We asked its Facebook audience the question, “Are you glad that we don’t have to wear the traditional nursing caps that were once worn?”
This stirred up a strong discussion. Also known as deaconesses, seen by many as a powerful symbol and a badge of honor. Some of them miss wearing it as part of their nursing uniform and admire the tradition to which it is attached.
Do nurses want it back?
1. “I loved wearing mine when I graduated! I worked hard and it was a symbol of all I’ve accomplished. I’m glad I wore mine. I have it in a shadow box and it’s displayed in my home.”
– Samantha Ryan
2. “I think I would look kinda cute in one. It would get me in touch with my ‘lady side.’ Now I must go chop wood or do something manly to cleanse myself of that comment.”
– Stephen Smith
3. “I’m kinda glad they don’t wear them on a day to day basis, but I liked the tradition of them. I agree that they should be a part of graduation for sure. We didn’t have them for mine, but me and my nurse sister got them online and wore them for graduation.”
– Rachael Clise Irelan
4. “I wore one as an Army nurse. Proud to have earned it but the hat clips made my scalp sore and pulled out my hair.”
– Cecilia Garrison
5. “I miss my cap. I was one of the last to give mine up. I was so proud to wear my cap and crisp whites.”
– Deneen Sutton
6. “This is the very reason why I wanted to be a nurse. The crisp white uniform and the cap, I feel like a beauty queen with that white crown on top of my head. Nobody’s wearing it now (I know the reasons why). Too bad, we can only see it in the movies now.”
– Glenna Palanca Alday
7. “I wish I had a dollar for each time mine caught on the bedside curtains as I walked by! It took years for that area of hair to grow back normal. But I did love the symbolism of it. I was proud to wear mine and that endearing symbol will always be my favorite.”
– Gail Duscha
8. “The nurse looked proper in her full traditional nursing uniform, with the cap. It was an icon, a symbol of a nurse and her status. I wore my uniform with pride and my cap worn just so. Today, sadly, the nurse has no pride in the sloppy pajama-type uniform. How sad to see the watering down of the best trained nurses in the world.”
– Marylyn Daley
9. “I earned mine and wore it proudly! What I do not miss is the starched white dress back of my hose! Yep I’m an old nurse!”
– Janice Clement
Meanwhile, some nurses don’t feel the same way…
1. “I look awful in a hat.”
– Angela Baker Billings
2. “I’ll wear one if the men nurses on my unit have to wear one too.”
– Leslie Cunniffe
3. “I don’t want to ever wear that dumb looking cap again! But I love my pin and wish more people would wear theirs.”
– Lorraine Endres
Did you know?
“In a doctor’s office in Zanesville, Ohio, the nurses still wear them and they also wear all white dresses.”
– Christine Wolford