Too ugly to be a nurse..?!?

Nurses General Nursing

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Before I begin... I want to say,

HELLO EVERYONE! I'm new to this site. I recently signed up after researching information on nursing and found this forum.

I'm in college studying health care sciences I'm trying to get into the LPN program. I know have the brains and I will make the grades but, I'm a little insecure about the way I look. I don't think I look like the average nurse you'll see in medical offices or hospitals.

1) I'm very short (5'0ft)

2) I weight 135 but I have tiny measurements & limbs. I'm like the size of an 12 year old.

3) My face.. isn't that hot either ������. I have a big nose, ance scarring and chin dimple. I hate!!!!

4) I could wear foundation to cover up the ance scarring but, I have super oily skin so, after hours of wearing it. My face is so greasy & shiny.

I know it sounds like I'm beating up myself, but, I'm not. I'm constantly overhearding people calling me, "ugly" or I look like a man. Idk... If I should apply for the program because of it.

I don't want anyone to not want me to touch them because of my physical appearance.

Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.

.....

There are thousands of ugly nurses out there. That doesn't stop them from doing what they do.

Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

Who cares what your nurse looks like? Having been a patient once myself, I could care less what my nurses looked like. The only thing that brought me comfort was that I thought they knew what they were doing. My doctor seemed like he knew what he was doing too and that's all I cared about that these people were here to help me and I was thankful. I was a teenager at the time too so I was less evolved back then. Most people who are sick don't care what their health care providers look like because it makes no difference.

There are people though that do judge and have prejudices (there were patients who didn't like certain genders or races taking care of them-yes this happened at the first hospital I worked in). One patient didn't want our gay CNA in his room. The charge nurse told that patient that we couldn't comply with his requests and he made some homophobic comment and she told him that we did not support bigotry and she better not ever hear those words come out of his mouth again. She shut that down quickly. Patients weren't allowed to discriminate in that hospital. Not sure how things are done these days with all the "patient satisfaction" crap.

My point is that I think most people you'll encounter won't judge you based on your looks but your knowledge and competence. Good looks won't get you through nursing school or even a job if you don't know what you're doing. Try to focus on the internal things that make you look good, not the superficial.

Oh my god this is awful.

1. Nurses should NEVER be judged by their looks. Ever. We're medical professionals who should be judged on our intellect, abilities, and outcomes.

2. Anyone who says that about you is a horrific person. I hate them.

3. I'm sure you're nowhere near as ugly as you're making yourself out to be. Don't be so hard on yourself. Love yourself.

4. We're not sex objects, doctors' secretaries or slaves, or babysitters.

We are STRONG, important members of the healthcare team. Our ability to be a functional member of that team has NOTHING to do with our looks. If this is what you want to do, and you can successfully get through school, THAT is was matters. Not your looks.

Also, i should have noted that as a travel nurse it's 100% impossible to be hired or not hired because of your looks. I submit to jobs sight unseen, and interview with the facilities on the phone. They don't ask me my marital status, if i ever won a beauty pageant, or how many patients hit on me. All they care about is that i can answer their questions knowledgeably and correctly, whether or not I've successfully traveled in the past, and if I'm willing to work with them based on the information I'm provided regarding their floor.

This career is riddled with sexism on both sides, whether it's a male patient attempting to grab you, someone negatively stereotyping is a sexed up doctors' assistants, and even men being judged as less than for being nurses and not doctors.

We should be fighting these stereotypes whenever we can. There's actually research that shows less people are getting into nurses because of the negative stereotypes of us in the media (empty headed beauties who can't even pass their own meds because doctors do everything).

Specializes in ED.

I have a bunch of moles on my neck, and don't wear makeup because I also have oily skin and tend to look like an oil slick. More than once I was taking care of a peds patient in the ER, and they mentioned about the "wood" on my neck and attempted to help me get it off lol. It was so sweet of them and I just told them that God made me poke-a-dotted.

Congratulations as you continue to move forward in reaching your goals in nursing. I have been a proud member of the nursing profession for quite some time and believe that you will most certainly achieve your goals! Nursing can be a tough profession in both the academic work and at times the many experiences we see patients encounter and provide advocacy in supporting them through these challenges. For you, this is no different. As nurses, we must support each other and know that whatever beauty you have outside, the greater beauty is inside you. If you do not feel it now, give yourself that pep talk you need, it is in there and I have no doubt that you know it. Often times, we sabotage ourselves in listening to the external audience. Listen to your self, you have a dream, a spirit and a will that knows what you are capable of, I see it in your post. Take a look at this TED talk, I love it because often we just need to know we can move forward and you will. Best of luck to you!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, inner confidence and beauty always outshine physical beauty. Nurses come in all shapes and sizes, males, females. You can do it, your already in college go for ADN/BSN!

Don't let your physical appearance deter you from your calling. Nursing isn't a beauty contest. Now, I will be honest with you. I've worked in hospitals in the past where it was obvious that hiring managers for certain units had a "type". They typically hired young, blonde, petite white girls. I'm a 6'3" black woman, so I didn't fit the mold. You stay clear of those places and you'll be jus fine. I'd rather have an "ugly" nurse that knows her stuff than a "pretty" nurse that's aloof and incomepetent.

Hi there, Random :)

I don't often comment on people's posts, but what you're saying here is just heart-wrenching for me to read... I can relate to feelings of inadequacy, physical shortcomings, and fear that you will always be "held back" by some imagined normalcy or requirement that other magically seem to possess but are seemingly out of your reach. I get it, it can be consuming to look at one's self and see all these flaws and oddities, and then ask yourself how you will ever find a place to fit. Let me tell you this...do not EVER place limits on yourself for fear of superficial insecurities! You might see some sort of misfit when you look in the mirror, but I guarantee you, this is not what your friends, family, co-workers and future patients are going to see. When you're out there, working from your heart, and you're serious about the job you're doing, the people who's lives you touch are going to be better for it. They are going to see a beautiful/awkward/perfect/normal/unique person who has devoted her time and energy into a field that asks A LOT of you. That is true beauty and it's all you need to succeed. I promise. Save those "rules" and beauty pageant BS for those people who use words like "ugly" to describe another person...some people just need those labels to make themselves comfortable in the world. Screw those people...They just don't get it. And if you ask me, their lack of compassion is the definition of ugly.

If nursing is your passion, GO FOR IT! We definitely need nurses with passion. Patients will be much more likely to respond to a warm smile and good compassionate care than what you look like.

Go for it!! People who are talking negatively about your looks most likely have their own insecurities they are dealing with. If you are smart and passionate about nursing, you will do great! Many of the patients you will interact with will be experiencing life-changing health conditions and very difficult circumstances and will only notice that you showed them compassion as their nurse. On a side note, I use amazonian clay smooth operator finishing powder and it's THE BEST! It soaks up any oil throughout the day and helps to avoid looking "shiny".

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