no tatoo's. only ears pierced with one hole in each lobe. Have nothing against tats or multi pierced individuals. Do think some line in professional appearance needs to be drawn. Just old fashioned I guess.
Too many peopel i work with trying to stand on that line with one foot and step out with the other lol.
Oh dear hear I was thinking that I am the only one with tattoos and piercing in my field but glad to hear many other nations also have the same problem of whether we look professional or not.
I wear my earrings ( I have three sets), and nose pin all the time and off course the rest is hidden including my tattoo but frankly speaking I hate to hide them and would like to show them off as it is meant to be shown otherwise why consider going through the trouble!
I think and agree that your first impression has to do with looks and how to present one which in our case is with building up trust relationship with your patient and I in no way am going to lose that over my fashion sense as I have many more occasion to show them off and can easily conceal them to have professional look for the days that I work. I would hate people frowning at my looks the moment I enter the room as that would make my work day miserable.
So guys do what you want and enjoy life to the fullest without causing people distress by ones look.
HAVE THREE TATTOOS...ONE SHOWS..NOT VERY PROFFESIONAL..THE HOSPITAL PROTOCAL STATES THAT TATTOOS MUST BE COVERED (ONE GUY FROM DIETARY HAS ONE ON THE BACK OF HIS NECK AND WEARS A BANDAID). AS FOR PIERCINGS MY EARS HAVE 9 HOLES...AGAINST POLICY ALSO...THE REST OF THE PIERCINGS I DUNNO....
I've had both my ears (lobes) pierced three times and those are all still open...
In the past I have had an Industrial through my left ear - my nose pierced twice, though not at the same time, my eyebrow pierced and my tongue pierced...
I have two tattoos which I can hide - a cluster of orchids on my ankle and a gargoyle like thing on my shoulder/back....both are black and grey....
boy, I plan on getting about as many tattoos as I can hide - well, maybe not that many but a BUNCH more - they're addicting...
I have 4 tattoos, one on each calve and one on each upper arm. All can be covered at work. Even though we are allowed to wear certain types of shorts to work in the summer, I choose not to because of my tats. I just don't feel it is something to be on display at work.
I have a tatoo on the small of my back, one naval piercing, and one "private" piercing. All of which cannot be seen with clothing :) . If you were to see me, you would never think I was the type to have all these...that's the funny part. I think it shouldn't matter if tatoo's are seen at the workplace... they show a person's individuality. Besides who decides what is appropriate...like someone mentioned...look at all the aweful beehives and claws worn, oh, and perfume?? Whhhew! We could get into a whole array of things here!
My nursing school's policy is strict compared to what some of you have, (not judging anyone). We are allowed NO visible piercings expect for earlobes with a maximum of two earrings in each lobe... none anywhere else on the ears. Tongue rings must be removed for clinicals but are acceptable in the classroom. NO visible tattoos. One guy in my class was told to wear long sleeves and keep them pulled down (he had tatts to the wrist on both arms). Our jewellery is also severely restricted. Necklaces are allowed provided they are short enough to not pose a choking hazard if a panicked/violent client grabbed it. No jewellery on the wrists other than a watch. No rings other than plain bands (no facets, uneven designs, etc). My husband purchased a plain band for me to wear to clinicals - I am not permitted to wear my engagement ring, wedding ring, and five-year anniversary ring (it's a set) or the ring my mother gave me on my eighteenth birthday. Anything other than a plain gold band presents a hazard to patients - facets and uneven surfaces become a breeding ground for bacteria and we all know that elderly clients have paper thin skin. This is the reasoning behind us not being allowed to wear anything but a plain gold band.
On the tongue ring issue... one of my classmates (also a close friend) is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to understand when she has her's in... it's ridiculous. We ask her to remove it for any group presentations so that the teachers and our other classmates can understand her when she speaks. I am serious here! If she wore it to clinical, I sincerely doubt that any person with a hearing deficit would understand her - it's impossible for those of us with perfect hearing! I'm just wondering if this is a problem for anyone else with a tongue ring, or just her.
I do feel that tattoos should be covered... do what you want on your own time but in the workplace, it should not be visible. Clients do judge us - you can't establish a therapeutic relationship with a client who looks down on your tatts and piercings. I'd would like to get a small tattoo over my right scapula (after I pass the registration exam) but, I think I would chicken out. I went with a friend for her tattoo (small strawberry on her lower tummy) and ended up having to sit on her legs because the tattoo artist refused to finish it if my friend didn't stop kicking her! Looked pretty painful to me!
OMG....the engagement ring is restricted. OK, I understand the complexity of wearing jewlery, displaying tatoos in the health field(bacteria fields,etc). Patients/coworkers may feel uncomfortable or violated due to the lack of professionalism, I can understand that. I know what you mean about the tougue rings.....b/c even though I have piercings and a tatoo, I cannot stand tougue rings(no offense to those). Esp. when the person is clickity clacking their piercings against their teeth....PLEASE STOP!!! That's my opinion:)
I was all prepared to take out my nose piercing (it's a small stud) when we started clinicals at the LTC. Then I saw one of their employees...a tiny little girl whose hair is died black and white and who has several facial piercings. She has a very large nose stud and a piercing in the place of a beauty mark (just above her upper lip to the side). She is definitely "unique" but the residents there love her. She's excellent with the patients and treats them with respect and they return that respect. I do understand about looking professional and will be prepared to take out my nose piercing once I start at the hospital as I'm sure it won't be allowed there. I have other piercings and tattoos that are not visible when clothed so I don't have to worry about those.
I forgot to say that I think it's unfair in our handbook that they say no facial piercings but then allow a tongue piercing. I had mine for years and no matter how carefully I talked, you could always see it. Yes, you can buy clear retainers to put in, but they are very uncomfortable and most people will not bother with them. Mine was quite large (a 10 gauge) and I always put in a retainer no matter what job I had at the time, out of respect for customers who didn't want to see that. But in our program, tongue piercings are acceptable and I think if they won't allow a tiny diamond stud in the nose, they shouldn't allow a tongue piercing as they are just as visible and more offensive to some than a nose piercing.
I have my tongue and nose pierced and a tattoo, which isn't usually visible. I've never had anyone complain or say anything untoward about it, as a matter of fact, my younger patients seem to feel more comfortable with me sometimes when they notice it. Like an icebreaker, you know? I've had people complain about my all black scrubs, but not my body art! Of course, in clinicals I was forced to take them out, and I don't wear them on interviews.
Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN
12,126 Posts
Too many peopel i work with trying to stand on that line with one foot and step out with the other lol.