tatoos & piercings, part 2

[amoLucia]

There's another current thread right now about tats & piercings. And I've responded. But I had another thought.

Nursing is complaining about the lack of professional recognition. And altho I will probably get slammed, I can't help but ask - How professional is the picture of ourselves with extensive tattoos and body piercings present???

Thinking about it - none of my healthcare providers have any - not my PMP or his staff. Nor my dentists. Any priests, ministers, rabbis, etc? And any of the good Sisters?

I don't think lawyers showoff any - sheesh, they all seem to wear black clothes.

For as sleeveless as Michele Obama is, has anyone seen any tats? Any politicians with visible piercings other than maybe an earring? (And I'm talking about the females.) Caroline Kennedy, the newly appointed ambassador to Japan - anything?

Now I'm not talking about body art that's hidden under clothing. But when I watched the basketball playoffs, one player had such extensively tattooed arms that I thought he was wearing sleeves. Why is it that nursing schools and employers of nurses must now have dress code/policies that spell out visible body art?

Does med school, law school, divinity school?

I support individuality, but I think we may have crossed a line of decorum/good taste that reflects on the image we wish to impart.

Just my 2 pennies.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

My daughter tried to pluck my tattoo off my breast when she nursed; both she and her later sibling learned pretty quickly it wasn't possible to pick it up. :)

Now she has a PhD and has a tatt on her belly with some design that has to do with her dissertation topic and current field of study. I don't understand it but I don't have to. :) Now her babies try to pick it up...and can't. Son in seagoing field doesn't have one and says he never will. Maybe because in his family it's only women? :)

Well, my daughter will have to consider that if she ever decides she wants children. :)

I read that book I bought her before wrapping it for Christmas. I was enthralled by all the stories and the tattoos. I actually liked the artwork for the most part in the book. Different than the tat art I've seen on folks. I liked the premise that people think "smart" folks don't have tattoos. They do - they just hide them.

[kelzfuturenurse]

I love this. Hopefully y'all can see it. I know an awesome NP with sleeves. I don't care. Other than the stereotype, what about someone with a jewel in their nose or some ink in their skin says they aren't good at what they do??

I don't think they should have tattoos with nasty words or anything like that because that in and of itself says something about their character. Otherwise, I have no problem with it. Society is just opinionated and judgmental. I don't think its an issue what-so-ever. Its only an issue for those who want to make it an issue. I'm much more interested in what you know and how you treat your patients.

I love this post, among other PPs. I don't have any tatts and only two holes in each ear, so I don't consider myself to be biased. My midwife has sleeves, and she was professional and awesome throughout my pregnancy!

[A&Ox6, MSN, RN]

I actually had a patient with dementia who had been in the concentration camps during WWII. She had her number tattooed on her arm. She often freaked out when she saw the tatoos that staff had on their arms, especially if they were letters or numbers

[richardgecko]

Why do these threads keep getting redone? This is like the 3rd one I've seen in a few weeks.

If your hospital has a uniform policy, follow it. Cover your ink & do your job. I have full sleeves and 0g ears. I wear long sleeves/jackets and plugs that look like simple diamond studs. Nobody asks any questions.

[Caribbean Character]

Last I checked that generation grew up in a time when it was okay to call African-American the "bad word" and it was okay for men to tell their "little women" what to do and when to do it. Guess what? Times and acceptable behavior and styles change. Change with them or keep your opinions to yourself.

Typical leftwinger, "If you don't agree with me keep your mouth shut!!" Obviously YOU think YOU have the power to decide who has the right to free speech!

[liketheairport]

Why are you assuming someone's political party just from one post? I wouldn't assume that unless someone said it.

As far as the topic, I have a cartilage piercing that no one pays attention to and a tattoo between my shoulder blades. I have several friends with very large noticeable tats on their arms, but it doesn't hinder them. They cover them up.

Should they have to? I don't think they should. But, it's up to their employer.