Student Dress Code Policy

This covers expected standards for dress in both clinical practice settings and academic settings, in addition to all other functions of the School, to include professional meetings. Students are also expected to abide by any affiliate hospital’s dress code which may be more specific than MTSA’s policy. At all times the student is expected to use common sense in dress. Any violation of this dress code may subject the student to an audience with and/or disciplinary action by the NAP Council and/or Progressions Committee.

All students are expected to present themselves in a clean, neat, and well-groomed manner. The following standards apply:

1. Clothing:
   1. Clinical: Students are expected to own their own scrub clothes and to wear them where the clinical sites allow. At all times these are to be clean and fresh each day. Scrub pants and tops should be worn in such a manner that at no time do they reveal the undergarments. Students should dress in full scrub attire top and bottom (T-shirt tops and scrub bottoms are not a complete uniform). Students are subject to being sent home for failure to comply with appropriate dress policies, and the clinical day will have to be made up on another day. Scrubs provided by clinical sites are to be returned daily and are not to be worn away from the clinical site.
   2. Simulation Labs: Students are expected to wear clean scrubs when they are scheduled for simulation lab. Scrub pants and tops should be worn in such a manner that at no time do they reveal the undergarments.
   3. Classroom: Students may wear their personal surgical scrub clothes to class. All clothes must be neat and clean. They must not be faddish, to include torn or tattered jeans or offensive logos on shirts. Tops with spaghetti straps or tube-type tops are not appropriate, nor are clothes that reveal the midriff or undergarments, or tops that are revealingly low-cut. No workout attire is permitted in the classroom. For ladies, skirts must be a modest length. Longer styles of shorts may be worn, but they must not be short shorts; Ball caps must be removed during any test period. Surgical scrub caps may be worn in class.
   4. Professional (To include AANA or TANA meetings and when giving class presentations): The attire must be “professional” to include at minimum a dress shirt and tie for men with khaki or dress pants. Professional attire does not include sandals or tennis shoes. Lab coats: After successful completion of the second semester, each student will be presented with a lab coat with the MTSA logo. Students are expected to wear this lab coat over their scrubs when they arrive and whenever they leave the operating room area at their clinical assignments. Students are responsible to keep this lab coat clean and in good condition. Prior to some events (i.e. occasional TANA events), MTSA may notify students that they are expected to wear their lab coats at the occasion. If this occurs, students are expected to wear this MTSA logo lab coat and are responsible to ensure the lab coat is clean, pressed, and in good condition before the event.
   5. NET only: Education Practicums: Students are expected to dress in professional attire when attending Education Practicums at any academic campus. This includes numbers 2-9 below as well as either a collared shirt or a blazer or jacket with professional slacks or skirt. In clinical education and simulation settings, clean and pressed scrubs following the institution's rules are appropriate.
2. Jewelry: Jewelry is to be limited to no more than one ring per hand (wedding set counts as one ring), no more than one earring per earlobe (dime size or smaller and only in the earlobes), and no necklaces. Jewelry is to be modest in appearance and moderate in quantity, with no visible body piercing or subcutaneous implants. Students must follow clinical sites rules in regards to jewelry if they differ from the above.
3. Tattoos: In the clinical area, classroom, or professional meetings, students will not have visible offensive tattoos. Such must be covered at all times. Any visible tattooing must be moderate in amount.
4. Hair: Hair must be neat and clean and out of the face at all times. In the clinical area, it must be covered completely by a surgical scrub cap.
5. Facial Hair: Facial hair must be neat, well-trimmed and not to exceed three inches in length. In most of the clinical facilities, facial hair is subject to approval by Infection Control and the Operating Room Supervisor, those who are responsible for assuring it is appropriately covered in the operating room.
6. Fingernails: Fingernails must be neat and clean, not longer than 1/4th inch beyond the end of the fingertip. Only natural nails are approved for use in the clinical area. Polish is to be of a single color (clear, pale, pink, white, or red) with no adornments; no black or dark colors. Students must comply with individual facility Hospital requirements regarding nail polish.
7. Shoes: In the clinical and simulation areas, there shall be no open-toed footwear. Students may wear their own surgical shoes or clogs, if they contain no holes; however, in many affiliates, footwear may be required to be covered by shoe covers. In the classroom, tennis shoes or sandals may be worn if they are neat and clean.
8. Aromas: No perfumes, fragrant lotions, or colognes are to be worn in the clinical area. Any offensive or overpowering odor is to be called to the attention of the student as soon as it is noticed, whether in clinical or in the classroom. This includes the personal hygiene responsibilities of each student.
9. Gum chewing: Students are to use good judgment and demonstrate appropriate discretion and respect in deciding when gum chewing is acceptable. In the clinical area, it is never acceptable for students to chew gum while interacting with patients and/or family members preoperatively or postoperatively. In the classroom setting, it is never acceptable for students to chew gum while making presentations. In professional settings, it is never acceptable for students to chew gum while making presentations or interacting with officials, such as TANA officers or state legislators.