Nurses with Tattoos and Piercings

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Ok people, I have a quick thought. I am fortunate enough to work for a clinic that is very open and accepting of all types of people. I myself have my nose pierced as does 2 other nurses here and there are a few with visible tattoos. When I asked my supervisor if I had to take out my nose stud when I started she said, "No, we do not discriminate against our workers who have tattoos and piercings." It's very nice to not have to change who I am just because it's "taboo".

I wonder why so many workplaces require piercings to be removed and tattoos to be covered, even if they are modest. Do you think there will ever be a time when all places will accept these things?

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Ok people, I have a quick thought. I am fortunate enough to work for a clinic that is very open and accepting of all types of people. I myself have my nose pierced as does 2 other nurses here and there are a few with visible tattoos. When I asked my supervisor if I had to take out my nose stud when I started she said, "No, we do not discriminate against our workers who have tattoos and piercings." It's very nice to not have to change who I am just because it's "taboo".

I wonder why so many workplaces require piercings to be removed and tattoos to be covered, even if they are modest. Do you think there will ever be a time when all places will accept these things?

Some of us look at tatoos and piercings differently.

To me, if it was only about the person getting them for personal reasons, then there would never be a need to make them so visible to everyone that looks.

I am a firm believer, that an individual should get attention for what they work for, not for shock value from extreme tatoos, unusual piercings, shocking hair colors/styles, etc.

You'll never see an attorney, politician, president or other high-ranking, higher-educated professionals with these sorts of appearances..and they are very career limiting.

It is not considered discrimination...b/c a company is permitted to convey a professional appearance and WHAT THEY consider is a professional appearance to the public, if they choose..and require employees, if they choose to work there, to follow suit.

Now granted, if someone wants to get a bone through their nose and tatoo the American Flag across their face, I will be the last person to stand in their way...but if that person chooses to do that...then don't complain later that jobs are hard to find.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Really? ^^^^^ I know a lawyer who is very heavily tattooed and pierced including microdermals which are implanted into the skin. They just don't happen to be visible piercings or tattoos.

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

When in school, a friend of mine got a tat on her wrist and then complained loudly how she had to cover it up when we all knew from the start that obvious tattoos had to be covered! (plus it was ugly LOL just a giant letter) Why she couldn't wait one more semester until she graduated was beyond me.

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Really? ^^^^^ I know a lawyer who is very heavily tattooed and pierced including microdermals which are implanted into the skin. They just don't happen to be visible piercings or tattoos.

So that's one lawyer that you happen to know out of millions of lawyers? Lawyers with that extent of tattooing/piercing probably represents 0.00000000001% of all the lawyers. I'd agree that there's a lot of lawyers with maybe a piercing or two and a couple of tattoos but what you describe is an extreme minority.

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Specializes in CNA, LPN and CMA.
Some of us look at tatoos and piercings differently.

To me, if it was only about the person getting them for personal reasons, then there would never be a need to make them so visible to everyone that looks.

I am a firm believer, that an individual should get attention for what they work for, not for shock value from extreme tatoos, unusual piercings, shocking hair colors/styles, etc.

You'll never see an attorney, politician, president or other high-ranking, higher-educated professionals with these sorts of appearances..and they are very career limiting.

It is not considered discrimination...b/c a company is permitted to convey a professional appearance and WHAT THEY consider is a professional appearance to the public, if they choose..and require employees, if they choose to work there, to follow suit.

Now granted, if someone wants to get a bone through their nose and tatoo the American Flag across their face, I will be the last person to stand in their way...but if that person chooses to do that...then don't complain later that jobs are hard to find.

It is true that it is rare that a lawyer has a VISIBLE tattoo, but i'm willing to bet that some do have hidden tattoos. And there may be a day that we could have a president with a tattoo or piercing.

Being professional is in the actions more than visual appearance.

Plus...my tattoo is a baby cradled by it's own wings to represent my baby who had died. Why should I decide to hide something like that which is so personal to me just because it's not "professional"??? It's rude to judge people.

