Now I have been getting some flack about the length of my hair at work. Its shoulder length and a bit more. While at work I keep my hair neatly in a pony tail. Doesn't affect my work at all. And I keep it very clean. Shampooed daily. Now of course I do work in a right wing extremist state, thats almost totally red. Im surrounded and heavily outnumbered by Republicans.
Im just enjoying the fact that at my age, I am not bald and I can grow a nice pony tail. I just enjoy my life is all. But some of the young Republicans I work with sure get a little fussy about it though. They really fussed when I came in with it in a braid.
So what are your thoughts about mens hair in the work place.
Funny you should bring up hair today. Just yesterday I was standing behind a guy who was balding on top but wore a ponytail of long hair behind and I was thinking how it would be nice if he could figure out a way to put his ponytail hair on top. I don't care about guys having long hair if they keep it clean and out of the way of what they are doing, just like women with long hair.
What is your hospital policy? Keep hair above shoulders probably. I think you should put it in a bun and see how the staff likes that. It's so silly. Some nurses just like to be negative and complain.. I've worked w plenty of male nurses w long hair in tails. No big deal...
I don't see how a man with a ponytail is any different than a woman wearing her hair in a ponytail. As long as its up & out of the way, who cares??? I like Kdog's idea- try some new "do's", and see how they like it..... a bun, french braid, pig tails..... :)
I like long hair. If mine was thick enough, I would grow it. Even when I had a lot of hair I couldn't wear it long because it's very fine and didn't look good.
I guess some guys never see the back of their own heads because if they saw what everyone else sees, they would do something different. Either that or they just don't care. A ponytail on a balding head looks pretty sad. It sorta goes along with plumber's crack.
Tom, how about dying your hair green? Then for Christmas, you can put red elastic bands on your ponytail.
SoldierNurse wrote:Well, at this time I'm unable to grow long hair. Back in the day my hair was shoulder length.
If it is clean & not in the way, then GROW IT!
Hey Cary,
I guess you're gearing up for surgery soon. When's the date? My prayers for quick recovery and return of function are with you. My wife had her right knee replaced yesterday and she's really doing quite well. I expect she'll come home Saturday.
Actually I have been thinking of braiding it Willie Nelson Style. Havent done so yet. But it is below my shoulders now. I keep it clean in a pony tail style. Guess I can not pick on soccer moms and their pony tails anymore.
I've already commented on this post but want to add again. The OP spoke about his own well contained, long hair but on the subject of hair in general in the especially medical work place is an issue. If you're constantly swiping strands of hair aside or tossing your head back so you can see, there's a problem. If you're always distractedly blinking because your bangs are in your eyes, there's a problem. If your long hair isn't contained and threatens to fall into your work area and either contaminate, become contaminated or both, there's a problem. If you see yourself in these scenarios, please do something about it because it is really quite serious.
Sounds like an interesting discussion! I can still remember during my nursing days in school, guys were not allowed to have long hair! However, it f one is already working in the hospital, I should they should be given more independence about their hairstyle..as long as it’s neat and clean and does not affect one’s job, then others should let it be
I agree. Long hair IS hard to safely manage in the health care work place. Keep it braided and down the middle of your back or keep it up. Regardless, keep it contained.
Teeituptom wrote:Now I have been getting some flack about the length of my hair at work. Its shoulder length and a bit more. While at work I keep my hair neatly in a pony tail. Doesn't affect my work at all. And I keep it very clean. Shampooed daily. Now of course I do work in a right wing extremist state, thats almost totally red. Im surrounded and heavily outnumbered by Republicans.
I'm sorry, I'm new here, so to some this may be a bit too aggressive for a newbie, but what does politics have to do with it ? I'm conservative, a republican, a gun owner:evillaugh:, a military veteran, oh and I'm a white male, but I see no problem with how you wear your hair. Could it possibly be that there may be some other underlying reason, like that chip on your shoulder that you appear to have for conservatives ?
BTW, I live in Southern California, but have lotsa friends that live in "red" states. So, I'm just sayin'.
