Nursing and body piercings

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 14, 2004

The one girl at my job who had a tongue ring (who was told to take it out at work FINALLY hallelujiah) played and played and played with it ALL the time, in-out, chew chew chew, click, click, click, tap, tap, tap. Here i am a good 25 ft away putting a chart together and HEAR that metal-on-teeth noise.

Disgusting.

It's one thing to have a tongue ring, but the 'playing' gets on my nerves, and looks extremely tacky on the job.

obeyacts2 · Feb 15, 2004

Disgusting. I think they are tacky and unprofessional. Our agency does not allow piercings, tattoos must be covered up. Remember, often we are dealing with "the older generation" and in their day only seedy sailors and w&*$% had tattoos. Just today my boss had a fit becuase a employee stopped by the office en route to an assiignment and had a short top on.

Laura

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Feb 15, 2004

Consider me a member of the old-fogeys club: I HATE to see body piercings, weird hair colors, tattoos, "goth" makeup etc. on anyone in a professional environment. I couldn't care less what people wear in their off hours, but these "decorations" are NOT appropriate at work. My oldest daughter has her tongue, lip, eyebrow, AND ears pierced, but even she knows better than to wear these items on the job (she's a legal secretary). Many of our patients are elderly people who may be alarmed at the sight of a nurse with purple hair and 15 piercings on her face; why contribute needlessly to their stress?

I don't believe, as many here do, that a nurse has to wear a white starched uniform or solid colored scrubs in order to present a professional appearance; but it shouldn't be too much to ask him/her to conceal the "body art" while at work.

Alnamvet · Feb 15, 2004

There are many unprofessional, 'low rent' nurses and it has nothing to do with piercings. I personally dont even have pierced ears. I own only one peice of jewelry and that's my wedding ring. I'm stunned that piercings are even an issue. At my hospital, we have a few incompetent nurses, drug users, false documenters, and those that repeatedly call in sick or are late. Not one of them that I know of has a pierced tongue or other unusual body part. What's up with the piercings all of a sudden? Are the RN's that you work with so GRAND that their biggest fault is a piercing?

The thread is about piercings and tattoos...the bottom line is that I know of no hospital that believes staff should look like they just stepped out of the jungle...if you want to look like a cannibal, than volunteer somewhere in Borneo...it just doesn't fit in health care. The fact that no slug you know of who falsley documents, or calls in sick is pierced has nothing to do with the issue at hand. I don't give a rats ass if you have a thousand piercings or tattoos...just don't let me or the patients see that crap...otherwise you'll be out of a job in my ER. :angryfire

iliel · Feb 15, 2004

If the piercings are not obvious, than who cares. Tongue piercings?? Real low rent, and unprofessional. I have asked numerous staff and patients what the purpose is, and the answer is always the same (unfortunately, I cannot repeat the common response). Don't like them... :imbar

Low Rent????? First off...I am far far far from low rent and I had my tongue pierced. second, the reason for oral sex that most ppl give is the standard answer because that's what ppl expect you to say. It does not improve it or take away from it..with that said.

my professionalism was not dictated by my piercings and does not show if one is as you put it "low rent"..please. I took mine out because it was policy...I had no problem following policy.

Piercings and tatoo's are a way of expression ones self. If you don't like it then fine, but it NEVER dictates how professional or tactful or high class or low class some one is. :angryfire

CCU NRS · Feb 15, 2004

Low Rent????? First off...I am far far far from low rent and I had my tongue pierced. second, the reason for oral sex that most ppl give is the standard answer because that's what ppl expect you to say. It does not improve it or take away from it..with that said.
my professionalism was not dictated by my piercings and does not show if one is as you put it "low rent"..please. I took mine out because it was policy...I had no problem following policy.
Piercings and tatoo's are a way of expression ones self. If you don't like it then fine, but it NEVER dictates how professional or tactful or high class or low class some one is. :angryfire

Nurses I work with and I occasionally discuss how in 20-30 years all the people coming to the hospital are going to have all these Tatoos and they will be these aging geriactrics with all these wild colors and designs all over their bodies, I think it will be pretty fun to discuss their tats with them at this stage of their lives. Some 80 year old guy with a naked lady on his forearm or something telling all these stories about when I was young I had this one done in so and so and that heart I got in such and thus and it won't be the same with piercing because no matter how long you wear them when you decide you are too old you just take them out and eventually the hole will close except of course those people that are gauging and making holes like dime sized I am not sure those will even close, does anyone know?

iliel · Feb 15, 2004

Nurses I work with and I occasionally discuss how in 20-30 years all the people coming to the hospital are going to have all these Tatoos and they will be these aging geriactrics with all these wild colors and designs all over their bodies, I think it will be pretty fun to discuss their tats with them at this stage of their lives. Some 80 year old guy with a naked lady on his forearm or something telling all these stories about when I was young I had this one done in so and so and that heart I got in such and thus and it won't be the same with piercing because no matter how long you wear them when you decide you are too old you just take them out and eventually the hole will close except of course those people that are gauging and making holes like dime sized I am not sure those will even close, does anyone know?

