Son wants to be a CRNA, but wants his ears guaged

mamamerlee, LPN · Oct 14, 2009

Concentrate on his overall life, not his ears. How are his grades? Does he make it to work on time, and work all of his assigned shifts?

Long before he gets to the CRNA level, he will see what others are doing about their grooming issues and begin to emulate what those people do.

Try to forego the ear issue - try to support the behaviors you approve, and ignore those you don't. Take heart - young people go thru phases, and this, too, shall pass!

Jubilayhee · Oct 14, 2009

I would say the gauged ears look pretty unprofessional. And when there are no discs in them they look downright ugly. Do everything in your power to stop him.

caliotter3 · Oct 14, 2009

Ask him point blank if he thinks that this would provide the professional image he will need to get hired for a job or selected for CRNA school. Ask him if he thinks he will be allowed to participate in clinical training with that look. He will find out soon enough how far he can get in the professional world once he decides to make that move. But at least you can know that you tried to get him to reason this out. Good luck.

MrNurseOR · Oct 14, 2009

Do not worry about his ear piercings. I am a 22 year old male Operating Room nurse and have both of my ears pierced, both cartilage piercings. I got them pierced when I was feeling rebellious right after I turned 18. They did not affect my ability to get a job, actually I am one of the few to get a job out of my program. I was never asked to take out my piercings and no one ever had a problem with them. I even know some students while I was in school who had dred locks and it was never an issue. An employer should not care about the ear piercings as ultimately you are hired based on your grades, and how they see you contributing to their institution. I know several CRNA's who have multiple ear piercings, tatoos. Relax, if the worst thing he can do is guage his ears, let him, just tell him not to get crazy and that sometime down the road he may not want them, and that this OR nurse has seen tons of people come in to get the gauging reversed because they regret it.

-Jeffrey

jessiern, BSN, RN · Oct 14, 2009

I was never asked to take out my piercings and no one ever had a problem with them. I even know some students while I was in school who had dred locks and it was never an issue. An employer should not care about the ear piercings as ultimately you are hired based on your grades, and how they see you contributing to their institution.
-Jeffrey

Should not care, I agree, but depending on what part of the country they are in, I can see it being an issue. Here in the southeast, we are a little more conservative then certain other regions, and I could see having tattoos and visible peircing making the job hunt a little more difficult. We were not allowed to have either in clinicals, and that is common for all nursing schools in our area. At our hospital, it is even against the dress code to have "unnatural colored" hair.

MrNurseOR · Oct 14, 2009

Should not care, I agree, but depending on what part of the country they are in, I can see it being an issue. Here in the southeast, we are a little more conservative then certain other regions, and I could see having tattoos and visible peircing making the job hunt a little more difficult. We were not allowed to have either in clinicals, and that is common for all nursing schools in our area. At our hospital, it is even against the dress code to have "unnatural colored" hair.

This is true, I am from the Northeast part of the United States.

As for the original post, I know how hard it is to think of something that far in the future, when I got my ears pierced graduation was 4 years away, I wasnt having to think of a job for years! Dont, worry, I am sure that he will be fine and that ultimately in the end he will to great. Just tell him to concentrate on his grades, and work ethic.

J9G2008 · Oct 14, 2009

I really think that the discs are gross. Simply because, if he decides to take them out later, they just hang there, or will need plastic surgery to fix. I think piercings are much less of an issue than they used to be, but I really don't get the "rebellion through holes in my flesh" thing. Oh, well...

LadyJaye · Oct 14, 2009

I feel that discrimination based on body modification is as deplorable as any other form of discrimination. That being said, all forms of discrimination unfortunately still exist. Your son should do as he wishes, and if he does encounter problems, he can always purchase some hider plugs (see link below). You said he wanted a small gauge in his lobes, so hiding them should not be too much of a problem. Of course, small to him might be much different than small to you. Good luck!

http://www.tribalectic.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=17499&idcategory=0

NerdyNurse2012 · Oct 14, 2009

I even know some students while I was in school who had dred locks and it was never an issue.

I would just like to point out that a person having their hair locked and a person deciding to have their ears guaged are two very different things.

touchhealth · Oct 14, 2009

Many people today are able to see gauged ears, tatoos, and hairstyles as another form of personal self-expression. I know lots of people with all of the above who have respectable jobs as professors, hospital administrators, and lawyers. Obviously it is preferable if the body modifications are done in a way that can be covered up if needed (or as a previous poster mentioned, you "grow out" of the "look").

They do manufacture flesh-colored plugs for gauged ears (and nose rings, tongue rings etc.) if it becomes an issue.

My ears are gauged. They didn't stop me from getting admitted to my MSN program. I wear plugs that are discreet (not the flesh-colored ones) and few people even notice or care. No one has asked me to take them out. I also have a large cartilage piercing that I take out during clinicals so it doesn't catch on my stethescope. Again, not a big deal.

I think the public opinion on this is shifting, and there are many clever ways to cover up piercings if a job requires it.

MrNurseOR · Oct 14, 2009

How are a person having dread locks and gauged ears different? Both can be viewed by future employers as being inappropriate and unprofessional? Plus dread locks have the stigma of being smelly and dirty.