You cant be fashionable for nursing.

sumoe · Dec 24, 2008

One more:

http://www.schoolnurse.com/med_info/Fingernails_infection.html

lovehospital · Dec 24, 2008

Ok but I saw at least two of my clinical instructors wearing cream and pink nail polish,this is what kills me...

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Dec 24, 2008

Ok but I saw at least two of my clinical instructors wearing cream and pink nail polish,this is what kills me...

Do your clinical instructors provide urinary catheter, surgical incision, or IV site care?

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Dec 24, 2008

Ok so I was told by my instructor that one cannot be too fashionable in nursing.What she meant by it is that you cant have your hair down (I have a hair that is medium-lenght and layered so it doesnt really touch my neck,so I dont see the problem why cant I wear it down.Also she she mentioned something about the nails,they cant be too long.Ok I agree with this because the lenght provide the site for microorganism colonization,however why cant they be painted???It is not like it willrelease the odor which then can be offending to the patients.
Rules are rules but in the reality how many of you nurses put your hair up and wear no nail polish to work.Just curious...

I wear my hair up in a bun every day and never wear nail polish. I do wear cute, trendy scrubs with coordinating watches and earrings, though.

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Dec 24, 2008

Ok but I saw at least two of my clinical instructors wearing cream and pink nail polish,this is what kills me...

I had a clinical insructor who had 1+ inch long red nails with little gold nuggets and rhinestones on then. Tacky as hell for a nurse. But, I wasn't going to tell her that.

sumoe · Dec 24, 2008

Ok but I saw at least two of my clinical instructors wearing cream and pink nail polish,this is what kills me...

I'd like to say "call 'em on it" but that could be hazardous to your career! Show them the articles I posted and ask their opinion.

lovehospital · Dec 24, 2008

Do your clinical instructors provide urinary catheter, surgical incision, or IV site care?

They assist us with it...

lovehospital · Dec 24, 2008

I'd like to say "call 'em on it" but that could be hazardous to your career! Show them the articles I posted and ask their opinion.

Dont want to be crucified before my career stars,heh.

DoeRN · Dec 24, 2008

I'm sorry but I dont see how washing your hands frequently will cause your nails to chip.I wash my hands frequently at home and the nail color never chips off.Now when I scrub my kitchen cabinets then yes of course it looks ugly but other then that water wont make them chip off...even light scrubing...

I see you are new here and I don't know your background and I have not been on the board for a while because I have been working a lot. So correct me if I am wrong. You are a student and have you ever worked in a hospital before?

Think about it yes you may wash your hands a lot at home but not nearly as much as you would while working a 12 hour shift with 5-6 patients and some of them total care. Your polish will chip and if it doesn't your manicure isn't looking all that great afterwards. If you do work at the hospital haven't you seen nurses with nail polish remover in their lockers? I have tried various polishes like OPI, Chanel, Laura Mercier (my fav) etc and they have all chiped after a 12 hour shift even if it just a tiny amount. I love nail polish and use it on my days off.

We are giving our opinions but for the most part you seem to be shooting everyone down in this thread. Why start a thread if you are not going to listen to what we are saying? We have all been students before, some had to wear the ugly uniform, plan shoes, tie our hair back. We do it for a reason because we wanted to get through nursing school. Get through school first and then worry about all that other stuff later. And yeah I pull my hair back. I have extremely curly hair that is chin length when my curls are not stretched and when it is straight it comes about to my arm pit. I will pin my hair back so fast because it is nothing like having a trach patient spit and the mucus landing in your hair because it was out. Did not happen to me but I saw it and after that my hair is pulled back. Or explosive diarrhea or vomiting etc. Be nice to us because for the most part people here have been nice to you and you can learn a lot from us Lovehospital.

statphleb SN · Dec 24, 2008

I too am a nursing student and all I can worry about is keeping my grades up to par , caring for people who need me the most, and making sure I am setting a good example for my children. Just remember when you send out resumes when you are finished with school that hairstyle, nail color, and being skinny is not hiring highlites. I would rather be known as the nurse with good grades and a caring heart -not the nurse with the prettiest fingernails!

kindaquazie · Dec 24, 2008

I told them that they had valuable training and education that they could use to the betterment of patients. That they should speak up, respectfully, if they felt something was wrong or "not quite right". I reminded them that they may be the only person who had fully read the chart and may have the best overall understanding of the patient's clinical picture.

On the subject of dress, hair and nail polish: I once had a student come to clinicals wearing pig tails. I asked her to change it to a pony tail. When someone is in the hospital, let's face it, there is a real possibility they could die. You do not want someone taking care of you who looks fashionable, cute, or sexy. You want a NURSE. Can you be a good nurse and be fashionable, sexy and cute; I suppose you can be technically good. But to a vulnerable, frightened patient, it is a compassion to subjugate your need to feel good about your appearance or individuality to their need to feel safe. Becoming a nurse is also a socialization into a profession. That profession has huge archetypal connotations for the public. You are now part of that. I do not mean you have to be a mousey, self-sacrificing, virginal, lamp toting symbol of all that is good in the world, but be competent, focused and accountable. If your instructor wants to approve your uniform, let her. If she wants you to wear white shoes, do it. If she asks you to do something unsafe, call the Dean of the College of Nursing.

kindaquazie · Dec 24, 2008

I usually try to wear something white, like a coat. Every person in the hospital wears scrubs, even the housekeepers. I think people, especially older people, equate white with nursing. It identifies me to them and gives them comfort. It is all about the patients.