Hi,

I was accepted into my CC's Spring 2011 ADN nursing program. I posted a thread on here somewhere about my tattoo story, but long story short, I had to withdraw from the program four weeks into the program because I was unable to cover my tattoos per the school's uniform policy and some "mis-advising" of the head of the nursing department. Anyway, I've been looking into other nursing programs around me (and their uniform/tattoo policies, which are not as strict as my old program's policies) to continue pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse. Here are my options:

The closest CC near me does not allow out of county residents to apply to their program, at all.

1. The next closest CC is an hour away from me and I would either have to commute or live on campus in a dorm. Considering the price of gas these days, I wouldn't want to commute. I am also 28, so the idea of rooming with the younger population for 2 years doesn't appeal to me. But I am considering this CC, and hoping most of my pre-req's will transfer and I could get financial aid/loans for tuition and room and board.

2. I am also considering getting my LPN, instead of getting my RN for right now. The program is around $11,000 and I'd have to get financial aid and/or loans. Now, I'm pretty much set on becoming an RN in the future. Would spending that much money be a waste if I decided to get my BSN, which is my next option? The BSN program is at a private college so I would be paying $11,000 for the LPN program,plus like $30-40,000 in tuition if I chose the LPN-BSN option they offer at the private college. But I would be able to work as an LPN part-time and do the LPN-BSN evening and weekend program.

3. I am also considering skipping the LPN option and just going for my BSN. The only problem with this is, I don't know if I want to go to school for 4 years at my age- I am not getting any younger . I was going to take a CNA course (if I don't go for my LPN) and would be working as a CNA while I get my BSN.

If you got this far, thank you! I know not everyone is the same, but what would you suggest? I wish every day I had never gotten these tattoos, as I would be nearing the end of my first semester of my ADN program if I had continued in the program. Stupid mistakes of the past can jump out and bite you in the future!

I'm 35, 36 next month and my advice is that time is going to pass no matter what. If you are interested in a BSN, then I'd advise going that route. My only concern would be, were the tattoo policies those of the school or the clinical sites? Did you talk to the school to see what the real issue was? It might be that it'd be near impossible for you to find a program and a job afterwards. And as much as it might suck, you might want to look at other career opportunities.

Why are the tatoos such a big issue? Can they not be covered?

Good for you for sticking to your goal. Don't worry too much about moving into the dorms and living with a younger crowd. I have a friend that joined the army at age 32 and he was in the barracks with 18 year olds. It may feel awkward at first, but that shouldn't be your deciding factor.

Um, I started my nursing journey at age 28 and will graduate from my BSN program at 30 and that's still young. Among all the professions, nursing is one where age really doesn't matter; most important is experience. You can still put in at least 25 years in this career, even if you started at age 40.

You stated that you don't want to put in 4 years due to your age. But, if your goal is to get the BSN, you still would put in at least 3-4 years if you go the LPN-->ADN-->BSN route. Some of these bridges are 12-15 months long, but they still add up. Besides, it would be longer if you started as a CNA, but I like your point that you want to work while pursuing your BSN.

Out of curiosity, do you have a previous degree?

May I ask where are these tattoos placed exactly? Couldn't you put makup on to cover them? And are they offensive (i.e. gang symbols, etc)

Google "tattoo cover-up sleeves" - maybe that will help you.

I would suggest biting the bullet and going for your BSN if that is your ultimate goal. If you go the other routes, there could be many road blocks that make your journey just as long if not longer than the BSN. Plus the job market is tight right now, and while working as an LPN sounds like a good idea, it might not be all that easy to find a job right now. At least with the BSN you can work as a CNA and hopefully ride out the economy. Best of Luck!!

Hi all,

Thanks for your input. The previous CC would only allow me to cover my tattoos with make-up. The only problem with covering up with make-up is I couldn't find any make-up that would withstand repeated hand washing, as the two tattoos are right under my thumbs when I wash my wrist. It is the school's uniform policy for students to wear 3/4 length sleeves. I knew about the policy before going into the program, but the head of the nursing department told me to cover the one tattoo with a watch and the other two make-up and told me I wouldln't have a problem. The make-up she told me to use washed right off. She told me the tattoos had to be covered up during clinicals, but she never told me they had to be covered during skills testing on campus so the watch idea went right out the window.

I have inquired into the local clinical sites' uniform policies and they allow their nurses to wear full length long sleeves, so there would be no need to use make-up to cover them. Other colleges around me allow their students to wear a lab coat with full length sleeves or a white cardigan over their uniform top.

The tattoos aren't offensive at all- just a floral band that goes all the way around my left wrist like a bracelet and two Kanji symbols that are each smaller than a quarter close to my left hand. I am looking into getting the tattoos removed to avoid further trouble in the future, but I need to save the $1500+ to pay for the removal.

I will probably end up just going straight for my BSN; I'm just dragging my feet at the thought of 4 years more of schooling, haha. Thanks for the suggestions! :)