Wearing skirts as a nurse

[purplescrubs15]

I was raised in a conservative Christian family, similar to Mennonites in beliefs and dress. My sisters and I weren't allowed to wear pants except for playing outside in winter, etc. Last year I became a CNA and my parents made me wear a scrub skirt instead of pants for clinical. It was awful and embarrassing, it looked really awkward because I had to wear dark nylons with it, I looked so old-fashioned and it was nearly impossible to do things that included squatting in a way that wouldn't give everyone a view up my legs! I was very uncomfortable with it, but my parents didn't care. At the very end of clinical I couldn't take it anymore and just bought some scrub pants, which my parents were really mad about when they found out.

I am 18 now, and although my faith is important to me I don't believe that it's necessary for women to wear skirts only. I think that there are times when it is way more appropriate to be wearing pants, particularly in this kind of job. I do love skirts, but not when it's impractical. I will be starting my nursing clinical in a few months and have decided that I will not wear skirts for it.

I have reiterated many times to my parents about why I wanted to wear pants as a CNA, including that I'd rather have my legs completely covered and not with extra fabric swishing around to get gross stuff on it (urine, blood, nasty stuff in general) and I like being able to squatg down to do things like put Teds on a patient or put briefs on them, without twisting around in uncomfortable positions in order to keep my underwear from showing! I don't want to kill my back, which is what will happen if I keep on doing that. I also really hate the "sexy nurse in a dress" stereotype- it makes me cringe!- and that's all I think of when I think of a nurse in a dress. During clinical, people would also comment on how "cute" my skirt was, and it bothered me because I don't want to be seen as cute, I want to be seen as professional. I also just want to do my job comfortably, and not look old-fashioned. I also live in New England and it gets so cold in the winter!

Anyway... I know that firmly deciding that I will be wearing pants during nursing school (and later on as a nurse) is not going to go over well with my parents. I have a feeling like they might even tell me I can't live at home anymore unless I wear skirts (I'm 18). I really respect their belief but it's just not what I believe. Has anyone gone through a similar situation or can give some advice? I would just like for them to accept how I feel about it and respect my decision without causing hard feelings.

[purplescrubs15]

I think Invitale's suggestion to talk to your clergy is a good one. Start there, so your parents know you are still trying to be respectful and find a solution.

Best of luck.

My church has several pastors that share the responsibility. My dad is also one of the pastors. The rest of them share the same belief that women should only wear skirts. So I don't think that talking to them would really be a solution :-( .

They just don't understand what a hazard wearing a skirt could be, with the extra fabric having lots of more potential to accidentally swish into blood or other body fluids when I'm working on a patient, as well as the ergonomic concerns if I'm trying to keep people from being able to see up it. During my CNA clinical, I also had problems when patients had a mess of tubes and wires going anywhere, trying to step out and over them because my skirt was really restricting my ability to move.

My parents' response is basically "Well, women nurses wore skirts for hundreds of years..."

Well, culturally women weren't allowed to wear pants back then. In this kind of field pants are just much better for the job and safer for me as well.

It's very frustrating for me, because after multiple conversations with them I feel that they just don't care if I am not as safe, not able to care for my back properly, have a much greater chance of being exposed to someone's body fluids, and not able to comfortably do my job. They just care that I am dressing like the other females at my church.

[bethymaester]

Unfortunately if they are holding so firmly to their belief that they are not willing to make exceptions for safety, etc., I think it will cause hard feelings (for now anyway). You are both taking stands and it doesn't sound like your parents are backing down, so you have to think long and hard about if this is what you want to cause discord over. My only suggestion would be to try and talk to them again, maybe borrow some of the loosest, most shapeless scrubs you can find to demonstrate how they look in action. Also reinforce that a young nurse in a skirt will be viewed much more sexually than one in loose scrub pants.

[Emergent, RN]

One way or another, most people have had to break away from their parents and establish their own identities. Welcome to the club.

Whether it's marrying outside your religion, class or race, voting for a different political party, letting the baby sleep in your bed, most of us eventually go against our parent's beliefs.

Sometimes conservative parents have to adapt to the fact that their son or daughter is gay. Or an anti-war leftie has to deal with a child joining the military.

Most parents love their children enough to eventually get over it.

Good luck, and stick to your guns, you aren't being unreasonable.

