1. Competency 3: Personal Appearance & Hygiene for Healthcare Dede Carr, BS, LDA Karen Neu, MSN, CNE, CNP

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3. Competency 3: Personal Appearance & Hygiene for Healthcare Objectives Describe the expectations employers have of healthcare personnel Discuss dress and hygiene standards Rationale for a dress code and hygiene standards A. Infection control B. Allergies and sensitivities C. Dress to instill confidence

4. Personal Appearance How you dress, your body language, demeanor, & mannerisms are all important aspects of your appearance According 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 confidence  Present a positive self-image  Dress for SUCCESS

5. Uniform Required in some health occupations Should be neat, well-fitting, clean (no stains), & wrinkle-free Style should allow free body movement without exposure of cleavage, midriff, butt cracks or your undergarments Wear pants above the waist to avoid undue body exposure (Sparks)

6. Uniform (Continued) May require white or some allow or require certain colors or patterns White or neutral undergarments should be worn under white uniforms Uniform 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 established by your place of employment (Sparks)

7. Clothing Regular 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)

8. Clothing (continued) Style should allow for freedom of body movement & avoid exposure of cleavage, midriff, and back Should be appropriate for job position – Jeans are generally inappropriate Washable fabrics usually best because frequent laundering is necessary (LaSala & Nelson) Business Casual No-no’s T-shirts & jeans worn together Dirty sneakers Active Wear Flip Flops Leggings or stirrups Shirt tail out No hosiery of socks (Harris Barnes, n.d.)

9. Socks/Hosiery Men 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)

10. Name Badge Most facilities require personnel to wear name badge or photo identification tag States name, title & department in which you work In some facilities, name badge is required by law

11. Shoes White shoes frequently required Shoes should be clean (daily); Replace laces frequently & as necessary Should fit well & provide good support to prevent fatigue Low heels best to prevent fatigue & accidents Avoid sandals or shoes with open toes or heels Females wear white or beige stockings with uniform & avoid colored or patterned hose Wear white socks with white pants (LaSala & Nelson)

12. Personal Hygiene for Professional Men & Women Health worker is in close contact with others Control body odor Daily bath or shower Use of deodorant and/or antiperspirant Good oral hygiene: Brush teeth at least twice/day; Floss daily Clean undergarments Avoid strong odors that can be offensive Tobacco use Perfumes, scented hairsprays, aftershave lotions, etc. (LaSala & Nelson)

13. Finger Nails Keep 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 gloves Germs transmitted when dirt collects under nails Use hand cream or lotion to prevent chapping and dryness of hands caused by frequent hand washing (Rothrock, n.d.)

14. Finger Nails Avoid 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 person If 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.)

15. Hair Clean, neat, styled attractively, easy to care for, & professional style Avoid fancy or extreme styles & non-natural hair coloring & hair ornaments Pinned back & kept off collar Keeps hair from touching patient Prevents hair from falling on tray or equipment Avoids blocking vision during a procedure (LaSala & Nelson)

16. Beards and Facial Hair Beard 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)

17. Jewelry for Men & Women Usually 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 germs Limit jewelry even when uniform not required Excessive jewelry interferes with patient care & detracts from professional appearance Tattoos must be covered (LaSala & Nelson)

18. Hats/Head Coverings/& Make-up Make-Up Should be subtle & complementary to the individual’s skin color; Avoid excessive makeup Should create a natural appearance and add to attractiveness Hats and Head Covering Hats 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.

19. Image Breakers for Women Short 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.)

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

21. References Centers 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

22. References Lasala, 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=co ntent;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/