wedding rings at work

Spritenurse1210, BSN, RN · May 19, 2006

while iwas married i wore my ring religously. I find that a plain "comfort band" will both keep you and your patients comfortable.

Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN · May 19, 2006

I have a high mounted, platinum set with several diamonds. I dont want to lose a stone or tear skin, or bring cooties home! I bought a sterling silver broad band (7mm) and wear that. It was a nice 18 dollar investment, slides well into gloves, and easy to clean while washing between pts.

bethneyann · May 19, 2006

I do wear my wedding rings I know I shouldn't. I am thinking about getting a cheap band to wear to work. The only problem is I work so much I will never get to wear my rings again:o

Mugwump53 · May 19, 2006

I am very traditional and believe that there is NO reason your wedding ring should leave your finger until your spouse is dead or you divorce them. I was made to cut my ring off when I was in school, and I have never forgiven that professor. :angryfire I had gained about 40 pounds and it was a permenant fixture. My current ring also cannot be removed as I have gained 90 pounds since I replaced the original. If I cannot go into the OR because I have it on, so be it. I had to remove the original so I could get through Nursing School. The current one will come off if my spouse dies.

Gompers, BSN, RN · May 19, 2006

while iwas married i wore my ring religously. I find that a plain "comfort band" will both keep you and your patients comfortable.

I have one of those and they are truly comfortable! You don't even feel them, they're so smooth inside. Very nice.

A lot of my friends (nurses and otherwise) have these gorgeous diamond-studded wedding bands and yes it does make me a little jealous sometimes. But I specifically picked my engagement ring (three stones, larger one in the middle) so that it looked good with a plain band. When I want to dress it up, I just wear the engagement ring with the band and it looks nice. My husband got the same band as me, so we actually match and I like that too.

casualjim · May 19, 2006

I wear my ring everywhere EXCEPT work. That's work of any kind. I've seen 3 people while I was in the Navy get their finger ripped off when the ring snagged on something. (my first and only witnessed traumatic amputation to treat was one of 'em) . It's not a real threat for me now but it's just become habit to take all that stuff off before I start the work day.

aloha

Jim

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · May 19, 2006

The wedding ring issue is an interesting one...I noticed that I did not see any where in the responses that folks are WEARING GLOVES!!! As a nursing faculty person, I mandate that students wear gloves for EVERYTHING they do and DOUBLE GLOVE if infectious, or potentially infectious circumstances exist.

Sorry, wasn't aware that i had to actually state what is already common sense to me.

mad1 · May 23, 2006

I don't get it!!!!! Nurses are so programmed to "follow the rules" laid out by old school instuctors instead of doing their research and also using some common sense! First of all, if nurses (and by the way , what about doctors?????) can't wear any scents, why are visitors allowed to bring flowers into the hospital??? What the hell do ya think perfume is made from?

here are 1 or 2 doctors on my med/surg. unit that wear strong cologne and not many people at all complain, but as soon as a nurse does, it's an issue. WHY? Secondly, not once in my 5 years of nursing, have I seen one patient or staff member have a reaction or asthma attack etc. from any of the scents or chemicals in the air at the hospital. The day that happens is the day every single person should stop using deodorant, scented soaps, lotions, scented shampoos and flowers ought not be allowed in . I don't doubt people have allergies. BUT I think the issue is one that is more of a problem to those who just want something to ***** about. If common sense was used, one would know it isn't such a huge issue to wear a light scent or body spray and nobody is going to die or have an anaphylactic reaction to a few flowers. If that was the case, I'm sure enforcing this no scents policy or "rule" would be much stricter.

As for wearing rings...I and many other nurses wear our wedding rings, all 10 of them ,(kidding) and neither I nor they, have ever caused a scratch or skin tear. Again, the day that happens is the day we would stop wearing them. Why take a chance? There is no chance of that happening unless you are doing personal care or any kind of contact bare handed!!!!!!! Common sense to ALWAYS wear gloves no matter what it is you're doing, right? Unless you're wearing a high setting with hub-cap sized diamonds .....how can a patient get scratched, etc.? Furthermore, bacteria is just as likely to get on watched, name tags, not to mention stethoscopes and every other object imaginable! Did anyone know that doctors are the biggest culprits for MRSA??? (don;t say "mersa".....annoying...it's simply M.R.S.A.!). I've seen many , if not most, who touch a patients leg, for example, after tearing off a drsg, and then leave the room without handwashing. Then they carry on to the next patients room. Doctors don't always dryclean their ties and that is where most of the bacteria was found. Think about it. Anyway, I'm done. Tired of typing. Have a great day all............

sassy7cassy · May 23, 2006

Wow, you're riled up.

RE: perfume and cologne, not everyone knows how to well scents correctly. (like wearing WAY too much) Also, some people DO wear cheap, offensive scents. Even if they aren't cheap, they may still be offensive. For example, there is a certain type of old lady Estee Lauder perfume that makes me sick EVERY TIME I am around someone who wears it. I'll have an allergic reaction and be a mess for a few days.

I think you need a vacation.

Indy, LPN, LVN · May 23, 2006

My wedding ring was designed for hospital work, but design alone doesn't do much. Anything can get dirty, I soak it regularly in cleaning solution, use toothbrush/baking soda to clean the crevices and underside, and of course, wear gloves. Also I take it off when washing hands about half the time, and always when putting lotion on, to minimize the amount of gunk that gets under it.

The main thing I looked for when designing it was a setting that was not prone to scratch people. I did want a stone, so the setting resembles that of class rings where the stone is encompassed by the ring and it's smooth. Using that setting enabled me to have a nice one-carat stone. The underside isn't completely smooth and there are a few little crevices that gunk can get into. I think anything but a plain band would have that problem. There have been nights when the patients just have too many body fluid issues, isolation etc. and I take the thing off and put it in my wallet until I get home.

Overall I'm thrilled that the ring I put so much sentimental value into, is wearable at work. Obviously if I had planned on working in the OR or NICU, I'd have considered not being able to wear it at all while at work.

Ruby Vee, BSN · May 23, 2006

our rings were blessed by the priest at our ceremony -- we don't take them off, either. that said, i have a wide gold band with a single, channel-set stone that we designed ourselves so as not to interfere with gloves. it has no sharp edges and has never torn a glove. i don't have an engagement ring, so that's not an issue.

Travellpro · May 23, 2006

Wow, this is some venting here. Personally, I am not allergic to scents but I can not STAND the smell. People do not realize how strong they put it on and I can't stand to be around someone who has granny perfume on. I hope when I become a nurse, the no perfume is strictly enforced. I don't see the point of perfume in the first place, especially since the person wearing it can't smell it 2 minutes after they put it on. It only makes those around them miserable.