Just sayin...

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Specializes in ER/ float.

I have spent half my life wishing I had never learned what a tattoo was. wearing long sleeves in the middle of summer with a scrub top over that will take off the pounds for sure. I had my ink done on a whim, never thought how ashamed I would feel 10 years later in being the RN running around with cartoon drawings, dragons etc on his body. But hey, I was cool and fitting in with my biker buddies.:lol2: Co-workers I had would be astonished when they viewed my arms and shoulders saying (don't cover them up, thats art.:uhoh3: ) I say it's unprofessional crap period.:twocents: maybe all the 20 somethings out there think it's cool but wait another 20 to 30 years for that hip cool drawing on your bod to be as outdated as nintendo or the ford pinto.

Piercings are great in the ED when a psych pt grabs that hoop and rips it out before you can scream. studs have generally been allowed in past facilities I have worked.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Really? ^^^^^ I know a lawyer who is very heavily tattooed and pierced including microdermals which are implanted into the skin. They just don't happen to be visible piercings or tattoos.

Keyword: Not visible.

Thanks for making my point....because he would have a hard time getting a client to hire him or a jury to take him seriously otherwise.

There is a REASON why he chooses to hide them.

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Specializes in IMC.

I wonder why so many workplaces require piercings to be removed and tattoos to be covered, even if they are modest.

Because visible tattoos, and extensive piercings look unprofessional. Is it really that complicated?

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
Being professional is in the actions more than visual appearance.

...

I don't agree with this statement...at all.

CNN Headline news figured this out a few years ago when they started promoting a "hip" image in order to attract a younger audience. They ran ads with younger reporters, ditching suits, some had odd hairstyles with unnatural color...and yes, piercings and tatoos.

You know how well that took off? Their ratings sank like the Titanic. They not only did not draw a younger audience, the people that were watching changed the channel.

To me, being professional, groomed takes EFFORT. It would be much easier for me to crawl out of bed, pull my wrinkled scrubs out of the dryer, take a shower and put my hair up in a pony tail wet and go to work with no make-up...trust me, it would bring many more hours to my life.

However, I choose to iron my scrubs, do full makeup even though I work nights and fix my hair like I would on any other day...in turn, I get respect from the physicians, parents and management. We also do not have a single member of management in our entire facility who comes to work looking disheveled or has tats, extreme hair or other alternative appearance.

I also, live in the South...things like that matter here.

Yes, you will always find those RARE examples of exceptions...but they sure as heck are not the rule nor common.

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Specializes in CNA, LPN and CMA.

I don't know about all of that. First of all, you must not have young kids if you have time to do all that! lol

Second: I agree with the fact that you should be clean, but if I just don't have time to do my hair, well then whatever, just so long as I'm clean. Everyone I work with and my patients take me just as seriously when my hair is in a pony and isn't perfectly falt-ironed and with my nose stud as they do everyone else or when I am perfectly trimmed up. I have never had a negative comment about my appearance.

Third: The majority of people that watch the news are older. Fact is, most people in their 20's and 30's tend to be more interested in reality TV and MTV.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I just don't understand this association that people with tats or piercings are automatically unclean and unkempt. I have one unusual piercing and I make no effort to either show it off or hide it. I go to work in full make up etc. and work nights too. I work hard and maintain a professional demeanor. Most people don't notice my piercing and I've never gotten a negative comment on it.

Baby lady, my point was that you said lawyers, politicians etc. don't have these things. Well, they do but anyone in that position would of course have the brains to know to keep them non-visible. The lawyer is a she BTW and I'm also from the south.

I just don't understand this judgemental attitude.

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.

I wonder why so many workplaces require piercings to be removed and tattoos to be covered, even if they are modest. Do you think there will ever be a time when all places will accept these things?

Well many places don't consider the tattoos "professional" and the piercings can be a safety issue(especially at my psych hospital with the violence we have to put up with).

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