to wear or not to wear scrub pants?

[meira5202]

Hi:

My name is Rachel. I am very conflicted regarding wearing scrub pants in nursing school. I live in CT and they are not as enlightened here. The uniform policy is very strict. I already dropped the bomb about all the days off for yom tov. Some people tell me just wear the pants in the hospital, while others say ask a rav. My only concern is if he says no to the pants. HELP!

[Rivka P]

hmm. If you are not accustomed to wearing pants, I wouldn't run to your rav asking for permission to be lenient with tzenius. I would much faster just buy a skirt in the same color and not make a big deal about it unless someone else does. Do you want links for websites that sell scrub skirts? I would only worry about it if/when someone in authority mentions that it is not allowed. Really, lay low and see if it will go unnoticed.

Skirts were an option in our nursing school uniform. I guess Hashem was making things easy for me. You can pass this test!

[Rivka P]

Also read this thread:

aojn.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=jewishlaw&action=display&thread=33

[chayan]

I have a lot of other frum nurses in my program and we all wear skirts. It has never been an issue. If it helps, though, I have also seen non-Jewish nurses who wear scrub skirts. Try, as Rivka suggested, just showing up with a scrub skirt the same color as the uniform. Make sure the length is appropriate and you're wearing hose underneath. (I have one classmate who wears a short scrub skirt that barely covers the knee and ankle socks--for some reason it annoys the heck out of me.)

[meira5202]

Thanks for the advise. I really wish I was in a program in New york. As if we don't have enough challenges just making it through the program. At least in New York a jewish nurse is not a rarity. By the way, I am the only frum woman to attend my program. I guess some would call me a pioneer.

[abby]

heya & welcome,
where in ct are you? i'm in ct also and went to uconn (storrs). it was zero problem for me with them to wear a uniform skirt through school (except in the OR, the last fortress).
lots of luck & let us know.

[meira5202]

I am in Waterbury. They are seriously strict with their uniform policy at Naugatuck valley. The director has never dealt with an orthodox Jewish person before. I was called for a meeting with her regarding yom tov which will cause me to miss 6 classes. She also requested a formal letter stating how many days I will miss and why. I was reluctant to stir up more trouble. By the insistence of my close friend I did ask a rav about the scrubs. He told me that it is not a problem since it is not considered beged ish. That is the psak I got. If I was told otherwise I would have addressed that issue as well. Each person has to address the issue in the way they see fit.

[malkieh]

I had one professor, so far, in nursing school in CA that requested that I wear pants. So I wore pants under a skirt to the site, and I took of the skirt while on the floor. Before I left I put back on the skirt.

At cedar Sinai in LA, there are 2 frum nurses that work on L&D. They are required to wear pants, so they wear skirts to the floor and change into pants once working on the floor.

The Rabbi I studied under in Jerusalem, his wife is a midwife. I went to visit her in the hospital once, to discuss how she handles working etc. She was wearing pants, in L&D in Jerusalem.

I approached my college about wearing skirt/pants. they told me to just wear a skirt, and that if my teacher requests me to wear pants be flexible, as they are being flexible and understanding about my holidays and dress code.

I think the point is to be communicative and open and honest, and they have more respect for you if you show them respect.

[medic09]

Malkieh, that's great input. Rachel, kol hakavod for speaking with your rav and ensuring that you stand comfortably on solid halachic ground.

I was the first observant Jew in our CON. There were a few touchy moments, but it all worked out. Be firm and clear, but also be clear that your are being respectful, and things will likely work out fine. For many people, this is a first or nearly-first time that they need to contend with being observant Jews in a non-Jewish professional environment.

Shabbat Shalom!

[mypprincess]

In the nursing school I attended, we were not allowed to wear anything under the school's uniform (That is short-sleeved) while doing our clinical rotations. BUT, we were also told that there is an exception to the rule. People that must wear long sleeves for religious purposes, and only they, can wear a long-sleeved (white) T-shirt. They also didn't give any trouble if we had to take off for yom tov.
During my last semester in nursing school, a professor told us to be very knowledgeable about the culture of the people living in the area we will work.
"Take this hospital for example," she said referring to the hosp. in an area that has a huge concentration of Orthodox Jews.
"On Fri. night and Sat. until sundown, you should be aware that Jewish religious patients will not press the call button."
"So," She continued, "When I used to work here, I always made rounds and asked the patients, Do you want the lights on or off? Which position would you like the bed to be?"
This professor REALLY taught us what being a caring nurse is all about.

[achot]

Rachel, I give you such credit for being a trail blazer, and going where no frum nsg student has gone before, it is such a challenge as you have no way of knowing how things will be received and sometimes Freckeh SHailah Treif.
The important thing to remember is that you are a representative of the jewish community at all times. You are there to learn and develop as a nurse, keep the religious side of you intact and separate. Ask as many shailahs of your Rav as you need.

[malkieh]

Guess I should have added I also went to a Rav to ask, what if they only want me to wear pants.

[meira5202]

Hi:

Thank you so much everybody. I really appreciate all the advice and support. I am glad I discovered this site. I feel ready to face the challenges ahead.

[cganz1]

I was also the only frum student in my nursing program. It was a community college in Philadelphia and I sure stuck out. I told the faculty on the first day that I only wear skirts! I knew that all my friends in nursing school just wore a scrub skirt the color of the pants, but my school actually made me wear an old-fashioned nursing dress. They thought it looked more traditional and I was actually told by an instructor that if they could have they would have made me wear a nursing hat too! It was a little silly that I couldn't just wear a navy scrub skirt but Baruch Hashem I didn't have a problem not wearing pants. I also wore a long sleeve shirt under it since it was short sleeves and had a low v-neck. One teacher told me it was against the rules, but I wore it anyways and told her it was for religious reasons, so she couldn't do anything about it. They also made me wear white tights, which was kind of amusing but I got used to it. Hatzlacha!

[achot]

Well, Here in Israel I wear a traditional white nursing uniform that requires a white shirt underneath, in the heat of the summer, I am hoping Hashem appreciates my adherence to tznius!!