What are your thoughts on unconventional hair colors (purple, pink, turquoise, etc.) in the workplace?
I'm 30 years old and I've always wanted to try out a fun, totally unnatural hair color but until recently I've always been far too timid to actually go for it. For a while now I've been dying to try out the gorgeous silvery lavender or baby pink hues I see on other people.
My nursing school had an explicit "natural human hair colors only" rule, but now that I'm working for an employer that has no set hair color policy in place (and is also not referenced at all in policies relating to hygiene, general appearance, etc.) I'm wondering if I could actually pull this off.
For reference, I work on a tele/step down unit in a moderately conservative area. I ran this by my favorite house supervisor (for generational reference she would be a gen-xer) and she wasn't excited about the idea. Her position was that the hospital environment is where appearing to be "professional" is paramount, and that a huge chunk of the patient population is 65+ and might not look kindly on it. In short, pink hair would undermine my professionalism.
I understand her reasoning there, but I also feel strongly that hair color (or tattoos, for that matter) have absolutely nothing to do with competence or professionalism. If everything else about my appearance is boring and conservative as usual what difference does hair color make? Additionally, I think she's underestimating the older generations she's worried about offending. It's a bit of a stereotype to assume that all of our older patients would be clutching their pearls or eyeing me with suspicion just because of purple hair, right?
I didn't realize her supervisor said no. We all have our own opinions. I am one who hates extreme restrictions. There is no black and white, always a little gray. If a person is not radical about it, ok. Keep it tasteful. We are not living in Florence Nightingale days! I think this issue has been blown out of proportion. I personally think a small strip is no big deal, but we have people who will stretch that and then we have our extreme conservatists. So, because you super said no, it's a no....for now.
Her supervisor wasn't thrilled about the idea, but no one told her no, and there's no policy against that. The direction you go based on that is a personal decision.
Maybe go light blond then add pink, ever so subtly, a half shade at a time... Y'know, the frog in hot water theory.
I was a patient in the hospital recently, nurse came in with fire engine red hair in pigtails, she appeared to be on the younger side. She was absolutely wonderful & competent. Yet, despite being 31 with a history of unnatural hair colors, wild piercings & tattoos myself (which I've mostly outgrown at this point), I found myself "judging" this very competent nurse. After conversing with her awhile I no longer noticed it. Way of the world: People are going to judge you. Your outward appearance is the first thing that they'll take note of.
I was thinking about this other day and found my first thought of a nurse coming in to take care of me with purple hair would be "hell no!". Quite judgmental of me considering I have a half sleeve of tattoos and I'm 29 so its not like a grew up in the more conservative generation. The more I thought about it the more I realized it didn't matter and I was being hypocritical. I can cover my tattoos but I would get a similar reaction from some if not. But I think many patients wouldn't come to a similar conclusion and would unfortunately automatically question a nurse's competence if they had crazy colored hair and that would lead to some exhausting patients and families...spray your hair for now on your days off, maybe one day rainbow hair will be the norm.
I've always had to roll my eyes at policies against "unnatural" hair color. Nothing looks more unnatural on some people than blonde.
Also, what looks 'natural' on one person may not look natural on another. I have a color that looks fairly natural on my pasty-white skin. A student in my program had a similar color (a bit brighter) on her much darker skin. She actually received a complaint from the clinical facility (coupled with the style) that she looked unprofessional.
I grew up in a household where hair was a big focus; I was constantly told that if my hair "just hung there" (meaning, no style, layers, or blown out- think 80s hair) or was in a ponytail that it didn't look good. When I was a teenager, I shaved the back half of my hair (she didn't know, since I never wore it in a ponytail around her, since that didn't meet her approval ). This is when I was a teen; I was not a professional.
My boss seems to be fit from the same mold as my mom. Hair must be up for clinical/lab days (I am in academia), nails, jewelry and all that. This is for students AND faculty. So there is not a chance that unnatural colors will fly (see my post above).
As a result, I live somewhere between my 16 year old self and my mom/boss's world. In no way do tattoos, piercings or unprofessional dress make someone an incompetent nurse. However, why draw attention to yourself in a professional environment? As mentioned by another, as soon as you do something wrong, you will be known as 'the one with the purple hair". You will stand out, for better to worse. As a clinical instructor, I have the responsibility of making sure my students are fit to be on the units we are lucky to have been given. Clinical sites will think nothing of letting us know if they feel a student does not look appropriate (any complaints we have received have come in the way of a "patient complaint", with no actual proof).
