I was with a group of young nurses and everyone talked about their fantasies and desires on fashion and trends. One of them said she would love to get a golden braid on her head with the hair length reaching her waist.
She said she loves long hairs and I can testify to the fact that she has always been on long braids since I met her. Then we digressed into the modern day nurse. The modern day nurse in blue scrub, on canvas and long braids.
We concluded that nursing has taken so much of the Nigerian culture, which is why so many hospitals and patients complain when a young nurse tries to do otherwise.
Nursing ethics is a branch of applied ethics that concerns itself with activities in the field of nursing.
Below are list of nursing ethics that has to do with fashion, styles and dress code:
– Fingernail polish is not allowed in clinical areas. This will prevent the nurse from working in a sterile environment. Long nails can transfer infections from a patient to another patient.
– The use of jewelry such as multiple earrings, dangling earrings, nose rings or body ornaments are not permitted.
Plain wedding or engagement rings and little earrings are permitted
– Hairstyle must be packed neatly and above collar. For male nurses, moustache and beards must be short and well trimmed.
– A nurse must dress smart, work smart and walk smart.
With the above ethics listed, can a nurse weave her hair with a coloured attachment, like a blue, yellow or green attachment?
Can a nurse have tattoos on her hands or legs?
Can a nurse wear a shoe that is different from black on her white uniform?
To answer the above questions, you must agree with me that the dress code of nurses in each hospitals differ from each other, although it is same in all school of nursing.
If your hospital permits you to wear a white shoe on your white uniform, or a brown shoe? You must have discussed that during your interview.
As nurses we all must note that our dress code provides physical and emotional safety for patients, while allowing nurses as much personal freedom and comfort as possible.
Some individuals would never trust you if you dress shabbily as a nurse.
Wives will not trust their husband’s health with you if you dress in a skimpy and tight nursing uniform.
These brings me to ask these questions.
– How well can patients identity the nurses who are responsible for their care?
– What are patients perceptions of the nurses’ professionalism?
– How do patients prefer to identity nurses?
– What manner of dress for nurses do patients prefer?
The above questions can either be asked by the hospital management to set a dress code scale for their nurses or can be asked by the nurse herself.
I will never dispute the fact that individuality is different from professionalism.
I like short hair, because I find it difficult to style my hair myself. Albeit, I like brown hairs, afros, and low cut.
Whenever I want to make my hair, I make hair that will be ‘packable’, not because the hospital makes it compulsory but because I am creating an impression in the heart of my patients that I am a good nurse.
Nursing dress code is wide and becoming controversial in our modern world as different nurses wants to create their own code of dressing.
I believe strongly that nursing ethics is universal, and no nurse will want her fashioned mind to create problems for her patients rather than solutions.
What is your opinion about the use of coloured weavon as a nurse?
Do you think it is right to use a white attachment or blue as a nurse?
