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Original poster

If you work in healthcare do you have an engagement ring?

42 replies

MafaldaGregorovitch · 10/04/2019 16:10

I work in healthcare and am only allowed one, plain(ish) wedding band, no other jewellery. Told DP this when I started working there and agreed we'd not bother getting an engagement ring since I can't wear it a lot of the time although at the time this was a hypothetical future conversation. Now we've decided we do want to get married I'm feeling a little sad about it though although that's probably a bit daft.

I'm curious as to what others have done. Do you have an engagement ring and what do you do with it when you're at work?

OP posts:
happypotamus · 10/04/2019 16:59

I have one, but rarely wear it. Colleagues wear theirs on days off and not on work days, but I am sure I would forget to take mine off and be stuck with what to do with a very expensive piece of jewellery for the working day without losing it or risking it being stolen (there has been thefts from bags in our staff room). I sometimes wear it if I am annual leave for several days or on special occasions.

PatrickMerricksGoshawk · 10/04/2019 17:28

I wear it but turn the stone round if I see a matron Blush I'm not a nurse though.

Grumpbum123 · 10/04/2019 17:29

I have one I wear it on my days off

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crosser62 · 10/04/2019 17:32

No. Just a plain wedding band.

I have seen colleagues wear a fancy contraband engagement ring which had torn the glove as it went on, unnoticed then had a patients shit embedded around the stone.
She never wore it to work again and most took that as a pretty horrid lesson learned. 🤮

Sashkin · 10/04/2019 17:33

I do what Patrick does! It’s a small stone though, and I’m a consultant so a) not likely to be challenged, and b) don’t do much inpatient work so not much risk of spreading infection. I do see a lot of ward nurses with rings on chains around their necks, you could consider that? Or just wear it on days off.

PrivateBankerBankingYourMoney · 10/04/2019 17:40

I have one but I don’t wear it to work. I’m mostly in an outreach role but with some clinic hours.

ClockworkNightingale · 10/04/2019 17:40

I don't have an engagement ring (but that's due to poverty during the engagement period). I do take my wedding band off for work too, as there's no evidence to suggest bands are any less infectious than rings with settings, though obviously at least they won't tear gloves or scratch patients.

If you want a ring, get one--you'll enjoy it even more if you can only wear it on your precious days off. Grin

TooStressyTooMessy · 10/04/2019 17:43

I have one (and love it) but don’t wear it for work (unless on the days where I can if non-clinical). Wouldn’t want to miss out on one just because I couldn’t wear it at work.

Most of my female married or engaged colleagues are the same.

FaithInfinity · 10/04/2019 17:46

I have a engagement ring and plain wedding band. I started working in healthcare before we got engaged so I just got in the habit of only wearing my wedding band on work days and both on days off. It’s probably easier for me in some ways though because I take them off when I sleep so it’s not so much about remembering to take my engagement rings off as it is to not put it on for work.

reallybadidea · 10/04/2019 17:46

I got married prior to getting a clinical job, so I used to wear it all the time. Now I have a lot of patient contact so now I only wear it when I go out, which is quite nice really. Makes it more special in a way. I don't actually wear my wedding band either because I think it's difficult to wash your hands really well when wearing one. I've been told that's odd though Hmm

Butteredghost · 10/04/2019 17:55

Same as reallybadidea, I find it annoying to wash hands with either ring on, also annoying to put gloves over so I don't wear either.

But I don't think it's a waste to have it and just wear on weekends/evenings out/days off/holidays - that's loads of time.

Its nice to dress up and wear it. Just because we don't have glamorous jobs (see the poo in ring story above), doesn't mean we can't be glam outside work. Go on OP, get one and treat yo self Wink

Butteredghost · 10/04/2019 17:58

But btw the rule is ridiculous and not based on any scientific study that I've ever seen. Other rings or watches are deemed hazardous, but germs respect the sanctity of marriage so wedding rings are fine?

Grumpbum123 · 10/04/2019 18:04

After seeing a diamond ring encrusted in grub I would say a plain wedding band is easier to clean

TheFirstOHN · 10/04/2019 18:10

When I was working on wards and in theatre, I used to wear my engagement ring on a necklace chain, under clothes / scrubs.

ValleyoftheHorses · 10/04/2019 18:13

I have 3 rings; engagement, wedding and eternity. I don’t wear them on work days.

Widdendream77 · 10/04/2019 18:14

I wear mine on nice guard chain I got especially for this task with a little spring loaded clasp so I can pop it on and off easily as I’ve left it in tunics before and had to go back and get it in a panic!

TooStressyTooMessy · 10/04/2019 18:15

Depends on the Trust but we wouldn’t be allowed a ring on a neck chain where I work.

Original poster
MafaldaGregorovitch · 10/04/2019 18:29

Depends on the Trust but we wouldn’t be allowed a ring on a neck chain where I work.

I was thinking this too. We have to have our ID badges on clips stuck to our clothes (e.g. clipped onto a scrub pocket) as we're not allowed the around the next lanyards. No clue where I'd stand on a necklace though tbh.

Poo story makes me feel a bit sick Envy (sick not envy!) It's made me question my choice of wedding ring. We haven't bought it yet but we were hoping to get something a bit prettier to compensate for the lack of engagement ring but maybe that's a bad idea.

OP posts:
TooStressyTooMessy · 10/04/2019 18:32

Oh yes, I personally wouldn’t have anything other than a completely plain wedding ring.

Notacatperson · 10/04/2019 18:39

I missed wearing my engagement ring when on the ward.
But it was lovely and having in on when I was on days off.
Plus i love sparkly.
Get the ring if you want it.

pinkrockinghorse · 10/04/2019 18:51

I have a plain wedding band which I wear and then a sparkly engagement ring which I leave at home. I don't find it a waste though as I wear it when not on shift and love having it to wear when we're going out etc.

SnapesGreasyHair · 10/04/2019 18:53

I chose my engagement ring with work in mind. It was a smooth diamond ring with no claws

Crinkle77 · 10/04/2019 18:55

Why can't you get a ring and wear it when you're not in work.

user1471585098 · 10/04/2019 19:29

I love putting my engagement ring back on when I'm on days off. It signifies that I'm not at work.

Holidayshopping · 10/04/2019 19:32

I’d still have an engagement ring just not wear it to work.