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.
Specializes in Pharmaceutical Research, Operating Room.
Hahaha! I never wear makeup to work. Those that do, only bother with eye makeup- they "put their eyes on". Nobody will see the rest of it because of the mask. Same with hair- it's going to be under a hat for 8-12 hours, so why bother? And unwrinkled scrubs from the hospital laundry? Yeah, right- better chance of me winning tonight's lottery!
LOL I know what you mean!!! I used to roll into work in my sweatpants, hoodie, no makeup on and hair already under my scrub cap. The worst was getting scrubs from the hospital laundry with all the unidentified stains - threw them right back in and went back for another set! BLEH!
So, just to recap, it's totally acceptable to be disrespectful about a nurse's lack of splendor, but not so much about their propensity for huffing whippets. Got it.
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.
Most entertaining post of the year thus far:geek:
Hard to imagine the OP who could seriously write this, but it sure is entertaining. I needed a reason to pull out the popcorn tonight. And to buy hair oil for my husband.
Oh, and to examine myself for drab or embarrassing features.
I'm just in school, right now but they require us to wear our hair up. I don't think I would wear it down if I was allow to do so. Bending over the patient doing head to toe assessment and my hair rubbing all over the patient or even worst, trying to clean and dress a wound.
The nurse with the eye patch, she may have had it for a medical reason.
Hahaha! I never wear makeup to work. Those that do, only bother with eye makeup- they "put their eyes on". Nobody will see the rest of it because of the mask. Same with hair- it's going to be under a hat for 8-12 hours, so why bother? And unwrinkled scrubs from the hospital laundry? Yeah, right- better chance of me winning tonight's lottery!
I wore makeup a few times in the OR, until it became clear that it's completely pointless. By the time we were finished and I removed my mask, it appeared I'd never worn any to begin with. I guess with the moisture of one's breath, it comes off or absorbs back into the skin or something.
Same with hair. There is no point in going to the effort of fixing it when it's just going to be ruined by the cap.
Cans? I've only used chargers. I don't know anybody who uses cans.
How so? I'm in monitoring too. I have the same set of challenges ahead of me that they do. Recovery is not something you "move on" from. Recovery is lifelong. If you're an addict, you would know that. Dismissing those in recovery for using is a bit inelegant. I mean, do you talk that way to patients?
Also, you've swayed off-topic from the "beauty" theme of the thread.
I hate to tell you this, but if you are using mind altering substances then you are not in recovery, you are in active addiction. Doesn't matter if the high lasts 30 sec or 3 hours. Don't believe me? Then ask your case manager or therapist that leads your group.
And just so this is on topic...yes, I think it's important to be clean & neat when you show up to work. But it's not a fashion show- 'flowing hair' & 'liberally applied makeup' have no place in nursing. And being more preoccupied with how people look than how well they perform doesn't speak well for you.
I'm just in school, right now but they require us to wear our hair up. I don't think I would wear it down if I was allow to do so. Bending over the patient doing head to toe assessment and my hair rubbing all over the patient or even worst, trying to clean and dress a wound.
The nurse with the eye patch, she may have had it for a medical reason.
Or it was Talk Like a Pirate Day and she was reaaaallly into it.
I have never, in my life worn makeup or nail polish.
I am not an attractive woman and never have been. I and my husband are ok with that.
However, I show up for work every time I am scheduled, clean and neat. I take excellent care of my patients. I treat my co-workers with respect.
Your suggestion that I am somehow less of a nurse, less of a PERSON because of the failings you perceive in me is insulting, ludicrous, unprofessional and more reflective of YOU than me.
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.
Um, not really sure how to respond, other than General Hospital is a **TV Show** - NOT real life. I can understand the frustration with wrinkled scrubs and ungroomed facial hair, but as far as the hairstyles and shoes go ...
One of my pet peeves is a physician or midlevel who is examining a wound or incision without putting their hair up - I will NOT let my patient run the risk of developing an infection because some dolled-up doc didn't want to restrain her "flowing" hair. In regards to beautification, most of our nurses prefer not to wear makeup or perfume because, like you, we work in an ICU. You know, where really sick people are, who could have a respiratory reaction to fragrances.
I have no problem with healthcare workers making themselves as attractive as they wish, but the ICU is no place for looking like movie stars. Save that for the office job.
flying_ace2
193 Posts
LOL I know what you mean!!! I used to roll into work in my sweatpants, hoodie, no makeup on and hair already under my scrub cap. The worst was getting scrubs from the hospital laundry with all the unidentified stains - threw them right back in and went back for another set! BLEH!
