page_title: Nurse's cap
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Nurse's cap / History
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. NSV-Mütterheime im Schwarzwald. Überall herrscht eitel Freude über den neuen Familienzuwachs. PK Höß A 125 827 E.M. Orbis
context_page_description: A nurse's cap or nursing cap is part of the female nurse's uniform, introduced early in the history of the profession. The cap's original purpose was to keep the nurse's hair neatly in place and present a modest appearance. Male nurses do not wear caps.
  In some schools, a capping ceremony presents new nursing students their caps before beginning their clinical training.
context_section_description: The nurse's cap originated from a group of women in the early Christian era, called "deaconesses."  Deaconesses are now recognized as religious order nuns.  These women were distinguished from other women during this time by white coverings worn on their heads.  This particular head covering was worn to show that this group of women worked in the service of caring for the sick.  Originally, this head covering was more of a veil, but it later evolved into a white cap during the Victorian era.  It was during this era that proper women were required to keep their heads covered.  The cap worn was hood-shaped with a ruffle around the face and tied under the chin, similar to cleaning ladies of that day.  Long hair was fashionable during the Victorian era, so the cap kept the nurse's hair up and out of her face, as well as keeping it from becoming soiled.
  The nurse's cap was derived from the nun's habit and developed over time into two types:
  A long cap, that covers much of the nurse's hair, and
  A short cap, that sits atop the nurse's hair (common in North America and the United Kingdom).
  The nursing cap was originally used by Florence Nightingale in the 1800s.
  Different styles of caps were used to depict the seniority of the nurse, the frillier and longer the more senior the nurse.
caption: The German nurse in this photo wears a heavily starched nurse's cap. 1939.
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