It's all in the uniform - or is it ?

I wonder how many of you will be able to relate to this, This blog post is about hiding behind a uniform.

Have you ever been in a situation where you hide behind a mask Be it uniform, make up or whatever? . . .

During my nurse training, as I mentioned before, I didn't really feel proud of my student's uniform; it wasn't exactly smart, didn't really inspire people to see the 'learner' stripes emblazoned on the paper cap, perched precariously on stray hair. 

However - once we passed our State Registration, it all changed, we got to wear the same crappy blue sack-like dress, but with a symbolic long white cap, up until our Registration papers came through, any way. Then we were, proper nurses, wearing proper uniform and expected to be accountable and professional. This transformation of uniform took on the white dress of the qualified nurse complete with the pale blue belt and the coveted silver buckle, later to become health and safety obsolete. As much as they were totally impractical and latterly outlawed for the purposes of moving and handling; they looked pretty good!

Me in full battledress!

The thing was, as much as this uniform evoked a lot of pride in me, it also scared me at first. Did I really own the privilege to wear this now ? Well yes, but was it really me underneath, and was I only masquerading in this uniform? Did it make me feel more professional, yes! Some days early on in my career, I felt as though someone else completely was on the ward, not me at all. I was 'hiding' beneath this professional veneer. Has anyone else ever felt like that and does it matter anyway?