Just a thought, I imagine that there is a reason why women wear their hair in a bun, and that's to keep it up and out of the way. Having said that, I would imagine that a man with his hair in a bun would not only look ridiculous, it would probably look very unprofessional, which is why in a profession like nursing, it would probably be better for a man to keep his hair short.
I am currently in the ADN program at Chaffey College in Southern California. ALL the men in the program are required to keep their hair short, and the women MUST wear their hair in a bun while in clinicals. If a person, male or female wore a ponytail, they would not be allowed to work until the issue was resolved.
I'm just a first year student, but it has already been instilled in me that transmission of microorganisms from nurse to patient or patient to nurse is a real problem. Since I don't know how long Tom's ponytail is, I won't comment further, but I'm thinking that his problem is more an issue with controlling infection than it is conservative bias.
But hey, who am I. I haven't even passed the N-CLEX yet.
You will definitely see a lot of posting about "expressing individuality" in the health care setting with hair length and style being high on the list. Medical professionals especially old school are wound quite tightly on the subject and fiercely defend the standards and while there is a lot of sound reasoning to support some standards, ie; infection control, many of the rest of the battle ground fronts are around what has been defined as professional appearance and just plain good grooming. If you want to get an eyeful, see the discussions on tattoos and uniforms.
Welcome and, good luck.
R
Chaffey Student wrote:Just a thought, I imagine that there is a reason why women wear their hair in a bun, and that's to keep it up and out of the way. Having said that, I would imagine that a man with his hair in a bun would not only look ridiculous, it would probably look very unprofessional, which is why in a profession like nursing, it would probably be better for a man to keep his hair short.
I am currently in the ADN program at Chaffey College in Southern California. ALL the men in the program are required to keep their hair short, and the women MUST wear their hair in a bun while in clinicals. If a person, male or female wore a ponytail, they would not be allowed to work until the issue was resolved.
I'm just a first year student, but it has already been instilled in me that transmission of microorganisms from nurse to patient or patient to nurse is a real problem. Since I don't know how long Tom's ponytail is, I won't comment further, but I'm thinking that his problem is more an issue with controlling infection than it is conservative bias.
But hey, who am I. I haven't even passed the N-CLEX yet.
I kind of got into trouble from the "old school" nurses who are in charge of the ADN program. It would seem that making people laugh in the lab setting is an issue, and I was told at one point that I was being flippant, and not serious about nursing. Since the instructor is at least 10 years my junior, I told her in a diplomatic manner that she's full of crap. But that's a story for another time.
Maybe it's just me, but when I combine uniform with professional, I equate it with regimentation. In other words, there is nothing wrong with being an individual, and expressing your individuality, but I would think that stops when it conflicts with health and safety concerns. So far, I've been told that the reason for specific rules is to maintain a uniformity and strict order for the safety of the patients and the nurses that care for them. Part of that regimentation is how a person wears their hair, because it can be a source for infection. That's why none of the men I work with have long hair, and why women are required to keep their hair in a bun. So in that case, as they say, that kind of individuality is contraindicated.
Anyway, thanks for the warm welcome Ricu, I really am glad I found this forum.
You're welcome, and glad you found it too. Coming from the police force, you will have no trouble with personal discipline and uniform but you will be entertained by what goes on around you in the clinical setting as many of the younger adults meet strict expectations for (obviously) the first time.
I'm actually trying to help them minimize the stress with that. Case in point, one classmate was having trouble with getting an accurate BP. I told her that My arm was hers to use until she got it right. She eventually got it, my arm was grateful for that. Considering my issues, I understand how the others feel. Since I've been taking BPs and pulse rates off and on for 35 years, the least I could is offer my experience to her.
I like to joke and make people laugh. It's healthy, and it helps reduce stress. But I do understand that what we do and how we respond can literally be a matter of life and death. To the outsider, some of my jokes can seem insensitive or crass, but I verbalize what others only think about. Think Joseph Wambaugh and his book, "The New Centurions". While we care about people, there are some things that we see that are actually funny, and we hide that way down inside until we have an opportunity to vent that in a more appropriate environment and among our peers who see the obvious humor in what we verbalize.
