Tattoos in healthcare

[savoytruffle]

Just curious about others' thoughts on tattoos or other modifications in healthcare. I work in long term care, which tends to be more conservative in dress codes. Facial piercing and ear gauges are not permitted, visible tattoos are becoming acceptable as long as they are not offensive. The last facility I worked at had a rule about hair color, and your scrubs had to match. No joke. How restrictive is your work place? And have you ever seen a senior member of administration with any body modifications? I am going for m MSN in administration and I have several large tattoos. (Most covered by pants and a lab coat-one wrist, but I am planning on full sleeves when I have the money).

[drowningdaily]

My company has a policy that all ink and non ear piercings be covered. I think that is crazy. I have seen employees with bandaids on their faces and large gauze pads taped to their arms and necks. I would rather see self expression than wonder what nasty infection they might have while caring for me!

[Morainey, BSN, RN]

When I got my tattoos I made sure that they could be hidden by scrubs. Best compromise in my opinion.

[ian_onymous]

Anyone here who practice in Manitoba, Canada that has tattoo?

[TrissRN726]

I personally feel like many people here said, as long as the tattoos are offensive or very large in visible places then they are acceptable. I myself have four tattoos but I have them in places that can be covered. I want a tattoo on the inside of my wrist, but I fear that it is not very professional or becoming in this profession for some employers.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

I've never heard of a hospital around here allowing visible tattoos, but maybe that's just my area. I have some coworkers with ink on their arms but they have to wear long sleeves to cover it or risk getting sent home or even possibly losing their jobs. I have a classmate who's getting a rather large tattoo done on his upper arm that extends to his elbow and he just got hired by the same hospital in the OR... I wonder what's going to happen to him when they realize he has ink that won't be covered up because you can't wear your own personal long sleeves in the OR. I hope he makes it through okay, but I'm personally not holding my breath. Some places are just stricter than others.

[kguill975, MSN, APRN, NP]

I have a lot of ink, it's never been a problem. I have a bracelet, that's covered by a wide band watch. In the OR that I work in, we have a tech with full sleeves, and it's not a problem.

[green34]

Well, here we have people who have tattoos but if corporate comes down, they have to find shirts to cover up.

We have two doctors with tattoos and a few nurses. Most can be covered up with shirts though