Her rationale is...everyone here wears scrubs (public health) the WIC staff, the cleaning staff, adm, everyone. No one who comes in for services can tell who the nursing staff is. So she wears her cap and white scrubs. It sets her, as an actual RN, apart from everyone admin. has "looking the part". She's a great nurse and looks very professional!

[elcue]

I'm curious, did the male nurses have caps to wear?

I always thought caps were ridiculous - served no useful purpose. Insisting on them in a profession where we take pride in our "evidence-based practice" made absolutely no sense. They were always in the way, often filthy, etc. And just another control issue over nurses. Always thought that if someone was so attached to this tradition, fine, but making it mandatory is nuts - and insulting. ("You want to insist that I put something on top of my head???? Why????) Why is it that schools of nursing and hospitals think they need to treat nurses like delinquent children???

Anyway, I went to nursing school in the early 80s, when caps were becoming things of the past. But my school insisted that 2nd year students wear caps. I was 28 years old, not a timid 18yr old who trembled at their every mandate. I said No way, No how. I have straight A's - are you ging to throw me out over this? And by the way, what are you insisting the men in my class put on top of their heads? End of discussion. Rule changed. Caps optional. Rightly so.

BTW, I've been an OR nurse for 23 years & I wear a cap every day! makes sense in my little corner of nursing!