Behaviors for Success in Healthcare

Competency 3: Personal Appearance & Hygiene

for Healthcare

Dede Carr, BS, LDAKaren Neu, MSN, CNE, CNP

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Competency 3: Personal Appearance & Hygiene for Healthcare

ObjectivesDescribe the expectations employers have

of healthcare personnelDiscuss dress and hygiene standards

Rationale for a dress code and hygiene standardsA. Infection controlB. Allergies and sensitivitiesC. Dress to instill confidence

Personal AppearanceHow you dress, your body language,

demeanor, & mannerisms are all important aspects of your appearanceAccording to research, a person forms an opinion

of you based mainly on your appearance within the first 20 seconds of meeting you & generally the first impression does not change

SOooo….. Make a good impression: Smile Inspire confidencePresent a positive self-imageDress for SUCCESS

UniformRequired in some health occupationsShould be neat, well-fitting, clean (no stains), &

wrinkle-freeStyle should allow free body movement without exposure of cleavage, midriff, butt cracks or your

undergarmentsWear pants above the waist to avoid undue body

exposure

(Sparks)

Uniform (Continued)May require white or some allow or

require certain colors or patternsWhite or neutral undergarments should

be worn under white uniformsUniform pants should not be so long that

they drag on the floor (not a dust mop) or so short it appears you are wading in water

Learn what type & color of uniform is required & follow standards establishedby your place of employment (Sparks)

ClothingRegular clothing may be worn in place of

uniform in some careers [May require Business Casual or Lab Coat]

Must be clean, neat, wrinkle-free, & in good repair

No tight, loose, or baggy fitting clothing; no torn or stained or too revealing clothes (pants, leggings, short skirts or low cut blouses or shirts or see-through fabrics)

Shirts should be long enough to be tucked into pants or to cover midriff area. (LaSala & Nelson)

Clothing (continued)Style should allow for freedom of body movement &

avoid exposure of cleavage, midriff, and backShould be appropriate for job position – Jeans are

generally inappropriateWashable fabrics usually best because frequent

laundering is necessary (LaSala & Nelson)

Business Casual No-no’s T-shirts & jeans worn together Dirty sneakers Active WearFlip Flops Leggings or stirrupsShirt tail out No hosiery of socks

(Harris Barnes, n.d.)

Socks/HosieryMen are required to wear socks. Women are required to wear socks or

hosiery with all slacks/pants. Hosiery worn with dresses and skirts

(LaSala & Nelson)

Name BadgeMost facilities require personnel to wear

name badge or photo identification tagStates name, title & department in which

you workIn some facilities, name badge is required

by law

ShoesWhite shoes frequently requiredShoes should be clean (daily); Replace laces

frequently & as necessaryShould fit well & provide good support to

prevent fatigueLow heels best to prevent fatigue & accidentsAvoid sandals or shoes with open toes or heelsFemales wear white or beige stockings with

uniform & avoid colored or patterned hoseWear white socks with white pants (LaSala & Nelson)

Personal Hygiene for Professional Men & Women

Health worker is in close contact with others

Control body odorDaily bath or showerUse of deodorant and/or antiperspirantGood oral hygiene: Brush teeth at least

twice/day; Floss dailyClean undergarments

Avoid strong odors that can be offensiveTobacco usePerfumes, scented hairsprays, aftershave

lotions, etc.(LaSala & Nelson)

Finger NailsKeep short, clean, & well-manicured keeping

natural nails tips less than 1/4-inch long (CDC, Rothrock, n.d. )

Long, pointed nails can cause injury to patients,

Long nails can puncture & tear glovesGerms transmitted when dirt collects under

nailsUse hand cream or lotion to prevent

chapping and dryness of hands caused by frequent hand washing

(Rothrock, n.d.)

Finger NailsAvoid colored polish

Colored polish conceals dirt that collects under nails

Polish chips from hand washing and germs collect on nails;

Flash of colors can bother an ill personIf polish is worn, it should be colorless/clear

Artificial nails or extenders should NOT be worn as they transmit organisms that cause infections

Numerous studies validate the increased number of bacteria cultured from the fingertips of persons wearing artificial nails, both before & after hand washing (Rothrock, n.d.)

HairClean, neat, styled attractively, easy to

care for, & professional style Avoid fancy or extreme styles & non-

natural hair coloring & hair ornamentsPinned back & kept off collar

Keeps hair from touching patientPrevents hair from falling on tray or equipmentAvoids blocking vision during a procedure

(LaSala & Nelson)

Beards and Facial HairBeard or mustaches/facial hair should be

well-trimmed and closely shaven for both infection control (bacteria and skin fungi could be present in oversized beards) and safety purposes (Gile)

Maintain a clean, groomed and modest appearance. Hairstyles, hair color, beards, moustaches, sideburns and other appearance‐related items should present a neat and professional style (avoid non‐natural hair coloring) (LaSala & Nelson)

Jewelry for Men & WomenUsually not permitted with uniform Exceptions include watch, wedding ring &

medic alert bracelet & one pair of small post-type earring per ear (No dangling earrings or earrings with hoops)

No visible body piercings other than ears Can cause injury to patients & transmit

germsLimit jewelry even when uniform not

requiredExcessive jewelry interferes with patient

care & detracts from professional appearance

Tattoos must be covered (LaSala & Nelson)

Hats/Head Coverings/& Make-upMake-UpShould be subtle & complementary to the

individual’s skin color; Avoid excessive makeupShould create a natural appearance and add to

attractivenessHats and Head CoveringHats are not appropriate indoors. Head coverings required for medical reasons,

religious purposes or to honor cultural tradition are allowed.

All other hats/head coverings should be removed upon entering any building.

Image Breakers for WomenShort Skirts Tight fitting clothes Exposure of body piercings Too much cleavage Over use of make-up Heavy perfumes or lotions Bows, excessive floral prints in garments (Harris

Barnes, n.d.) Poor grooming (bad breath, body odor, dirty

fingernails, poorly applied make-up) causes you to appear sloppy, careless and someone who lacks judgment of what is appropriate and/or self awareness (Harris Barnes, n.d.)

Image Breakers for Men

Heavy Colognes Overstuffed pant pockets Scuffed shoes Un-tidy facial hair Dirty fingernails Out dated eyewear (Harris Barnes, n.d.)

ReferencesCenters for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

(2002, October 25). Guidelines for hand care hygiene in health-care settings. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Washington DC: Author . Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5116.pdf

Gile, T.J. (2009, January 22). Fingernails, food, and beards. Pro CDC OSHA Healthcare Provider. Retrieved from http://blogs.hcpro.com/osha/2009/01/fingernails-food-and-beards/

Harris Barnes. (n.d.). Levels of professional dress and business casual. Retrieved from http://www.cpcc.edu/learningcollege/core-competencies/dress-for-success-files/barnes_dress_4_handout.pdf

ReferencesLasala, K.B. & Nelson, J. (2005, February). What

contributes to professionalism? MedSurg Nursing. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FSS/is_1_14/ai_n17208307/?tag=content;col1

Rothrock, J. C. (n.d.). Current Guidelines About Wearing Artificial Nails and Nail Polish in the Healthcare Setting . Retrieved from http://www.dhh.state.la.us/offices/miscdocs/docs-249/Infection%20Control/guidelines/ArtificialNails.pdf

Sparks, K. (2010, October 7). The top five scrubs fashion blunders. Scrubs: The nurses’ guide to good living. Retrieved from http://scrubsmag.com/the-top-5-scrubs-fashion-blunders/