Wearing secular head coverings?

[Oregon, My Oregon]

Hello all,

This is my first post here, so apologies if I've picked the wrong forum or otherwise committed a newbie faux pas.

I have been accepted to a BSN program, starting in the fall. I am not religious, but for a variety of reasons I wear a "head covering" whenever I leave my house; personal modesty, style, but mainly because I worked in biomedical research for years, I got used to covering my hair for biosecurity reasons, and just never stopped. Mostly in the civilian world this amounts to a bandana, scarf, or a hat, usually a beat up Stetson. I am aware that the orthodox religious communities are allowed their own options. I've seen bandana and cap-type lids in scrub materials and am an experienced seamstress, so I could certainly buy or make them to match my scrubs. Is this sort of thing allowed? How might I approach the question with supervisors (etc.) so as not to seem like a weirdo or raise any hackles?

Thanks for any thoughts you have!

Mixie

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Most employers and nursing programs have dress codes that spell out what you are and are not allowed to wear and the exceptions to those rules. Head scarves and bandanas are usually prohibited with exceptions made for religious reasons and occaisionally for alopecia. Stetsons would not be allowed. Even scrub-type hair coverings are often not allowed outside the OR and certain procedural areas. Personal style or a history of working in biomedical research would generally not be an exception. I would advise you to get in touch with your BSN program to find out exactly what their dress code specifies. It may be that you'll have to make a choice between your personal style and your nursing program. Certainly your employment opportunities would be limited unless you are willing to comply with the employer's dress code.

[Oregon, My Oregon]

Sorry, it's clear that I miscommunicated my position.

I don't in any way believe that personal style or work history has any bearing on my "right" to wear a modest head covering at work, and I'm most certainly not suggesting I wear my civilian headgear to work. I was just trying to be personable and present a little background. I'm also quite familiar with the dress code for my program.

Clearly there are reasons nurses are allowed to cover their hair, and it's absolutely possible to do it within the structure of the dress code. It is not appropriate in most circumstances to discuss religion with my employer, and I am not anxious to discuss my complicated feelings on the topic of my conservative Catholic upbringing with strangers anyway.

I suppose what I'm really asking is if there's a way to talk about my need to cover my hair for modesty and sanitation with supervisors or prospective employers that doesn't invite an in-depth probe into my spiritual beliefs and consequent assumptions on how that may affect my nursing practice?

Even scrub-type hair coverings are often not allowed outside the OR and certain procedural areas. [/Quote]

Thanks, this is helpful. I thought it might be the case that some nurses choose to wear them in ICUs and other highly sanitary areas as a matter of course.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I don't see any problems if someone wanted to wear one of the loose surgical bonnets while at work. Would you find that option acceptable?

I see OR or sterile processing people wearing their surgical hats throughout the hospital, doesn't seem to be an issue at our facility.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I don't see any problems if someone wanted to wear one of the loose surgical bonnets while at work. Would you find that option acceptable?

I see OR or sterile processing people wearing their surgical hats throughout the hospital, doesn't seem to be an issue at our facility.

You'll find that many infection control nurses flat out disagree with wearing surgical hats outside of the OR. Just because you see it doesn't mean it's not a policy violation- in my facility, it is policy that hats, masks, and shoe covers are to be removed prior to leaving the procedural area; however, it is not uncommon to see people wearing those items throughout the hospital.

OP, as for such items being worn in ICUs, it is typically only during line insertions or other invasive procedures where it's best practice.

Those head coverings are an infection risk, not an infection preventive. If they are not laundered properly (and most home washing machines and dryers do not meet the requirements set forth in many infection recommendations, including AORN's), they will simply continue to accrue dirt and germs. That's why my facility did away with allowing staff in procedural areas being allowed to wear cloth reusable hats- they couldn't monitor the cleanliness of these items. And there were several staff members who never washed those hats.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I see OR or sterile processing people wearing their surgical hats throughout the hospital, doesn't seem to be an issue at our facility.

We got dinged by Joint Commission for people doing exactly this. Headgear has to be removed before you exit the surgical/procedural/processing area.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

We got dinged by Joint Commission for people doing exactly this. Headgear has to be removed before you exit the surgical/procedural/processing area.

