Imagine a hospital in which all nurses and doctors exhibit professionalism, beauty, splendor, and awe among colleagues and patients. A place where the people taking care of you appear greater than human, larger than life, infallible figures, portraying an image that captures total trust and total confidence from those nearby. What a wonderful place that would be. But alas, we have work ahead of us.
This thread is designed to discuss the importance of impressions in nursing. While many nurses take pride in appearing beautiful or handsome, many walk in to work with a case of the feck-its when it comes to appearance. Unfortunately I feel that nurses are much worse than doctors in this arena. Where I work the majority of female doctors wear their hair down, liberally apply makeup, wear form fitting clothing, and hard soled shoes. They try to appear as beautiful as they can. Likewise, the male doctors come in with tailored clothing that had been ironed, they have well-oiled hair, nice watches, and other things reminiscent of the show "General Hospital."
Meanwhile, in the ICU I've worked in, we've got a female nurse with a buzz cut, one woman wearing a pirate-like black eye patch, nurses with baggy wrinkled scrubs, nurses wearing those ugly skechers shapeups, everyone wearing their hair up or back in a plain boring pony tail instead of letting it flow, men or even women with untrimmed or unneatly trimmed facial hair and people exhibiting other drab or and in my humble opinion, embarrassing features. I feel like no other college educated profession dresses down as much as nurses do and it bothers me.
What do you think of nurses and the images they portray in the professional setting? Use this thread to talk about what you like or dislike, what you think should change and what shouldn't.
"...Reminiscent of General Hospital"? Are you really serious? If you're actually working to provide the care your patients need, there will be no time to notice your what your co-workers are or are not wearing. Have you ever complimented any of your colleagues on providing excellent patient care or for saving a life?
This has to be a joke, it's too flipping weird. Mind your own business and let others dress/style themselves as they like. What's important is their intelligence, competence, and work ethic, not their attempt at looking like they stepped off the set of GH.
Also, I personally assume, when I see someone wearing a "pirate-like black eyepatch," that they, um, NEED IT.
Exactly my thoughts about the eye patch. I work with a RN who wears an eye patch. He lost an eye due to cancer.
One of my classmates back in college underwent some kind of surgery at the local hospital. During post-op, he woke up a little bit drugged from the anesthesia and the first thing he laid eyes on was...his nurse with scraggly hair, visible booger in her nostril and smelly onion breath (she just got back from lunch break). Upon seeing that, he pretended to go back to sleep.
No one is expecting a jennifer Lawrence lookalike nurse but anyone in the healthcare profession should be at the very least presentable.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
No one is expecting a jennifer Lawrence lookalike nurse but anyone in the healthcare profession should be at the very least presentable.
No one is disputing that. OP stated nurses should have their hair "flowing" and wear makeup, a la General Hospital. That is sexist, condescending, and unrealistic.
I just wanted to chime in on your post because I myself have always HATED wearing make-up, and personally find "doing my hair" to be a frivolous waste of time... I will typically play dress up to interviews, because I KNOW that first impressions can never be erased, and I also worry that if i do not "dress up" I will be viewed as unprofessional, lazy, etc... That being said, once i get the job I don't ever wear make up, and main hair is in a ponytail 99% of the time! I just cant be bothered with thatwhen i can be using that time to study for whatever new skill I am learning at the moment (which is usually always lol)>
So i find your post refreshing, as well as reassuring! THANK YOU :)
That was my first thought, about hair being pulled back because a patient could grab and pull it, same with earrings. I knew the original poster would be offending quite a few people, but I understand caring about how you look and looking professional vs beautiful. I actually think it was meant with inspiring intent, but makeup is not for everyone. because nurses care for others so much, they often forget to care for themselves. I don't wear make up all the time, it isn't needed. But I do feel my best when I am treating myself to good skincare. Especially if not wearing makeup, it gives a nice glow and just makes you feel better. It is important to take care of your skin and shows that you are healthy and respect your health as well. We all deserve a nice face mask! But no single thing is for every single person.
I have no such grandiose illusions. I'm a regular staff nurse in a cardiothoracic ICU. I'm in my late 20s. I don't consider myself to be either extraordinary or terrible. I do my job as best as I can, which varies depending on my mood and energy level on any given day. I'm also a recovering addict and alcoholic in a monitoring program. Does this sound glamorous to you?
The rigors of nursing and tolerating insufferable patients, family members, and coworkers can leave anyone mangled. Some people turn to food, alcohol, or drugs... some just start to get depressed and stop ironing or doing their hair. Or, maybe they place a higher value on doin the actual job or other things. At 28, you might not know everything.
Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN
2,369 Posts