Tattoos?

Nurses Men

Published

Are there any male nurses out there with some ink on there arms where pts can see? Do you think this has a negative effect on how they view you as a nurse?

Well if the benefits out weigh the bad then, yes I would suck it up and wear a long sleeve shirt.

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Specializes in Emergency.

hi,

i am a male nursing student. i will graduate may 07. i have sleeves as well as both sides of my neck and both hands tattooed. these are not small names and stuff; they are full on big tattoos. i mostly keep my arms covered at all times, but my neck and hands have been a problem. i have not been hired because of my tattoos as a tech, but i don't want to be a tech anyway, i want to be an ed/trauma nurse.

i have had only one situation at a hospital where a clinical instructor, not mine by the way, took me aside and told me to cover my neck and hands or she could send me home... well, that is bs, she has no authority to send me home, as i am good friends with the clinical director of her unit. i think some people are just plain scared of tattooed people. most of the "rules" about tattoos in hospitals are not geared toward heavily tattooed people and down right discriminate against us.

for my jobs sake and to keep peace around me i will keep my tattoos covered the best i can. once i become an rn i don't believe i will have as much of a problem finding a job. i haven't had any other negative feedback from any of my instructors; in fact they have all given me letters of recommendations for employment.

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Specializes in Staff nurse.

Some schools state no tattoos that are visible. One of my coworkers had a couple of tats removed. I am a gal and no tats but have no problem with them as long as they are not offensive (f word, b word, nudes, etc). Actually, some pts may feel more comfortable with a nurse or doc who has been tattooed, you know? :)

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I've got large tats on both forearms from the Navy and just wear long sleeves under my scrubs. My hospital doesn't have a policy but I think it makes some of my older patients uncomfortable seeing some inked up guy walk into their room and say "I'm taking care of you tonight." I just pull them up when doing anything messy.

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IMO, sleeves, necks, and hands, are fetish stuff. Fetish stuff always offends some people while of course we relish it. Many people are afraid of healthcare folk with extreme ink, just as any other extreme appearance. How many here have tounge pierced, or split? same thing. Tats and splits or pierced are a sexual threat they can't excape and are in very close proximetry They're trapped in a potential house of horrows. Suspension won't fly either.

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I have a small cross on my forearm. I also have a nice size tatto on my shoulder. I'm getting rid of the cross eventually. A plastic surgeon who I know is doing it for free. I just haven't gotten around to calling him. Tattoos may be "cool" when you are young but they convey a negative first impression and yes if you have tattoos on your neck and hands you are not going to be hired by many institutions. People are judgemental. That's the way it is. A person with neck tattoos comes across as lower class, anti-social or even a criminal type. My step son has huge guaged ears and just got a big tattoo on his forearm despite my advice. I will give the same advice here. You will be negatively judged by 95% of people over 30 (they're the ones doing the hiring by the way). Of those at least half will never give you a chance to prove their opinion wrong. Also some communities are much more intolerant than others. In California you most likely won't be judged as harshly as you would be in Georgia or Tennessee. People who choose to tattoo and pierce agressively will only ever be judged favorably for a job as a tattoo artist or a musician. A lot of people have very low opinions of people with tattoos. In fact even street walkers who have large tattoos look trashier than those who don't. I'm not out to step on toes here but this is the reality I see.

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On a lighter note I always ask the young guys who come in covered with ink who need an injection if they are afraid of needles.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Well then, I have 2 job offers in St. Louis as of the last week. One is the ED at Children's Hospital, and the other is the ED at Barnes. I am sure you know their reputations. As well I have a an offer at an ED in Georgia, did I mention, my brother in law is the manager? I haven't had any problems as a nurse, the problem is as a tech, which anyone can do, has been the problem.

The way "we" change stereo typing is to begin with ourselves. How can we teach in a diverse environment if we our selves are judgmental. I think the majority of people are NOT judgmental nor have I had any problems with patients. It is actually the exact

Markus, thanks for your opinions and advice, wanted or otherwise. Sorry to say yours are just that yours and not everyones. If I listened to you or people who believe the same as you everyday of my life, I would have amounted to nothing.

Thank GOD I am capable of independent thought.

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Well then, I have 2 job offers in St. Louis as of the last week. One is the ED at Children's Hospital, and the other is the ED at Barnes. I am sure you know their reputations. As well I have a an offer at an ED in Georgia, did I mention, my brother in law is the manager? I haven't had any problems as a nurse, the problem is as a tech, which anyone can do, has been the problem.

The way "we" change stereo typing is to begin with ourselves. How can we teach in a diverse environment if we our selves are judgmental. I think the majority of people are NOT judgmental nor have I had any problems with patients. It is actually the exact

Markus, thanks for your opinions and advice, wanted or otherwise. Sorry to say yours are just that yours and not everyones. If I listened to you or people who believe the same as you everyday of my life, I would have amounted to nothing.

Thank GOD I am capable of independent thought.

Please don't be offended. My personal opinion is to keep an open mind and not be judgemental. I have a few tattoos. My wife has 4. I was trying to express the attitudes of a majority of people I run into on a daily basis. If you are qualified that should be all that matters regardless of appearance as long as you are dressed appropriatly and are well groomed. The reality is that appearance does matter. My advice is sound and based on 20 plus years in this field. You may not alaways experience discrimination but as you have stated previously you already have. It happens.

Question. Would you encourage or discourage a person wanting to become an RN and asking advice on whether prominent tattoos can be a hanicap if they are considering extreme ink. Be honest and don't give a cop-out answer like it's up to the individual but provide straightforward advice. That's all I was trying to do.

Oh and my opinion advice was asked for by the OP. That's where this thread started. Remember.

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Specializes in 6 years of ER fun, med/surg, blah, blah.
On a lighter note I always ask the young guys who come in covered with ink who need an injection if they are afraid of needles.

I had most of my tatooed patients say they were afraid of needles & some actually cry during a blood draw. Don't understand this at all! :uhoh3:

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Good Evening one and all

I am a female and just adding my three cents (smile)

I have ink all over my body. For example: One very large Army Nurse Corps symbol on my right inner arm, visible to one and all. I interviewed with it showing and got my civilian job at the VA (currently ANC-Reserves: 8th MED BDE, 344th CSH)

Even when I worked in a civilian hospital none of my patients complained about my ink (and I wore short-sleeved scrubs). Maybe one or two of my patient's family members would inquire about the meaning behind a particular Tat.

In fact my old PA (who was my PHCP - primary health care provider) waaay back in the day had numerous rings in her nose, eyelids, around her lower lip....All that "bling" never made me question her competency or her intelligence. I guess I am just from a different "time" [70's Viet Nam era]

None of my ink is hateful in any way, shape or form.

Respectfully,

athena

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Specializes in ER, Med-Surg, EMS.

I am a current LPN, will complete my RN in 30 days and own and operate my own tattoo studio. I try and keep my tattoo's in places that aren't too visible when I work. I'd love to have full sleeves but would probably have to wear long-sleeved t-shirts under my scrubs b/c I know how the majority of elderly folks feel about them. Personally, I could care less as long as the health care employee (or other) is polite, personable and professional. But, I know how society as a whole tends to look at things.

I think the TV shows like Miami Ink and Inked is helping educate the public and remove some of the mystique and taboo of tattooing. But like all things - this takes time.

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