Nursing and tattoos

I have four, kinda One on my left bicep of a heart and vine, and three small butterflies on my back, all together. . Not visible unless I am wearing white--and I never wear white uniforms anymore.

I have a rose on my ankle, it is tasteful and pretty. The patients who happen to see it are impressed, I have never had anyone complain about it.

I am only 19 years old, but am going into nursing and I just got my first tat last week...I never thought about it being a problem as a nurse! It is usually covered up though, a small shamrock on the left side of my lower back, and is definitely covered by clothes...I want another one on my hip, but can't decide what I want. I wanted one for awhile and finally just picked this because I will always be Irish, so I can't get sick of it, and I wanted to prove to myself that I had nothing to be afraid of. I also have 5 earrings in each ear (4 lobes, 1 cartilage) and my tragus pierced. Belly button next week, and trying to work up the courage for my tongue...I guess I will have to take some out though before nursing. It's funny though...I really am afraid of needles!

I have one tattoo - the John Lennon Imagine self-portrait. My mum, who doesn't like tattoos at all, likes mine. Tee hee.

I got my first tattoo at age 47. Why did I wait? It is a Japanese symbol for love and compassion and it is on my inner forearm. It's fairly small. Sometimes it's visible, but usually not. I'm always cold and have to wear a long sleeve shirt under or over my scrubs!

I think tattoos are coming into the mainstream. When someone asks me what mine means, I say love and compassion, and I get a nice smile in return.

I have a nose piercing also, but must conceal it when at the hospital. I'm still a student and our nursing program prohibits piercings other than in the ear. There is a CNM at our hospital with a nose piercing, and I respect her so, so much. She was my own midwife 17 years ago and she is just a fine person. The hospital permits her to wear it when she works, and as far as I know, it has not had a detrimental affect on her practice.

Fashions are changing, and many of us find tattoos and piercings attractive. I think they are appropriate in a health care setting, if they are not too far out. Our culture is still getting used to them and I think they can be upsetting or distracting for some, especially our elders.

I have 2, want more. My favorite one is my Canadian Maple Leaf. Helps me remember who I am and where I came from. Both are hidden by scrubs. I personally hate to see a woman with tattos on her arms or hands. (Not fond of seeing men with them there for that matter.) Desparately want my nose pierced but dress code at work is against it. Sigh.... Btw...nose piercing would be something small and delicate, barely noticable at work.

personally, I just couldn't poke another hole in myself. Earrings were enough pain, but my nose....no way. I live in the world of mold & pollen, so I have to blow too often! I like to change my mind on stuff too much, if I got a tattoo, I'd hate it the next day. So I just don't put on anything I can wash off in a few hours.

Tongues hurt the least....don't be nervous. Out of the piercings I've had done, my tongue was the only one that didn't really hurt. It did swell up to twice its size for about a week and I talked like I had a lisp for a few weeks. But there wasn't any real pain. I've had my belly, tongue, nose, and nipples. Out of all of those, I only have my belly button left. I took the tongue out soon after my dentist informed me that my teeth were getting microscopic cracks in them from the barbells. And I would end up biting through the acrylic balls, so those weren't an option. I miss my nose piercing the most, but I figured it was a good idea to take it out when I interviewed for my Nurse Apprentice position at the hospital. I would hate to lose out on a job offer just because of a piece of jewelry in my nose. Now, my tattoos will be with me forever........

Hell would have to freeze over before a sharp object comes anywhere near my tongue, chest, or below, unless it was for a surgical or diagnostic purpose.

I have nothing against "ink" per se, but please be careful! I personally know someone who had to have a liver transplant due to Hep B from a tatt. Also, Hep C is rampant although you havent heard it from the news media (yet)