Yep! Drives me crazy when I see people walking around in booties and headgear, lol.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Yep! Drives me crazy when I see people walking around in booties and headgear, lol.

Especially when they take the time to remove the hat, but still have the shoe covers on and a mask dangling around their neck!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I don't see any problems if someone wanted to wear one of the loose surgical bonnets while at work. Would you find that option acceptable?

I see OR or sterile processing people wearing their surgical hats throughout the hospital, doesn't seem to be an issue at our facility.

You'd think it would be OK, wouldn't you? I know of several hospitals whose dress codes specifically prohibit their use outside of the OR and procedural areas UNLESS the employee is involved with a sterile procedure such as placing a central line at the bedside.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Sorry, it's clear that I miscommunicated my position.

I don't in any way believe that personal style or work history has any bearing on my "right" to wear a modest head covering at work, and I'm most certainly not suggesting I wear my civilian headgear to work. I was just trying to be personable and present a little background. I'm also quite familiar with the dress code for my program.

Clearly there are reasons nurses are allowed to cover their hair, and it's absolutely possible to do it within the structure of the dress code. It is not appropriate in most circumstances to discuss religion with my employer, and I am not anxious to discuss my complicated feelings on the topic of my conservative Catholic upbringing with strangers anyway.

I suppose what I'm really asking is if there's a way to talk about my need to cover my hair for modesty and sanitation with supervisors or prospective employers that doesn't invite an in-depth probe into my spiritual beliefs and consequent assumptions on how that may affect my nursing practice?

Thanks, this is helpful. I thought it might be the case that some nurses choose to wear them in ICUs and other highly sanitary areas as a matter of course.

If the dress code specifies no hair coverings except for religious reasons -- and many do -- all you have to do is say that you have a religious reason for covering your hair. You do not have to have an in-depth conversation about your religious beliefs; but you probably DO have to provide some sort of documentation that you are affiliated with a religion that requires this. And you'll have to be consistent -- in other words, you cannot claim a religious exemption for the dress code while your HR paperwork states your religion as "Catholic".

Covering your hair for "sanitation" is not a thing, especially in the ICUs. Bandanas and headscarves are a source of infection, not a prevention of. And ICUs (at least not the ones I've worked in over the past four decades) are not in any way, shape or form sanitary places. Adjust your headscarf after contact with a patient, his belongings, his family, etc. and you may have transferred C. Diff, TB, MRSA or some other pathogen to your headscarf. Folks don't usually launder their headscarves to the standard that will hospital laundries do.

There may be facilities where the dress code allows head coverings for modesty. But looking for such a facility is going to greatly limit your employment opportunities. Going against the dress code in an ICU, for example, and "getting away with" wearing a bandana may go uncommented upon until you arise on the radar for some other reason. In that case, the facility already has documentation that you've disregarded their dress code and you can be formally disciplined for THAT even if your other mistakes have not yet been documented to that extent.

If covering your hair is that important to you, wear a wig. In most cases, management isn't going to come up and yank on your "hair" to see if it comes off. (Although I do have a funny story where that actually occurred.)

[Oregon, My Oregon]

Thanks for the feedback, everybody. I'd love to hear any more thoughts on the topic.

If they are not laundered properly (and most home washing machines and dryers do not meet the requirements set forth in many infection recommendations, including AORN's), they will simply continue to accrue dirt and germs.

I definitely understand those concerns, but can't see how being able to change head coverings as necessary and laundering daily with hot water and bleach is more of an infection control risk than shoes or my own hair, which definitely does not get washed in bleach.

[Oregon, My Oregon]

you cannot claim a religious exemption for the dress code while your HR paperwork states your religion as "Catholic". [/Quote]

It's not only Muslims who wear head coverings: Women's Headcoverings | The Orthodox Life

If covering your hair is that important to you, wear a wig. [/Quote]

No thanks. If a scrub cap which can be laundered in hot water and bleach is unsanitary, this strikes me as pretty foul. It's also contrary to my personal feelings about modesty. If showing my breasts makes me uncomfortable, wearing a fake pair of breasts over them doesn't change anything.