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I have the good fortune of starting nursing school at a program that has existed for over 100 years. I love the history (our campus was once a TB sanitarium!) and the old class pictures in the halls. It's interesting to hear from the nurses on this forum who lived through polyester and pinafores and starched hats too. I know that my school is rather specific about uniform policy and I have heard that there is essentially a line-up inspection prior to clinicals. Is this common? I'm a little leery of having my physical appearance scrutinized. I feel like a standard of hygiene and professionalism can be maintained by simply observing and trusting your students. I have even hear rumors that my school does some sort of "panty-line check" How humiliating. Is this a common practice, or should I follow my gut and pitch a fit over this if it actually exists?
I can understand both sides, I have a little experience teaching in a vocational program and know that if you give your kids an inch, they will show up to clinicals in glitter makeup, or unshowered or in a green beanie they refuse to remove (all true stories) But is it necessary to cling to these old traditions of perfect appearance in nursing?
Straighten me out, guys.
Wow! Some of your dress codes are so strict! We have uniform scrubs, which thankfully are not white, but a dark wine color. We are allowed to wear either a long sleeved shirt underneath or an unzipped sweatshirt or unbuttoned sweater over our scrub top if we so choose. We can wear either black or white leather shoes, but we have no sock requirement and can wear any underwear we want :) We do have to keep our nails short and unpainted, have no visible tattoos, and minimal makeup. We are technically supposed to have our hair completely off our necks, but the instructors don't enforce it as long as hair is pulled back and won't get in the way when working with patients, which is nice because I prefer to wear my very long, thick hair pulled back in a braid. The jewelry rule is enforced- only a plain wedding band and a watch are allowed. There have been a few reminders about appropriate attire (not to me, as I am careful about following the rules), but it only works out to a couple of points off for the week. Unless someone is already not doing well for the week, it wouldn't hurt anyone too much.
This is NOT the hill to die on. You have been accepted in to nursing school and you need to do everything you can to excel there.
My school did have a line up prior to starting our first clinical rotation and we literally lined up against the wall. The Dean of Nursing then walked down the line and made sure we were wearing exactly what the handbook told us to wear. It was not done to scrutinize our appearance. It was done to make sure we were all wearing the required uniform and to allow us to fix it prior to our first day of clinical to ensure we would not be sent home at that time. There were some that were not 100% in uniform and they were told at that time how to change it and be 100% right the next week. It was not a bad thing and nobody was made to feel bad.
Good luck and congrats on getting in!
We don't have formal inspections, but to be honest, I kind of wish we did. Not because I have classmates that tend to break the uniform rules -- I don't. But we're told in the beginning what the required uniform is and our program's rules on different points of our attire and it's up to the clinical instructors to enforce the uniform rules. Some instructors are stricter than others, and at the beginning of the semester, you don't know what you're going to get: some instructors require hair all the way up without flyaways and creased pants while others are good if your hair is pulled back and your uniform is clean.
I would reiterate what others have said: keep your head down and follow your school's uniform guidelines. The bottom line is every time you step onto a hospital floor you are representing your school. As far as your program administration is concerned, they have a long-standing reputation to protect and standards to uphold, and they will make sure it's done however they see fit.
This is not anything to be offended about. Whatever policy they have is for everyone and I am sure enforced equally. I inmagine if you took offense and made a big deal of it you might get some more looks, When push comes to shove in real life a nurse has to try to offend as few people as possible to make life easier and their job the same. So if you dress outlandishly or groom in a bohemian way your work will be much harder as you will have to prove yourself to more patients to get compliance and cooperation. I attended a Catholic nursing school that is over 100 years old and most of the instructors when I was there were nuns. I wore my uniforms propely clean and pressed when required and had no problems with patients or staff. The most dificult problem you can have is a patient complaint so why do anything that might cause one?
I agree this is not the hill to die on. There were also comments about earrings and short nails. In my world anything other than a stud earring is a target for a patient to yank out. Long nails are hand held petri dishes. In addition to not rocking the boat this is good time to remember "The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese"
All the best
Yep, confirmed. I will be expected to line up, basic training style for inspection, then turn around and bend over so a 60 year old woman can evaluate the integrity of my pant-seat. I am horrified.
I am fine with the rest of this. i have worked in healthcare for many, many years. I get it. Stud earrings, neat hair, nail polish a human color and not chipped. Press your uniform, Shine your boots(in EMS, at least). I am well versed in all of this.
No one thinks the bum-inspection is too far? At least to endure for the moment and then write up in a scathing post-course eval?
Oh, i forgot to mention, for our mental health rotation we had to wear business casual, because we did wear the whites to clinical, they didn't want the patients to have negative thoughts or whatever. Anyway, some girls didn't know what business casual meant, so the semester after mine they had to go to these God awful navy Dickies and gold polo type shirts. I am thankful that happened after my semester!
I wouldn't necessarily enjoy bending over in front of some lady, but it isn't as if it's some hot young guy. Now THAT would be awkward! If it's your body size you're worried about, I highly doubt the woman could give two hoots. What does she care? She's looking for one thing, likely because some of your predecessors decided to push the limits (in other words, they're doing it for a reason, not to embarrass anyone). I'd get it over and done with, not "pitch a fit," and write about it in the eval, like you said, if it really bothered you.
And you never know, classes ahead of you may have added that detail to make you guys get your panties in a bunch (pun intended lol). Are you sure they even have you bend over?
At my school, we are MADE, to wear the starched nursing caps. We wear all white uniforms, our tattoos must be covered, hair off the collar, very lite makeup, no jewelry, and we have to wear the white hose under our uniforms. We do get inspected every now and then. It just depends on what type of mood they are in. I'm so thankful to be graduating in August!! I finally get to turn over that ugly nursing cap, for the very pretty nursing cap, lol !!
sharpeimom
2,452 Posts
I'm Esme's vintage. At my school, we wore the dreaded white pants, tops that were white and had a blue striped pinafore sewn onto -- grafted really -- onto the top. The top ended at fingertip length. Angled side pockets that nearly everything slipped right of. White pantyhose (NO knee highs) and Clinic brand white leather tie-at-the-side shoes. Old lady white or fleshtone panties and bra. Hair above the collar, but could be in a bun, coiled braid, or very short. No jewelry except a plain band watch or pin on watch. No engagement or wedding rings. No tattoos. Pocket packs were to contain: 1 bandage scissors, 1 hemostat, 1 3 color pen, lunch money, pocket notebook with spiral top -- plain cover. NO cartoon characters etc. We could wear a navy blue cardigan with matching buttons and our caps had an additional stripe for each year.
I hate to admit it, but those ugly shoes were comfortable.
Did I just "say that out loud?!":bag: