Dress code
The Sinclair School of Nursing has a long-standing tradition of excellence in education.
In order to continue this tradition and prepare our future nurse graduates it is necessary to maintain a professional environment. Appropriate appearance is one component of professional nursing care. The purpose of this policy is to set a guideline for providing a safe and comfortable environment in which the patients and other members of the health care team are assured that professional and competent nursing care will be provided. This policy applies to all nursing students that enter into clinical experiences both on and off University of Missouri Health Care (UMHC) locations.
General standards
- Clothing/scrubs must be kept neat and clean and fit properly.
- Shoes are to be appropriate for the job and be clean and polished.Non-noise-producing shoes without perforations are permitted provided they do not present a safety hazard in the clinical setting. Sandals, slippers, and flip-flops are not appropriate.
- Personal hygiene and grooming are essential and required. Use of deodorant is expected and fingernails must be an appropriate length.
- Hair must be kept neat, clean. Hair should in no way interfere with patient safety.
- Jewelry should be simple, not excessive and must not present a safety hazard.
- Make-up should be natural looking. No perfume, cologne, or after-shave should be worn in patient care areas and worn in moderation in non-patient care areas.
- Socks/hosiery must be worn.
- Men’s mustaches and beards must be neatly trimmed.
- Tattoos are to be covered and not be visible during clinical hours.
- Jewelry associated with body piercing, with the exception of ear lobes, is inappropriate for wear during clinical hours.
- Tobacco products should not be visible through clothing.
Inappropriate attire:
- Denim blue jeans.
- Sweat pants and sweatshirts.
- Shorts or walking shorts.
- T-shirts without collars (including those that have been given as gifts, eg., by a hospital).
- Shirts with bare midriff.
- Low -cut shirts/blouses, low waisted trousers/pants, including rolling down scrub pant waist bands.
- Sheer or revealing clothing.
- Clothing with bulky sleeves or pants which may become entangled with equipment or be dragged through body fluids.
- Logos on any clothing items (except MU SSON logo/ID).
Student uniform
All Sinclair School of Nursing students enrolled in their 5th semester of classes are required to purchase one set of uniform scrubs from the University Bookstore. This uniform is worn in the 5th through 8th semesters. Student scrubs are to be worn only for School of Nursing clinical experiences.
Infection control standards
The following regulations are to prevent harboring and spreading bacterial infection.
- The wearing of artificial fingernails while at clinicals is prohibited.
- Acrylic overlay nails are prohibited.
- Cracked or chipped fingernail polish must be removed/repaired.
- Fingernails must be trimmed to no longer than 1/4 of an inch from the end of the finger and must be clean on top and underneath the nail.
Identification badges
Identification badges must be worn at all times. The clinical instructor, preceptor or mentor of any nursing student will enforce this policy as deemed appropriate. This policy is intended for all clinical experiences.
An appropriate and respectful appearance should be maintained in order to decrease distraction and ensure that all students have the best possible learning environment.