Another tattoo Discussion

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 28, 2014

I get it! I do this has been done a million times, but my question is is my tattoo is behind my ear. It doesn't show if you are looking at me from the from, right side but does slightly show from my left and of course from behind. I was wondering if any nurses know if I still have to cover it. If so no problem just curious.

It's going to depend upon where you are. Different facilities (and clinical instructors if you're still in school) have different policies about tattoos.

vintage_RN, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2014

I have a huge tattoo that covers most of my upper arm and I've never had to cover it. But that's because my school and the facilities I've worked at never had a problem. It will really depend on the school/facilities policy.

RunBabyRN · Jan 29, 2014

You'll have to find out the policies in the hospitals in your area. Most of CA is pretty okay with regards to tats, as far as I've seen. I have a tat across the back of my neck (it's visible with my scrubs and short hair), and it hasn't been an issue thus far.

I would guess that as long as it's not a pot leaf or swastika or something else that would likely offend people, you're probably okay, but again, check the policies in the hospitals in your area.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Jan 29, 2014

We recently had a discussion about tattoos at work. Most people (including my self--and I do not have a tattoo) would have no problem with their doctor/nurse having a visible tattoo. However, one person I work with said "no way...I would send them right out of my room and demand someone else. My mother would do the same thing." Now you can judge this comment however you want, but, the point is, some people still view tattoos negatively. Even though a NM might not have a problem with tattoos, they have to consider that the pts. on their unit might. As such, they may view the tattooed employee negatively, even if the NM him/herself is fine with it; that could impact your chance of employment. For that reason, I say to be safe and cover it up.

RNGriffin · Jan 29, 2014

To the above poster: there are also patients that will send male nurses/black nurses/overweight nurses out of their room if this were allowed. As long as your tattoos aren't excessive, many clinical facilities could care less. Heck, most of us are oily messes by the time we leave work any way. A tattoo doesn't mean you are less competent than any other nurse on the floor. I've cared for many geriatric patients who have tattoos from their naval days.

As everyone else has stated, check the facility policy & comply. As far as a generalized question; I don't recall tattoo prohibiting being a part of any NPA.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Jan 29, 2014

To the above poster: there are also patients that will send male nurses/black nurses/overweight nurses out of their room if this were allowed. As long as your tattoos aren't excessive, many clinical facilities could care less. Heck, most of us are oily messes by the time we leave work any way. A tattoo doesn't mean you are less competent than any other nurse on the floor. I've cared for many geriatric patients who have tattoos from their naval days.

I totally agree with you that a tattoo does not mean you are less competent. However, the comparison between a nurse with tattoos and an African American nurse is totally, 100% not valid. The person chose to get the tattoo. The tattoo is visible if person chooses not to cover it. Choosing to get and display a tattoo does not mean that people cannot make judgements about you and it does not qualify as a protected status. Being African American is not a choice and an African American is (as it should be) protected from discrimination.

My only point to my previous comment...just to be safe, cover up the tattoo.

P.S. I'm not even going to address the overweight comment as this thread deserves better than that can of worms.

BrandonLPN, LPN · Jan 29, 2014

I've found that nursing school was much more conservative regarding tattoos and piercing than employers are.

Sure, visible tattoos might be an issue at some point in your career, but I think people exaggerate the issue. For every facility that has a cow over tattoos, there's two where they couldn't care less.

And I predict it will be less and less of an issue as time goes by. Someday people will view it as silly as we view people in the 1800s getting the vapors over women wearing slacks.

RNGriffin · Jan 30, 2014

My intent was not to imply tattoos should be a protected class. I was simply responding to the comment of individuals stating he/she would dismiss a nurse if a tattoo were visible. People will make judgements if you're "black", "overweight", "slim" etc.

We'll agree to disagree. I don't believe those with tattoos should be forced to cover them unless obscene or obsessive. Once again, this is my opinion & in no way reflects the opinions of an individual facility.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Jan 30, 2014

My intent was not to imply tattoos should be a protected class. I was simply responding to the comment of individuals stating he/she would dismiss a nurse if a tattoo were visible.

And, as I've said before, I disagree with the views of these folks, but they do exist...and having such a view is way different that saying that you would refuse care from an African American nurse.

RNGriffin · Jan 30, 2014

And, as I've said before, I disagree with the views of these folks, but they do exist...and having such a view is way different that saying that you would refuse care from an African American nurse.

Please explain your rationale for the difference. Because I don't have tattoos, I choose not to have a nurse with tattoos caring for me...Because I am not black, I refuse to have a nurse who is black caring for me....I believe these are two extremes, but they very well could fall in the same value system!

psu_213, BSN, RN · Feb 1, 2014

Please explain your rationale for the difference. Because I don't have tattoos, I choose not to have a nurse with tattoos caring for me...Because I am not black, I refuse to have a nurse who is black caring for me....I believe these are two extremes, but they very well could fall in the same value system!

The person I was talking about who would refused a tattooed nurse believes, in her mind, that a person who gets tattoos (and display them) lacks a certain amount of professionalism. That is her view--and based on the comments in other tattoo threads, she is not the only person who has such a view. There is a big difference between that and having the racist 'view' that an African American lacks the capacities to be an nurse simple because of the color of his/her skin.