Re: Tattoos all over!

I have tattoos on both arms from shoulder to just above my wrist on one arm and my ol Eagle, Globe, and Anchor with Uncle Sam's Misguided Children emblazoned below it on my right arm. I was told by an instructor when I am in clinicals I would have to wear a long sleeve shirt to cover them, and I understand fully they want the NS's to have at least the look of professionalism and I'll be honest I want as little as possible for my preceptors to judge me by outside of my skill as a nurse. On the unit I worked on as a tech it wasn't as much a problem since most of my patients were older, most of the male patients had prior military service from Viet Nam all the way back to WW2 and it was just another way to connect with my patients. Wasn't uncommon for another tech to come out of a room and say "he wants the Marine to toilet him"

Re: Tattoos all over!

I am a Nursing student (graduating this year!) and like yourself i am covered in beautiful tattoos! My program and every hospital I have been at requires that i cover them, which is fine. As mature tattoo collectors we need to remember that not everybody (patients and coworkers) have the same open mind that we may have. Even though tattoos have become a bit more acceptable there is a certain stigma attached to those who chose to decorate their bodies in this way. It is not right, it is discrimination, and while you should never judge a book by its cover some folks do and that is unfortunate......

Re: Tattoos all over!

WOW, you are entering a Professional Profession, it has nothing to do with being open minded it has to do with looking professional. You wouldn't see a female laywer walking into court in a mini skirt and open middrift top. There is a time and place for things... Before you flame me, I too have tat's but take being a nurse very serious.

Originally Posted by missbeki

I am a Nursing student (graduating this year!) and like yourself i am covered in beautiful tattoos! My program and every hospital I have been at requires that i cover them, which is fine. As mature tattoo collectors we need to remember that not everybody (patients and coworkers) have the same open mind that we may have. Even though tattoos have become a bit more acceptable there is a certain stigma attached to those who chose to decorate their bodies in this way. It is not right, it is discrimination, and while you should never judge a book by its cover some folks do and that is unfortunate......

Re: Tattoos all over!

Originally Posted by tferdaise

You wouldn't see a female laywer walking into court in a mini skirt and open middrift top.

Unless you've seen that episode of The Golden Girls where Stan hires a laywer he met at a bar to defend him and Dorothy from slumlord allegations ...

... sorry, couldn't resist ...

Re: Tattoos all over!

tferdaise
I in no way intended to flame you! I too agreee that there is a time and a place for everything...... believe me, while none of my tattoos are offensive in anyway, i cover up out of respect for patients and all around me....I also take being a nurse very seriously, and hope that my comment above wouldn't sway anybody to think otherwise. I simply believe that having tattoos should in no way cause people to doubt ones skill in nursing. Too often i get comments from people ( as I said I cover up) saying "wow....You have alot of tattoos....you dont seem the type." I wonder what that "type" is exactly. Anyways.... I went off on a tangent again......Yes as Tattooed people we should cover up

Re: Tattoos all over!

Great reply...

Originally Posted by missbeki

tferdaise
I in no way intended to flame you! I too agreee that there is a time and a place for everything...... believe me, while none of my tattoos are offensive in anyway, i cover up out of respect for patients and all around me....I also take being a nurse very seriously, and hope that my comment above wouldn't sway anybody to think otherwise. I simply believe that having tattoos should in no way cause people to doubt ones skill in nursing. Too often i get comments from people ( as I said I cover up) saying "wow....You have alot of tattoos....you dont seem the type." I wonder what that "type" is exactly. Anyways.... I went off on a tangent again......Yes as Tattooed people we should cover up

Re: Tattoos all over!

They want them covered up at my facility and during clinicals.

Re: Tattoos all over!

praise the lord for this post, i was just about to start a new thread... i had to wear long sleeved shirts under my scrubs throughout school & while ive seen nurses with small wrist tattoos, etc- my work is fairly extensive... a band aid definitely wouldnt work in my case. ill keep you guys updated when i actually GET a job on their policy. although i think if i was working in a hospital id stay convered up so it didnt effect how i was able to do my job. unfortunately people still hold onto their opinions- ive had some people say TERRIBLE things to me re:my tattoos. apparently if you have ink, youre a scumbag, drug addict, white trash, or devil worshipper? (even though my 1/2 sleeve is butterflies and my unfinished arm is batman? lol) anyway... i think in LTC-where ill likely be working, ill cover up @ first until i develop a relationship with my patients, then not worry so much about it.

my 2cents

Re: Tattoos all over!

First of all, I won't even pretend to try to understand a person's motivation to get an image permanently inked on their skin. I'm not against tattoos, I just don't "get it." That being said, a lot of them I have seen on people are beautiful or fascinating, or both.

I think the healthcare field probably needs to become a little more progressive on this issue. If some nurse has a tattoo of a butterfly on her forearm, or a tattoo of a military branch of service on his arm what's the big deal?

I can see needing to have some sort of line drawn in the sand to address things such as skulls, marijuana leaves, or other things that might be offensive. Obvioiusly that sort of stuff is not appropriate in the healthcare setting.

Re: Tattoos all over!

Genuinely curious here, but how are skulls offensive?

BTW, I'm a heavily tattooed female psych nurse. I generally keep my ink covered, mostly because it's easy enough to do, but mostly I have gotten positive reactions when people DO see my tattoos. With younger people, it often serves as a connection.