# evolution of the nurse's hat

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-the-nurses-hat/218451>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 11, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-the-nurses-hat/218451 "2003-12-11T23:00:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![demibold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@demibold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/demibold)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-the-nurses-hat/218451/1 "2003-12-11T23:00:53Z")

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Any idea why the ‘traditional’ white nurse’s hat look they way the do? It doesn’t seem to serve any function, like holding one’s hair away from the face. Really makes no sense.

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**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-the-nurses-hat/218451/2 "2003-12-12T00:53:32Z")

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Ritual and historical rather than functional. As outlined here - [Capping off an era](http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/164/8/1190) - and elsewhere, the nurse’s cap evolved from a nun’s coif, as nursing was originally done by nuns.

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**Author:** ![demibold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@demibold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/demibold)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/evolution-of-the-nurses-hat/218451/3 "2003-12-12T03:09:42Z")

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raygirvan, appreciate the info. interesting article. thank you