piercings at work

Nurses General Nursing

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i'm currently in my last semester as a pre-nursing student and i was just wondering-are most of you who are nurses and working in hospitals allowed to wear earring and are there any restrictions as to how many or what type you're allowed to wear?

the reason i ask is because right now i'm in the process of stretching my ear lobes to a larger than normal size (but nothing freakishly large) and now i'm felling kind of apprehensive just because i don't want it to affect my getting a job when i graduate.

Most schools, if they allow you to wear earrings in the clinical setting, will stipulate small studs only, and one per ear. Something the size you are talking about is probably a no-go.

As for what hospitals will allow themselves, it's worth remembering that your appearance is part of your professional "package", not just your resume. Your face and attire speak volumes for you before you ever get the chance to "show what you know", and your clinical instructors and (potentially) later prospective employers will determine how well you fit into that professional mold.

Nursing isn't the place to show how cool you are, I'm afraid.

This goes way beyond just nursing. What ever profession or job you have you will be judged on your professionalism and appearence of maturity. People will always judge you on your apearance. This may be very unfair but is very true. Unless you are entering an artistic field it is better to err on the side of conservitism.

First impressions count and are critical. Even second and third and forth impressions count. So you come to the interview dressed very conservatively and then start your first day on the job. Soon you are sporting a look that is very different. My son in law did this at a bank. He did not understand that even though he worked out of public view, and long hair was a given in his chosen field (computer programming) he was not working for a creative programming company he was in one of the most conservative fields in the world banking.

Needless to say he did not get along well at the bank job.

Yes his hair had nothing to do with his ability and quality of programming work that he did for the bank. It did have everything to do with what they thought about him and how he "fit in" it effected his relationship with them. It is very improtant to fit in on a job and at least 50% if not more of what an employer wants from you is to fit in. Not cause problems not stand out in a way that may seem negative. Not cause waves. THey want you to fit in and to fit in with their image that they have for the company.

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If I were a pt, I would probably find large holes in the ears of my nurse disconcerting. I think it's even more of a stretch for a pt in their 60s or 70s to feel a sense of trust with someone with conspicuous tattoos, or unusual piercings. People tend to associate those things with the drug community.

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It depends on the facility. All the facilities in my area are pretty strict - no stretched ear lobes, no visible facial piercings, etc.

This is a new one on me - 'stretched' ear lobes?? Why on Earth would someone want to do that?:o Good grief, it seems like as we get older enough of our 'parts' get stretched out - why would you want to do it on purpose?!

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At our clinic we have up to two per ear lobe, cartilege(sp?) is ok, a small nose stud is ok. We are pretty lenient. We did have one MA with stretch lobes.

I wouldn't have the hole bigger than a dime.

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This is a new one on me - 'stretched' ear lobes?? Why on Earth would someone want to do that?:o Good grief, it seems like as we get older enough of our 'parts' get stretched out - why would you want to do it on purpose?!

You haven't seen this style? It's usually found on gothish type girls with dyed hair that is black or henna, blackish type clothes, dark nail polish, and accompanied by facial piercing. The girl at the local funky cafe looks like this.

I have a funny story about that. My two daughters were giving away our kittens next to above mentioned cafe, and I went to see how they were doing. My daughter (age 12) said they gave away one of the kittens, but she had given the young woman our phone number "in case there were any problems". She reported that she wasn't sure if this girl was up to being a responsible pet owner and gave me a vivid description of her and her unusual holes in her ears. She didn't trust her to take care of that kitten properly, LOL!

I went into the cafe and jokingly told another woman I know who works there what my daughter said with such seriousness, and she said "Oh, that's our cook!". LOL, it was very funny.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

I guess I am rather lucky. We are allowed to wear earrings, and facial rings (and I guess others because you can't see those..LOL!).

I have a tiny tiny diamond chip nose ring, one that doesn't have the metal prongs showing and you can barely see it at all! Heck, another nurse I have worked with for a year just asked me about it yesterday and never noticed I had it! It is so small that makeup covers it if I don't feel like letting it show. This trend is catching at my work, and people are now sporting the small ones you can barely see (they use to wear larger ones till they saw my 'secret' nose ring).

The only time you see it really is as a sparkle if I am in the right light. Sadly nose rings close up in hours if you don't wear the stud, so I had to come up with something and this plan worked big time! And when I want to go out on the town and wear a larger one...OUCH, but I can change it :).