[middleagednurse]

What did nurses wear for thousands of years before pants became acceptable? Try wearing a longer skirt. I have worked with plenty of nurses who wore skirts and they seemed fine. Or maybe a long tunic over pants, like the Indian ladies wear.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Merged two topics and deleted several off-topic posts.

[purplescrubs15]

What did nurses wear for thousands of years before pants became acceptable? Try wearing a longer skirt. I have worked with plenty of nurses who wore skirts and they seemed fine. Or maybe a long tunic over pants, like the Indian ladies wear.

I realize that there are nurses who wear skirts... but the reason that I don't want to wear a long skirt is because I really don't want it dragging on the floor when I have to get down near the floor for something.. I don't want hospital floor crap on me. And then there's the added trip hazard when dealing with all sorts of wires and tubes. Also, having extra material flowing around is just asking to get body fluids, etc. on you. I don't want to maximize my potential for getting exposed to that stuff, if you know what I mean.

[Farawyn]

Well, OP, you can't always her what you want, to quote some old dude who used to be a rock star.

You've gotten plenty of suggestions.

What do you think you are going to do?

[ORDC]

That is messed up kiddo. . . This is me being an amateur psychologist, but you are posting on here for a reason. I think you are looking for validation that you want to move out of your parents home and be on your own. I do not blame you. Saddens me parents would choose a belief, a very uncommon and weird (to me) one at that, over their own child who is doing nothing wrong in the vast majority of peoples' eyes. Eventually, you plan on being a nurse. A profession where wearing pants is common place. Becoming and working as a nurse is already tough enough and here your folks want to make it unnecessarily harder?! Bottom line, if you have the funds, move out. If not, follow their weird rules to the best of your ability without complaint. It is at times like this I hope you do not get taken advantage of by some slick dude who promises to take care of you, etc. Do not fall for those creatures. You have to know who you are 100% and have stability in your life to successfully find someone special. If I am way off, I apologize, just sharing my 2 cents.

[Joy97]

I love this scrub skirt: Butter-Soft Scrubs Full Length Scrub Skirts

[purplescrubs15]

Well, OP, you can't always her what you want, to quote some old dude who used to be a rock star.

You've gotten plenty of suggestions.

What do you think you are going to do?

It's not that I'm trying to "hear what I want"... I was hoping that someone may have had a similar situation, understand where I'm coming from, and could give advice on what worked for them.

At this point, I think I might tell them that I will be wearing pants (for all of my abovementioned reasons) and if they tell me I have to wear skirts or move out, I will suggest a compromise such as I will wear skirts to and from work and change at the hospital.

It's hard because I know that my parents do love me and want what is best for me, and this is a big issue for them. I don't want to disrespect them in any way, but I do want to be comfortable, practical and safe and I know that wearing a skirt will pose hazards. My fear is that I will end up moving out on bad terms, and I don't want this to destroy my relationship with them and the rest of my family.

[Farawyn]

It's not that I'm trying to "hear what I want"... I was hoping that someone may have had a similar situation, understand where I'm coming from, and could give advice on what worked for them.

At this point, I think I might tell them that I will be wearing pants (for all of my abovementioned reasons) and if they tell me I have to wear skirts or move out, I will suggest a compromise such as I will wear skirts to and from work and change at the hospital.

It's hard because I know that my parents do love me and want what is best for me, and this is a big issue for them. I don't want to disrespect them in any way, but I do want to be comfortable, practical and safe and I know that wearing a skirt will pose hazards. My fear is that I will end up moving out on bad terms, and I don't want this to destroy my relationship with them and the rest of my family.

It's a Rolling Stones song.

[purplescrubs15]

That is messed up kiddo. . . This is me being an amateur psychologist, but you are posting on here for a reason. I think you are looking for validation that you want to move out of your parents home and be on your own. I do not blame you. Saddens me parents would choose a belief, a very uncommon and weird (to me) one at that, over their own child who is doing nothing wrong in the vast majority of peoples' eyes. Eventually, you plan on being a nurse. A profession where wearing pants is common place. Becoming and working as a nurse is already tough enough and here your folks want to make it unnecessarily harder?! Bottom line, if you have the funds, move out. If not, follow their weird rules to the best of your ability without complaint. It is at times like this I hope you do not get taken advantage of by some slick dude who promises to take care of you, etc. Do not fall for those creatures. You have to know who you are 100% and have stability in your life to successfully find someone special. If I am way off, I apologize, just sharing my 2 cents.

Hey thanks for your opinion... and I promise to avoid slick dudes Thank you for taking time to offer your advice.