A lot of ppl, I know myself included, get tats as mile markers in their lives. The one on my wrist, a purple african violet (my moms favorite flower) was done when I make a decided to move to a new town and get off of drugs...I was sober when I got it done...the matching one that goes around my ankle was when I turned 21, my dad wanted another tat and we went together...I don't see him very often and it was a bonding moment...lots of fun! Everyone keeps asking me if I'm going to cover up my wrist for my wedding so it dosn't show.... no way! I love my tat and it's a reminder of who I am and how strong I can be, I'm adorning it with crystals that glue on to the skin.

notice I also got my tats on my ankle and wrist...two place where if I gain some weight they will stay about the same size. :chuckle

As for large guage earings...geez, who knows, I doubt they close up.

chaosRN, ASN, RN · Feb 15, 2004

Originally Posted by iliel: If you don't like it then fine, but it NEVER dictates how professional or tactful or high class or low class some one is.

I completely agree!! :)

Alnamvet · Feb 16, 2004

Low Rent????? First off...I am far far far from low rent and I had my tongue pierced. second, the reason for oral sex that most ppl give is the standard answer because that's what ppl expect you to say. It does not improve it or take away from it..with that said.
my professionalism was not dictated by my piercings and does not show if one is as you put it "low rent"..please. I took mine out because it was policy...I had no problem following policy.
Piercings and tatoo's are a way of expression ones self. If you don't like it then fine, but it NEVER dictates how professional or tactful or high class or low class some one is. :angryfire

I stick by my beliefs...it's low class trash...perhaps WE ALL need some cross cultural training; some of us come from cultures that abhor this practice, and I am one of them. In my world, the only people who mark their bodies with such garbage are sociopathic thugs...so from my socio-eco-cultural-ethnic class, no one would consider defiling one's body as a matter of "expression"; I may appreciate the right to trash one's body...in fact, I would defend that right...but I don't have to like it, and I don't; it says a lot about a person, and none of what I see or hear is good. :stone

alk3rainbow · Feb 16, 2004

I stick by my beliefs...it's low class trash...perhaps you need some cross cultural training, 'cause in my world, the only people who mark their bodies with such garbage are sociopathic thugs...so from my socio-eco-cultural-ethnic class, no one would consider defiling one's body as a matter of "expression"; I may appreciate the right to trash one's body...in fact, I would defend that right...but I don't have to like it, and I don't; it says a lot about a person, and none of what I see or hear is good. :stone

A few years ago it might have said a lot about a person, but nowadays you will be hard pressed to find to many people that don't have tattoos or body piercings. I've toyed with the tattoo idea a few times, but I don't trust letting someone with questionable credentials put something permanent on my body. Tattoos are a matter of expression, but in nursing they shouldn't show and nurses should look professional. Express yourself on your free time.

iliel · Feb 16, 2004

I stick by my beliefs...it's low class trash...perhaps you need some cross cultural training, 'cause in my world, the only people who mark their bodies with such garbage are sociopathic thugs...so from my socio-eco-cultural-ethnic class, no one would consider defiling one's body as a matter of "expression"; I may appreciate the right to trash one's body...in fact, I would defend that right...but I don't have to like it, and I don't; it says a lot about a person, and none of what I see or hear is good. :stone

believe me, I don't need cross cultural training. You don't know me, you know nothing about me.

Are you calling me and everyone on this board who has tatoos and piercings "low class trash"?

You don't have to like it, but you also don't have to attack me and call ppl trash.

CCU NRS · Feb 16, 2004

Funny you should mention this because I was telling my wife the other day that actually by not havning any tatoos we are unique because now days the majority of people do have tatoos, wife wanted to get a tatoo of a toe ring on her little toe just to say she did it I guess but I also reminded her that if she gets a tatoo that would be like condoning tatoos for our two teeneage daughters.