Beards are an expression of style for many men, including male nurses. There are varying opinions on whether male nurses can have beards, more so with the present situation on the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, it may make working men look unprofessional and untidy. It may look great so long as it is kept clean, trimmed, and neatly groomed for others. So, can nurses have beards?
Wearing Facepiece Masks
Both male and female nurses need to wear N95 masks to protect them at work. The emerging situation on COVID-19 forces facilities to be stricter with protocols at work, including fit-testing. With this, the hospital implements a formal test procedure as part of their nursing staff's respiratory protection requirements. As part of the test, employees must secure a clearance to be tested on respirators, including N95 masks. Part of the procedure you are going to experience are:
1. Medical Clearance
A person with an underlying medical condition may put themselves at much greater risk if required to work wearing a respirator or N95 mask. Employees need to answer a confidential medical clearance questionnaire reviewed by a licensed health practitioner (LHP).
If no serious problem is found, the LHP will clear the nursing staff for N95 usage. Otherwise, an in-person medical evaluation will be needed. Following this evaluation, the nurse will either be cleared for N95 usage without restrictions. Else, the LHP won't give them a medical clearance for respirator use.
2. Fit-Test
Nurses need to use tight-fitting facepieces like N95 masks at work. However, before wearing one, a test is done to ensure proper fitting. This procedure is recommended to be done annually or whenever a different model or style of respirator is used. This test may also be needed when facial changes may have resulted from a significant weight loss or gain.
The fit-test job can be done by occupational safety experts or by trained in-house personnel.
3. Seal Check
A seal check will ensure that there's an adequate seal after the facepiece is donned. In-house personnel is going to perform seal checks by following the manufacturers' seal check methods or by pressure checks. For in-house qualitative testing, the testing agents being used are Saccharine and Bitrex.
Having facial hair can be a problem for this procedure. FFP masks require a clean seal between the mask and the face. Thus, facial hair, especially long beards, becomes an issue.
Additionally, if your respirator has an exhalation valve, you need to make sure that the facial hair does not come in contact with it.
Common Issues with Having Facial Hair
As early as 1800, facial hair in medical professionals has long been a controversy. Some male nurses prefer to have their beards long for fashion or style, while other nurses have beards for comfort and warmth during cold days. Aside from making one look like a non-professional, hygiene has also remained one of the issues attached to having a beard.
Some experts would say that the beard could harbor bacteria and other harmful micro-organisms. They also say beard on one's face can be a hindrance to doing your job efficiently as you may transfer germs and bacteria to others. However, studies show that both bearded and non-bearded staff had high rates of having pathogenic bacteria in hospital settings.
Until now, there is no proven study that facial hair genuinely poses a risk to patients. But with the COVID-19 scare, it might be best to shave or at least trim the beard to a good style for your nursing job.
Religious Reasons
Some male nurses may keep their beards long for religious reasons. For these individuals, wearing a beard is not just for fashion but is held for religious beliefs and spiritual, psychological, and emotional well-being. As hospitals become much more strict because of fit-testing requirements, some male nurses with beards are forced to shave off their beards.
The global pandemic makes wearing a beard a potential safety hazard for the patient and other people around. For this reason, new guidelines and policies are implemented because the safety of patients and people around should come first. In such cases, the healthcare provider may assign a non-bearded staff or women nurses to patients with more significant risks.
Beards as a Potential Hazard
Beards may be a safety hazard for nurses and their patients. The beard is not much of a concern when it comes to wearing a regular cloth mask at school or work. But when it comes to tight-fitting masks, it sure is a big concern as facial hair can break the seal between the face and the mask.
Prominent areas for leakage are around the nose, chin, and cheeks. Leakages decrease filtration, and the air that we breathe will not go to the filter but through the leak's gap. Wearers would want to avoid the risk of droplets being expelled through these gaps. There is no better way to ensure no leakage than removing the beard to get the correct seal.
Nursing Jobs That May Not Allow a Male Nurse to Have Beard or Facial Hair
There are hospital or nursing school scenarios that involve nursing jobs that will not allow you to have a beard or facial hair. Some of the reasons are the following:
Having to wear an N95 mask at all times or working in the COVID-19 wing or the emergency room
As required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), hospital employees or nursing staff with facial hair that interfere with a respirator's valve function shall not be allowed to use tight-fitting facepieces. A nurse assigned to an area where he could catch tuberculosis or other viruses could be required to shave their beards clean.
If you have a lot of facial hair, it is likely that you do not to pass the mask fit test.
Another option for male nurses with beards is to get a loose-fitting powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR). A PAPR is a good option as it provides a higher assigned protection factor than N95 Filtering facepiece respirators (FFR). Yet, a PAPR may be hard to find, hard to wear, and may not be as readily available in your hospital's facility.
Types or Styles of Beards for Male Nurses
Research show that facial hair under the sealing surface allows leakage and prevents achieving maximum respiratory protection. However, there are facial hairstyles that will work with a tight-sealing mask. Want to know which style works? Make sure you take note of the below.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is continuing to raise awareness on which styles are safe and how important this is concerning your job and career. CDC has outlined these acceptable beard styles in their websites and can be any of the following:
Ultimately, the goal of getting the right style is for the safety and protection of everyone.
Facial Hair Care Tips for Nurses
Hospitals nowadays have a stricter restriction on beard wearing due to the COVID19 pandemic. The use of personal protection equipment (PPE) such as N95 masks has become a must whether at school or the hospital these days. And if you are a nurse who wears a beard, this will be an issue.
So, we are giving you some beard care tips that are acceptable to today's current conditions. We are also recommending some products that will help make your hair neat and looking fresh.
If you are going for a long beard, you have to learn proper care and grooming. A good rule of thumb is that a shorter beard is easier to care for and keep groomed. A man who keeps his beard groomed looks better than those who don't. Having a beard is only great to look at if it is well taken care of. Here are some ways to keep it neat and well-groomed.
Conclusion
To answer the question of whether a nurse can wear a beard will depend on many factors. First, it will depend on the hospital's policies and the hospital area of assignment as a nurse.
Yes, nurses can have beards. However, nurses who are required to wear PPEs like N95 masks during their shift could be necessary to have a clean shave. Likewise, those assigned to sterilized areas such as operating rooms (ORs) could be asked to shave off or trim facial hair to a suited style.
Yes, nurses can wear beards. But with the Covid19 pandemic, it may not be a good time to wear a beard. It is best to shave off your beards for now, most especially if you are in the front line or nursing care service.
For nurses working at Covid19 wings, it is good to wait out for the meantime before wearing that beard again.
Yes, nurses can have beards, but it would also depend on current situations. Nurses know by heart that it is part of their sworn duty to help and take care of sick people. So, for now, not wearing a beard is best for everyone's safety around us, including our family, friends, and loved ones.
We hope that this guide gave you a clear thought on the question, can nurses have beards?