anyone have a nose ring?

RN1121 · Jul 4, 2007

I have had a nose ring in the past while working as a nurse and never encountered a problem. The nose ring was a simple tiny diamond that was tastefully affixed to my nostril.

I am who I am, and I like to express my individuality. I don't work in a hospital environment where infection control is of primary concern.:uhoh21:

crissrn27, RN · Jul 4, 2007

I have a eyebrow and tongue piercing. Wore them in at the LTC, not at the hospital. I stopped wearing them at the hospital b/c of my coworkers, not the pts. I don't exactly see wear a tongue ring is an infection control issue, we don't make folks take out their dental work, or gold teeth, or whatever. But I was really tired of talking about it, so I just stopped wearing them in at work. I have worked with lots of nurses with nose rings, they never had a problem.

ptadvocate81 · Jul 4, 2007

I happen to like nose rings, but lets get real- today (if you are in a hospital acute care setting or LTC) we serve a large senior population and they seem to dislike "these changing times" in general. I think that a nose piercing, tongue piercing, excessive tattooing, etc. can tend to send the wrong idea about who you are. I would love to have one, but I am a professional and do not think that a nostril piercing screams professionalism.

ohmeowzer RN, RN · Jul 4, 2007

at my hospital no way... a nurse i work with had 2 piercings in both ears and was told only to wear one set or go home.

abundantjoy07, RN · Jul 4, 2007

I always wanted one, but I knew when I declared my major in nursing, it just wasn't gonna happen.

It's not cool in the clinical setting if you want to play the role of the professional nurse.

And I really didn't want to be subjected to wearing bandaid like stuff or those plastic retainers on my nostril for the majority of the week. Nor, did I want to be hassled by older patients about the who, what, when, where's and why's of my piercing.

Then too, I just couldn't see myself with one when I hit middle adult-hood. I think I'd look like I was trying way to hard. And from there I started wondering if the hole would ever completely close or if I'd live the rest of my life with a "boo-boo" on my nose.

Way too much effort.

MzMiNiDiva8 · Jul 4, 2007

I don't think its tacky. I personally don't see a problem with it and it can tend to look very cute

slu_rn · Jul 4, 2007

I think that any piercing, as long as it isn't large and obnoxious is fine. (I have 13 total piercings, 10 of which are in my ears). I don't have a nose piercing, but I am debating about having my tongue done. I have only had one person at my facility make me take all but one pair out. I just wear studs or small hoops in them. I think self expression is a good thing.

KellNY, RN · Jul 4, 2007

I have a nosering. I get lots of compliments on it, and a few questions (most common are "Did that hurt?" and "When did you get that done & how much did it cost?"), though not enough for it to be annoying to me.

FWIW, my pt base is avg age 16-46.

When I worked LTC and Assisted Living, most of them couldn't see it anyway!

:lol2: Those that did either complimented genuinely, complimented to be polite (you can usually tell) or gave it a grossed out look. But at the Assisted Living, where I did the bulk of my work for a time, I was the most requested nurse, even by those who didn't like the piercing.

I make a point to wear it to job interviews, so it's all out in the open and upfront. I'm not trying to trick anyone or hide anything-what you see is what you get.

I don't feel it's ever interfered with my job duties or my perceived credibility as a nurse. I think my attitude and how I treat my patients speaks more to my professionalism and capabilities.

TrudyRN · Jul 4, 2007

IMO it's not professional but to each his own. It wouldn't stop me from treating them any differently.

So you would treat differently someone who has a nose ring.

What would the difference(s) be?

TrudyRN · Jul 4, 2007

I think they are disgusting, also tongue rings. It's all cultural, of

course - what we get used to.

Tats, too - totally not pro, IMO.

walk6miles · Jul 4, 2007

YUK, YUK, YUKKY - UGH!!!

Now, that's my personal opinion on piercing anything besides earlobes...however, just because I won't do it, I don't treat any of my co-workers differently. The current facility has a "professional" dress code and yet they allow moderate attempts at individual expression.

I worked at one of the religious-cult hospitals when I first arrived in Florida and they never bothered me (as they did with others about earrings and nails and rings) except at Christmas time - I wore a jacket with angels on it and they made me take it off (NO religious items in their religious-cult facilities - maybe the competiton was too tough on them).

susancoyotesfan · Jul 4, 2007

You know, nose rings in other cultures signal things like marriageability/married status...and those people work in our system here in the US also.

I got my nose pierced as a memento of a personal 'initiation' of sorts in my life; I also used to have my navel pierced for the same reason. When I was in nursing school there was quite the discussion amongst the instructors about how I could possibly wear that 'thing' when it was specifically forbidden in the handbook -- it wasn't and I pointed it out to them -- and I also explained my reasons for having it, and asked why we as nurses were supposed to be understanding of our patients' cultural/religious symbols yet mine were apparently supposed to be suppressed?

I never heard another word about it, but I also never wear anything other than a plain gold disc in my nose which is not very noticeable as it is flush with my skin and doesn't stand out.

I find it interesting that those of you who don't have one are saying things like ewww, ick ick, and some are making judgements about whether others can/should have them or not based on your personal prejudices; I would ask the same question of you all: why should nurses not be allowed the same tokens of significance that our patients are? Having a nose ring doesn't increase one's chances of becoming a carrier of MRSA any more than wearing earrings does, and wearing a ring of any sort, no matter how well one washes most certainly does increase one's risk of carrying/transmitting all sorts of nasties. In fact, so does wearing fake nails...yet no hospitals or administrators are speaking out (much on nails at least) about those or forbidding them.

Just askin////