What is the attire for attending a continuing education class?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm a student and need to take a 6 hour continuing education class at another college. Do I have to dress professional or can I just wear a tank and jeans?

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Although I realize Gen Y's (and you may be one or not) like to dress casual, a tank and jeans may project the image of non-professionalism. May even be an insult to the people who have worked hard to present a professional program. If you are not comfortable in maxi dress with sandals, or dressier pants why not compromise with jeans and a blouse? Not t-shirt. Your clothes say a lot about you. Dress with pride.

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The way buildings use air conditioner, you might freeze to death in a tank top.

How about taking your dress code up one notch to business casual.

Swap the jeans for some non-denim pants, put on a shirt that has some coverage and is not a t-shirt and voila, you are dressed and ready to go.

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Specializes in ER.

I don't know if you are a nursing student or not, but most schools have some sort of dress code policy for classes. If you are in a professional program, you should do all you can to reflect that. If you are learning to work on an automobile and will get grease all over you, then by all means wear jeans and a tank. If you want to be taken seriously as a professional and network with those whom you will someday work, then dress professionally.

I don't mean you need to wear a 3 piece suit to a class, but you should be clean, modestly dressed and ready to learn. If you are dressed for the beach, you will not take the class seriously. I agree it would be disrespectful to the presenters if you show up looking like you just crawled out of bed.

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business casual

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Tank top and jeans? No.

Comfortable blouse or other office-appropriate top. Nothing low-cut, nothing so tight or short we can see if you had breakfast.

Comfortable but office-appropriate slacks, something you'd interview in (knit, twill, cords, khakis--not cargo style). Anything not denim, and please be sure it fits appropriately--for an office setting, not a date.

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

Call the place where the class is happening and ask them. Some places require scrubs, depending on where they happen and the topic.

Definitely not a tank top. Jeans that clean, neat, free from shagginess and holes, could be appropriate--you know--dressy jeans. No flipflops.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Considering this is an excellent opportunity to network, I would dress as I would for a jobs fair or similar event...business casual. Not as dressy as interview attire, but definitely not jeans and tank.

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Considering this is an excellent opportunity to network, I would dress as I would for a jobs fair or similar event...business casual. Not as dressy as interview attire, but definitely not jeans and tank.

This was my thought as well -- you never know who you're going to meet at a professional/educational offering, and what kind of networking opportunity may present itself. It's smart to dress in a manner that will make a reasonably good impression on a potential employer (no one expects you to wear the full "power suit" get-up to a class or workshop, but you don't want to look like something the cat dragged in, either).

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Although I realize Gen Y's (and you may be one or not) like to dress casual, a tank and jeans may project the image of non-professionalism. May even be an insult to the people who have worked hard to present a professional program. If you are not comfortable in maxi dress with sandals, or dressier pants why not compromise with jeans and a blouse? Not t-shirt. Your clothes say a lot about you. Dress with pride.

I'm from generation Y and even I know a tank and jeans is a big no-no. Lol.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Bikini tops and daisy dukes.

Seriously though maybe a nice knit top and some chinos or if appropriate some nice scrubs. You don't want to dress up so much you stand out. Also you don't have to go out and buy the above if you don't have it. Do the best you can.

Whats the topic? You said it's on another college campus? That changes the dress code a little.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Business casual at our facility.

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