Once I get to clinicals, I have a feeling that I will be laughing my ass off inside while maintaining an appearance of stoicism. On the other hand, I'm sure I will see things that will touch my heart, and maybe even piss me off. But just as I did as a cop, I will maintain an even strain until I can kick back in a more appropriate environment and let it go. That's just the nature of the beast.
You're kind and understanding. I'm sure that your classmates appreciate your presence especially if you can break the tension with a well placed laugh. Your ability to see humor in odd situations puts you way ahead of the game in the health care setting. Your observations on the emotional component to your job and how to manage it is one of the reasons that I feel your background in police work is really helpful.
Our job is to be kind, understanding and compassionate. If we can't show that to those we know, how can we expect to show compassion to those we don't know ?
Agreed, although health care workers can be pretty callous when it comes to each other. I suppose cops can be the same way.
Chaffey Student wrote:Our job is to be kind, understanding and compassionate. If we can't show that to those we know, how can we expect to show compassion to those we don't know ?
Ricu wrote:Agreed, although health care workers can be pretty callous when it comes to each other. I suppose cops can be the same way.
Sadly, in some cases, I think it can actually be worse. Law enforcement can be very political, and those that make it high up the management ladder usually do so by sacrificing values and principles for something they perceive as more pragmatic. I won't go into details but suffice it to say, whatever their superiors say, is the last word; even if it's at the expense of the constitution. That's why I got out when I did.
It's time to get out when your career costs you more than you get paid. Health care has it's own politics and compromised administrators but change is certainly good. What's kept me in it for so many years is that there are so many different capacities to work in.
The game plan is to go to the VA. Being a patient there myself, I've had an opportunity to talk to the staff and they are encouraging me to go to VA after graduation. Because I'm a veteran, I would be considered over others that aren't veterans. One of the things the staff loves about working at the VA is, when a person is treated, any tests that a doctor orders isn't questioned by an insurance company, because no insurance companies are involved. Those that have worked in private facilities cite that as the number one thing they love about working for VA. Their patients get immediate treatment because it isn't delayed by an insurance company making a decision to "allow" it.
Because I'm a veteran, I have an insight that non veterans don't have. It's always an interesting time when staff, who know I'm becoming an RN, see me interact with other veterans. In some cases, there may be a little bit of envy there, but that's just an observation.
You raise some good examples of frustration points for health care workers today in the non-VA setting. It seems that you have good insight into where your strengths and motivations are for when you start working in nursing, too. Veterans deserve the best of what we have to offer which includes being treated by those who have the greatest capacity to understand them and I think there is tremendous potential for healing if the care provider and recipient are both veterans.
Chaffey Student wrote:The game plan is to go to the VA. Being a patient there myself, I've had an opportunity to talk to the staff and they are encouraging me to go to VA after graduation. Because I'm a veteran, I would be considered over others that aren't veterans. One of the things the staff loves about working at the VA is, when a person is treated, any tests that a doctor orders isn't questioned by an insurance company, because no insurance companies are involved. Those that have worked in private facilities cite that as the number one thing they love about working for VA. Their patients get immediate treatment because it isn't delayed by an insurance company making a decision to "allow" it.
Because I'm a veteran, I have an insight that non veterans don't have. It's always an interesting time when staff, who know I'm becoming an RN, see me interact with other veterans. In some cases, there may be a little bit of envy there, but that's just an observation.
I've given this careful thought. It took me 11 years to act on this. That was primarily due to the fact that my kids hadn't grown up and so I could commit 100% of my time to learning. Now that it's just my wife and I, I can focus my attention and do this. I don't like to do anything half way.
Good plan. I completed both my ASN and BSN while our kids were still home and now that they're all essentially on their own, I'm working on a masters. I'm still working full time but can focus my non work time on classes.
