To think that this isn’t appropriate work wear?

[Howmanysleepstilchristmas]

Fishnet stockings, with suspenders showing 3” below the hem of a miniskirt?

[PolkerrisBeach]

Is she a confrontational, awkward person generally? My kids do this sometimes - ask them to get dressed to go to Asda and the boy comes down dressed as Batman with a "go on then, say something" look in his eye. Most people grow out of it, some don't. Lots are trying to make a statement about rights, or whatever and know they're being wildly inappropriate but think they are being achingly right-on by challenging the status quo.

[ThrowThoseCurtainsWide]

Add a skirt / shorts length clause to your dress code ASAP.

As a previous psych inpatient this would make me very uncomfortable. I don't not wish to see a persons underwear, especially when I am already in a vulnerable place and situation where I don't want to be reminded of any sexual activity. Staff need to be sensitive to the fact that patients may be dealing with trauma. Obviously anything could be a trigger to that (for me it's a smell of a very popular body spray), but I would largely avoid anything that is perused as sexual because that could be a very common trigger for patients.

I would also worry that it would put the staff member at risk. Not their fault, but why put yourself at risk if you don't have to??!

[ThrowThoseCurtainsWide]

*Perceived

I'm letting the side down

[Howmanysleepstilchristmas]

I’d happily rewrite the dress code, but it’s a large NHS trust and these things are managed by different departments so there’s no input I can have other than highlighting the incident (which I did).

[Bluelady]

The dress code is obviously useless and needs to be rewritten as a matter of urgency. I'm aghast that anyone would think this was appropriate.

[Aplacetoshelter]

If I was a client I wouldn’t like it as it screams that the person supposedly there to help me is a bit dense. She’d get no respect from me if she can’t even fathom appropriate work clothes as an adult.

[LuvSmallDogs]

I think it’s a bit different to the “distracting the boys” thing. I don’t know how to put this sensitively, but the people you work with have very poor MH and can’t realistically be held to the same standards as people who aren’t suffering such severe mental illness.

[DontCallMeCharlotte]

Is there any reason clinical staff aren't wearing uniform of some sort? I don't mean Nurse Ratched style but perhaps polo shirts etc.

QI: blogs.bcu.ac.uk/mentalhealth/2010/11/16/uniforms-in-mental-health-nursing-or-not/

[blueskiesandforests]

In a back office setting where there is no client contact I think people csn wear what they like as long as it's decent enough not to get them arrested on a public order offence if they walked down the road in the middle of the day in it... Claiming that colleagues would be distracted is victim blaming. That's also the school clothing issue.

However where you're working with vulnerable people who are less answerable than staff for their actions its totally different, and staff do have to second guess the impact of their choices on the vulnerable people.

[bbcessex]

Who on earth wears suspenders in this day and age?

And ‘miniskirt’? Maybe I’m just old!

[Pigsears]

wouldn't bother me to be seen by someone dressed that way. in fact wouldn't think twice about it.
I wouldn't dress like that- but then neither would I wear lycra as casual wear and many do.

[ShalomJackie]

Remember tights were invented when mini skirts came into fashion precisely so that suspenders and stocking tops didn't show beneath them!

[pumpastrotter]

Fishnets and suspenders are underwear, not normal every day hosiery. Massively inappropriate. Is the colleague normally that histrionic?

[mostdays]

For clinical staff in a mental health hospital

I work in a mh hospital. You'd be sent off site immediately. On your return you'd have supervision to ensure you understood why your clothing was so very inappropriate. Further infractions of the very clear dress code would result in disciplinary action being taken. There would be concerns about your suitability for the role.

[Aspenfrost]

Really?

[Aspenfrost]

This person has issues, frankly.

[SerenDippitty]

Completely unprofessional and inappropriate. She is a healthcare professional not a cabaret act.

[blueskiesandforests]

bbcessex ah now there is a practical reason for suspenders, if you're somewhat rotund and tights won't stay up stockings and suspenders are in fact more reliable!

Only if you have to wear a skirt and tights for some stupid formal wear reason though.

Jeans with a belt are obviously a better option!

[amusedbush]

I can't imagine that anyone would think it acceptable to wear a skirt so short it shows their underwear in a workplace, unless they work as a burlesque dancer. It's bizarre that they needed it to be pointed out to them.

[BarbarianMum]

I dont think it's acceptable in a backroom job either. I think it's fine for anyone to be uncomfortable about seeing another adults underwear in a work setting.

[BarbarianMum]

Unless necessary to do the job, obviously.

[TigerDrankAllTheWaterInTheTap]

Qualities we'd all like to see in our health care practitioners: common sense, competence, confidence without arrogance, good listener, intelligence, empathy, kindness, courtesy, sense of humour.

What we don't want to see: airhead obsessed with own appearance and preoccupations.

[EK36]

She can wear suspenders and stockings if she wants to, but it should not not seen. Knee length skirt or trousers is professional.

[Howmanysleepstilchristmas]

No idea if this is typical of her sorry. It was her first shift.

[spidey66]

I work in a mental health setting....totally inappropriate on many levels and impractical to boot. Imagine having to restrain a patient wearing that.

Many patients who are for example hypomanic can become disinhibited and that outfit would not help.

An ex colleague of mine had to tell a junior member of staff to change her t-shirt as it has the phrase Looney Tunes on it and couldn't see why that was inappropriate and offensive on an acute mental health ward.