competency 3: personal appearance & hygiene for healthcare dede carr, bs, lda karen neu, msn,...
TRANSCRIPT
Behaviors for Success in Healthcare
Competency 3: Personal Appearance & Hygiene
for Healthcare
Dede Carr, BS, LDAKaren Neu, MSN, CNE, CNP
2
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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/