I am an executive secretary in Administration at a hospital. I have been asked by my HR director to post a question regarding the requirement for non-patient care employees to wear hose. Could I please hear from hospitals as to whether hose is required to be worn by this portion of the workforce or not?
Thanks for your input!
God bless
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I work in an Acute Care Hospital in Kansas. Our policy used to require hose/socks in non patient care areas. However, we have changed with the times/style. We no longer require this, but our policy states that your feet must be neatly groomed. Socks / hose are required in patient care areas.
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Jodie Ostmeyer on
5/13/2009 1:56:37 PM
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I am the administrative assistant to the Senior Director of a subacute and long term care facility that is part of a hospital. Our dress code does requires that "socks or hose must be worn with all types of footwear. Hose must be worn with skirts or dresses." At times, in the summer months this can be a little challenging since we live on the central coast of California. As as was shared by earlier response, this does ensure a professional appearance.
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Gail Canipe on
8/20/2008 8:22:14 AM
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I am not currently in the hospital/care provision industry - but pharmaceutical. That said, I am pursuing a degree in Healthcare Administration, as well as have 17 years of service in military hospitals which are directly evaluated and accredited by JCAHO - which all hospitals in US should be able to say.
I scanned their regulations, but there is an essential distinction that I didn't get from your inquiry. Non-patient care employees is a challenging term, as there are many positions which are non-care providers, but do have exposure alerts associated with their position.
Any position which has the POTENTIAL of coming into contact with a patient, carries with them, the possibility of non-socomial infection transmission and therefore, I would advise that policy dictate that hose/stockings (including socks) be necessitated foot covering. The action of wearing shoes without socks/hose, creates a friction which releases superficial skin cells that also host a load of bacterium. The third most frequest skin bacteria is stapholococcus aureus (staph. A) which when introduced to incisions, healing sores/blisters, etc. creates an optimal environment for infection.
I would advise your administrator to take their responsibilities to protect the patient and their fiduciary responsibility to the hospital to avoid unnecessary infections, by incorporating a policy which would state that all employees of the hospital be required to wear hose/stockings (including socks for men).
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Jaisend on
8/20/2008 7:38:08 AM
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Yes hose are required in the hospital I work a in New Britain CT.
It is for the employees (all) sectors protection as well as the patients.
It is required in all the CT hospitals I have worked.
Louisa Zajac
Connecticut
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Louisa Daniels on
8/20/2008 7:18:27 AM
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I am the Executive Assistant to the President of a hospital, which is a part of a larger healthcare system in our state. A couple of years ago we changed our policy and we are no longer required to wear hose. We are also allowed to wear open-toed sandals, as long as they have a strap around your heal. We basically have a "business casual" dress code; however, on important meeting days such as Board meetings, Medical Executive meetings, etc. we all still dress up in business suits & dresses. It's sort of an "unwritten" rule we try to follow. Hope this helps!
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Jessica Brown on
8/7/2008 5:52:06 AM
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I am an Administrative Assistant to a Vice President of a hospital. 1/2 of our team dress professionally and the other 1/2 dress for a day at the beach. Both seem to be acceptable.
Here is an excerpt from one of our policies: clothing shall be comfortable but appropriate for the particular in which an employee works. Clothing should be neat and clean without rips, tears, patches, fraying, or worn out knees. Skin tight, exercise, loungewear, halter tops, tube tops, revealing tank shirts, see through tops, spaghetti strap top or dresses without a cover-up, mini skirts greater than 3 inches above the knee, and the intentional showing of undergarments and mid section body parts are not appropriate professional attire. Closed toe shoes and heels no higher than 2 inches are required when working in the files or with boxes. Flip flops are not appropriate professional attire. Insignia T-shirts and buttons that may cause alienation of customers or adverse effects of customers, or that promote dissention or conflict are inappropriate in the HIS department.
Tattoos shall be covered if they are sexually graphic, violent, and vulgar, or contain profanity.
All employees are expected to practice good hygiene.
Employees shall avoid the use of items, such as but not limited to, food, perfume, lotion, and cologne, that create strong scents and/or odors that may jeopardize the safety and/or comfort of our customers to include co-workers.
Hope this this helps. I personally wear hose with skirts and dresses and do not wear beach-wear to the office. Good Luck!
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Eddi-Lynn Loveland on
8/6/2008 12:47:41 PM
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I also was a Executive Assistant to the VP/CEO of a children's hospital 3 year ago. All patient care areas had to wear panty hose and we had a strict dress code policy. The fashion police did not tolerate any deviation in the policy. Good Luck with this issue!
Elizabeth
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Elizabeth Jones on
8/6/2008 12:17:49 PM
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Hello, I also work as an Adminstrative Assistant in a hospital setting, we have a requirement for non-patient care employees to wear hose, in fact its policy. On a personal note I feel it should be, for one we are to look professional, and think about when we walked the halls its not sanitary to not wear hose or socks. If you don't have it in a policy maybe this would be a good time.
Lorraine
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Lorraine Bolin on
8/6/2008 12:10:29 PM
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I formerly worked as the Executive Assistant to the President/CEO of a hospital and all employees (patient assistants and non) were required to wear hose at all times.
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Anonymous on
8/6/2008 12:09:49 PM
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I am also an executive secretary in Administration at a hospital. We are not required to wear hose; however, we usually choose to when we have to attend high level meetings. We also can wear open toed shoes. Our competing hospital across town requires their female employees to wear hose and close toed shoes. No bare legs or sandals!
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Jayne Irwin on
8/6/2008 12:08:31 PM
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