I also have several piercings on my ears, but choose to only wear one set if I even do (sometimes I am too lazy to find a pair not separated and lost by my curious cat who plays with them! LOL!).

As far as an infection risk..I really don't see it as a large factor frankly. My nose has lots of risk as anyone elses and one little diamond chip isn't going to increase that or even get near my pts enough to cause probelms at all. Earrings...depends on how long, but I typically won't wear long ones because I am afraid of loosing them or getting them caught on IV lines or a psycho pts hands! LOL!

And just like any other body part...keep it clean! :)

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Specializes in Cardiac/Telemetry.

My school allows 1 pair of earring studs only. Any tattoos have to be covered. My thought is that is would be sad to be passed over for a "dream Job/position" because the hospital had a dress policy that didn't allow multiple piercings...

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Specializes in Oncology and Perioperative.

I would have to agree with at least one post I've read - wait until you're through nursing school before any 'radical' modifications. That way, when you get a job as an RN, you can find out the employer's policies on jewelry, etc. Like most places, my nursing school only allowed one earring per ear, and it had to be a small stud-type earring. No necklaces, no rings other than wedding rings. While they allowed watches, they tried to discourage bracelets which I 'fouled' up for them since my bracelet is a med-alert bracelet. ;-) I'm also a recent grad (Dec 2006) and just got my license on 1/16/07. Good luck!

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Specializes in LTC, med-surg, critial care.

As far as school goes, I'd wait until after school before going with large holes in the ears.

If I were a pt, I would probably find large holes in the ears of my nurse disconcerting. I think it's even more of a stretch for a pt in their 60s or 70s to feel a sense of trust with someone with conspicuous tattoos, or unusual piercings. People tend to associate those things with the drug community.

Most of the time when people go for bigger holes it's not really noticeable. I doubt she's gonna go balls out and try for 00 (you aren't OP are you?). Slightly larger aren't really noticeable, it just kind of looks like you have a big stud in. Not really a big deal.

On a side note: I dated a guy who had 00's in and he had to take them out when he did concerts or the plug would slap him in the face when he was singing!

As for the geriatrics: I work LTC now and tons of girls have visible tattoos. One LVN has one on the back of her neck that is very obvious, another LVN had a large butterfly that covered the back of her neck and a CNA has her last name tattooed on the back of her neck, they all wear their hair up without complaint. Other staff have wrist or hand tattoos, tattooed makeup (so does a resident!), lip rings, nose rings...no one covers anything. The DON doesn't mind, family has never complained or requested a staff member no work with their family and residents have never complained (usually they ask questions and laugh).

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Specializes in Medical.

Wow, I wouldnt last to long in some of these work environments.

I have a nose stud, ear rings and a small tatt (which no one can see). I have worn them at interviews and while I was at school. I wore them as a clinical instructor as well. I have only ever had one issue and that was with a clinical instructor who told me my ears and nose were a 'germ barn' with so much metal in them. I told her niether my nose nor my ears were going anywhere near a patient unlike the several chunky rings she had on her fingers. You really think my nose stud is going to infect a paitent more than your 'germ barn' rings? Never heard another word about it.

I have worked with lots of nurses, allied health, teachers and admin assist who have body art, who am I to judge what they look like, or for that matter they me? Live and let live I say. But maybe I just work in a more liberal environment than some others.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

Yeah, if I was to be judged on my tattoo (which is hidden on my shoulder) what would people think??? It is the medical symbol Caducesis (double serpent with wings on the staff). LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

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I myself have gotten somewhat bored with psych and have decided to leave. I've also decided that I don't mind wearing scrubs to work after all; they're more comfortable. :)

Scrubs... I love Scrubs... I wear them all the time... I've been known to even wear them to church lol...

But @ my school... It's ran by your "Baby Boomers" era... So they are all about Having hair off your shoulders, white (i'm mean white) shoes, and Press Scrubs... Haha... I know...

And about piercings... Well I'm a Guy... Thats 20... :bowingpur: And that's just the era I live in... All my friends Have some kind of piercings... But my instructors... Frown extremely bad on me... When I showup to clinicals with them in, Even small studs...

But it's just the age difference... I guess :banghead:

By the Way... My Girlfriend is @ University of Louisville... And I Love the CARDS also... :cheers:

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