[gentlemother]

Hi all!
Finals are over and I can breathe again! Yipee!

I have a question. I have 4 tattoo's any of which could possibly show in scrubs. None of which would show fully.
1 is on the back of my neck and I have long hair, but even with my hair pulled up my shirt covers most of it.
The other 3 are on my upper arm area where my sleeve would cover it unless my sleeves came all the way up like a tank top almost. Like, if I wear a top with cap sleeves you can see a little of it.
The one on my neck is a sun, moon and stars.
The ones on my arm are 3 Kanji symbols.

So, finally, here's my question, is this something that a hospital will flat out not hire a nurse over?
In all my hospital stays I've never seen a nurse with a visible tattoo, or at least never noticed it.

Does anyone have any experience with it?

Thanks!

[meownsmile]

How did your clinical instructors deal with the tatoos? I guess you could take your cue from their reaction and how the patients you delt with in clincals handled it. I really couldnt say for sure. If people i work with have tatoos, they arent at all visible as far as ive noticed.
Good luck.

[ERNurse752]

They shouldn't be visible during an interview. Most places have a dress code, but it'll probably just depend on the facility. I think they have to be covered where I work.

[Soon2BNurse]

A very good question, one I think many people would want to know the answer to. My best friend wants to become a nurse and is taking pre-nursing school classes and with this all in mind got a tattoo on her wrist. I warned her about it, but she chose to do it anyways. I don't have any visible tattoos and chose to because of the profession or any profession that I might seek.

I'd think it would depend on the area, hospital, person hiring, etc, but I really have no clue

[lna2rn]

Originally Posted by gentlemother

Hi all!
Finals are over and I can breathe again! Yipee!

I have a question. I have 4 tattoo's any of which could possibly show in scrubs. None of which would show fully.
1 is on the back of my neck and I have long hair, but even with my hair pulled up my shirt covers most of it.
The other 3 are on my upper arm area where my sleeve would cover it unless my sleeves came all the way up like a tank top almost. Like, if I wear a top with cap sleeves you can see a little of it.
The one on my neck is a sun, moon and stars.
The ones on my arm are 3 Kanji symbols.

So, finally, here's my question, is this something that a hospital will flat out not hire a nurse over?
In all my hospital stays I've never seen a nurse with a visible tattoo, or at least never noticed it.

Does anyone have any experience with it?

Thanks!

I am cuurently an lna and have a tat on my back between my shoulder blades occasionally it is noticeable but I have not gotten anf flack about it. Just shock that I have one. I work in a private hospital in NH and have worked agency. No one has ever complained, as long as it is tastefull and not offensive. ie foul language, nudity

[pricklypear]

I work with several nurses who have small tattoos on their ankles. One has one just under her collar bone which shows at times. It's never been any big deal at all. Piercings, are a different story.

[Soon2BNurse]

Piercings are usually a different story even though they are more easily removed than tattoos

[indigo]

Originally Posted by Soon2BNurse

Piercings are usually a different story even though they are more easily removed than tattoos

I am a brand new RN and I have a nose piercing. I think it is attractive and I don't see how it would offend anyone. As far as I know, our hospital doesn't have rules against it. My nursing program did (I had to use a plastic plug that made it look like a blackhead!@?!?!), but as far as I know, when I go to orientation on Monday I will have it on and don't intend to take it out. I have given presentations at the RN staff meeting, and I wore it at graduation and no one complained. It's really no big deal. I have a tattoo on my forearm that means loving-kindness, and when someone asks me what it means and I tell them, they always give me a warm, loving response. I'm a 49-year-old lady, a breast cancer survivor (just finished chemo/rads in January) and mother of three, as well as a new nurse. Can't see how I would freak anyone out!

[Soon2BNurse]

indigo, I think it is very neat that you have your nose pierced.

I have nothing against piercings, but sadly not everyone feels the same way.

[Surfer8210]

The hospital I recently worked at had a written policy regarding piercings....they were not allowed. I guess they can choose their employees according to what they deem to be acceptable and if you don't agree with their policies that's fine with them. Tatoos were another matter, they had no policy regarding the display, although I'm sure if there was a distastfull one in their opinion it would have to be covered. Why am I on this computer when I have a final in a few hours....?