I am a makeup artist on the side, and I love all forms of creative expression, including funky fashion, hair, makeup, etc. That said, my pink hair comes from a spray can or chalk that I can temporarily apply on days off and wash away in the shower. A nurse's unnatural hair colors shouldn't detract from their perceived competence and professionalism, but in reality it unfortunately does. I have no interest in changing or challenging this. I just play by the rules, minimize drama, and collect my paycheck with my dirty blonde hair.
neither should a tattoo smack in the middle of your forehead have any effect on your competence, but professionalism, yes. You could act sort of way and dress any way you'd like, that has no bearing on your competence, but how you are viewed professionally? That is exactly how we are judged, like it or not. Professional decorum. Would you want a clown walking into your room saying they are performing your surgery today? Would your grandmother, mother, or grandfather? Why not just save your personal expression for outside the workplace. Your workplace is a place of WORK, not self-expression.
Easy Peasy - get a wig.. you can try out any color you like "off hours" with no possibility of affecting your working relationships. AND you can try out more than one style at the same time! Just make sure you get something good quality.
I did that - conventional color only - I'm a Baby Boomer- and it's so close to my own color (that she does for me) and the style, that my stylist wondered why I came in for my appointment when I did! She thought I had seen another stylist who had done it for me since I had seen her! She's VERY good at what she does, and can usually tell the difference between natural hair and "hair you wear," and she about jumped out of her skin when I pulled off the wig!
Have a lot of fun with them too! And since NOBODY is born with lavender or pink hair, it won't matter if it's a wig or not to anyone else.
Specializes in Huntingtons, LTC, Ortho, Acute Care.
I wish I could say our appearance doesn't speak for our capabilities but in the minds of many patients it does. I think how well recieved your choice of hair color will be, is based on where you work. If you work with the more elderly patients honestly it's 50/50 I had pink hair when I was 18 and worked at a nursing home... Some of the patients loved it, others flat out told me I needed to get it fixed.. The better question for you is how much flack are you willing to endure for your hair? If I were to give honest advice, try a few strips and see how it's recieved, if everyone likes your highlights and you don't have to sit on the hot seat after a month, go for the whole head, but don't say you weren't warned, this could pose some difficulties for you.
I work with a nurse who has long silver/lavender hair. It looks great on her. Professionalism still shows through. I also work with nurses who have visible tattoos and others with nose piercings. None of these overshadow their overall appearance. They are good nurses who give a good first impression.
(I am located East Coast where many patients are older conservative types)
As a rule of thumb, I defer to not drawing too much attention to myself. In a business setting including hospitals, it seems like the focus should be in business, or this case, the patients, not ourselves. I've never had the need or desire to express myself by standing out with fashion or fads. When they get too unusual, they can become a distraction. I like the artist's idea of spray in color for the clubs and fun times, then the ability to wash it out for the professional environment.
and this is why i can't stand old people- they force us all to live in the past, instead of realizing that society progresses and updating their views. also, there should be NO judgment of others -for purple hair or anything else- when you can't even wipe your own ass; they should just be grateful they're being taken care of and ****.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
and this is why i can't stand old people- they force us all to live in the past, instead of realizing that society progresses and updating their views. also, there should be NO judgment of others -for purple hair or anything else- when you can't even wipe your own ass; they should just be grateful they're being taken care of and ****.
This is one of the most offensive posts I've read in a very long time. It's ageist and vulgar. And it's offensive.
Perhaps the poster doesn't realize that he/she will become old one day (if they're lucky enough not to provoke some older person into a murderous rage). We were all young and stupid once, although perhaps not quite as young as stupid as the poster. Only those of us who are smart and lucky get to be old.
). This is when I was a teen; I was not a professional. 
NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN
791 Posts
Her supervisor wasn't thrilled about the idea, but no one told her no, and there's no policy against that. The direction you go based on that is a personal decision.
Maybe go light blond then add pink, ever so subtly, a half shade at a time... Y'know, the frog in hot water theory.