The Code of Dressing for the Job.

To get a good understanding of where I work, I am posting a link to a friend's blog who has captured our job perfectly.  Each one of our kids have the potential to act out towards themselves, others patients, or staff; generally speaking, though, our kids exhibit fair self control, and are able to keep these urges and thoughts at bay....at least while they are in our care.  Basically, on a day to day basis, I am not worried that I will get hurt or attacked.  Once in a while the milieu is such that there is an element of fear, and there have been times that staff has got hurt.  Really hurt.   

Because of the unpredictability of my job, some days it takes a bit of creative thinking to get ready for work.  By this I mean the clothes I decide to wear on any particular day.  Most people, when they get ready to go to work, toss on their clothes and go. Whether it be your "uniform" or your "work clothes", you likely don't give it much thought, get dressed, and head out the door to your job. For me, getting ready for work sometimes requires a little more thought process. 

We are discouraged from wearing a hoodie, or any article of clothing, with strings hanging around the neck just in case some kid with no impulse control, and a desire to hurt staff, decides to take those dangling strings and wrap them around your neck.  Same goes for dangling earrings.  Not that you would get choked by earrings, but having your ear lobes ripped would not feel so great.  Those dangling, shiny ornaments are fishing lures for an ADHD kid, and I don't think I want to catch one of those on the other end of the line.

Size can play a factor in compliance or authority with some of us shorter staff members.  Often the teens we work with are taller and bigger than us.  So a pair of boots with heels may add to the appearance of "I'm bigger than you.  Do what I say."  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  And right now we have Pinchy McPincherton (not his real name, confidentiality you know) on the unit who likes to grab and pinch any arm or appendage that nears him.  Layers Layers Layers.  The more layers in between your skin and his pinchy grab, the better.

We have been instructed to not show "butts, boobs or bellies" and that sounds like a reasonable dress code requirement.  Sometimes, though, we are wrestling around with an out of control patient and we end up seeing glimpses of our coworker's thongs, bras or belly rings just by being in the various positions we need to be in while getting the out of control person back in control.  If I know this scenario could be a possibility that day, I will do the bending test in the mirror.  You know, lean forward towards the mirror in order to see what others will see when I am bent over at work.  Undershirts/tank tops are key when the "girls" have a high likelyhood of making an appearance. 

Most days, its just another day on the job.  Still, when I put my shoes on my feet, I wonder if they will be subjected to urine that some acting out kid intentionally peed on the floor.