Nurses with Tattoos and Piercings

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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

There is a grocery store near my mother's home in NY that does not allow facial jewelry to be worn while at work! They feel it will be a turn-off for their older patrons. I agree. And since we deal a lot with the elderly population, we could be a turn-off to our patients. They don't understand all of that facial hardware. Personally, I am not "too old" and I don't either! It grosses me out to see nurses with tongue rings! Infection control people! ICK!

Specializes in Orthopaedic Nursing; Geriatrics.
There is a grocery store near my mother's home in NY that does not allow facial jewelry to be worn while at work! They feel it will be a turn-off for their older patrons. I agree. And since we deal a lot with the elderly population, we could be a turn-off to our patients. They don't understand all of that facial hardware. Personally, I am not "too old" and I don't either! It grosses me out to see nurses with tongue rings! Infection control people! ICK!

Additionally, we ARE the most respected profession!

I don't mind tattoos so much, although in prominently viewed areas they just scream "low-class".

I have a bigger issue with piercings, because like long nails, they are nasty germ magnets that "healthcare" professionals should avoid during patient care. If you want some bone in your nose or whatever, you can wear it outside of work. But that kind of thing in the office, along with tongue rings and big hoop earrings, just seems silly, unprofessional, and dirty to me.

Specializes in Cardiac, ER.
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.

I'm 44. I don't consider myself "older". I have a small tattoo on the inside of my ankle. Only a handful of my coworkers even know it's there. I wish I hadn't gotten it,.but I'm stuck with it.

I will admit that when I see a person with facial piercings and lots of tattoo's I make assumptions about that person. I assume a lower level of education, a wild lifestyle and even a sense of irresponsibility. I can't help it and I know I'm often wrong but it is still my first impression. Where I work we are allowed 2 non dangling pairs of earrings on each ear, one ring on each hand and no visible tats or facial piercings. I think many of these folks look silly with skin colored band aides all over their faces!

If I were at my PCP's office and one of the employees looked like they just crawled out of bed I wouldn't say anything. I might talk about it later or here,..but I'm not going to tell the person. I see people like this every day. It amazes me that people think it's OK to go out of the house in their pajama's. They do it, but that doesn't make it look OK to me.

It also says a great deal that you feel that "Fact is, most people in their 20's and 30's tend to be more interested in reality TV and MTV." Perhaps that's why they have more tats and facial piercings. I've yet to see a reality show that contained anyone even remotely REAL let alone professional!

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.

I live in the south and I don't wear make up. I leave my hair curly and in a pony tail, and I get treated with respect because I act professional at all times. I don't wear make up barely at all anywhere and I haven't been treated any differently because of that. I don't see the point in bringing up things like make up or hair in a pony tail...

On the original topic of tattoos and piercings I haven't worked at a place outside of construction that is fine with those things, but I hope that it won't always be that way.

Specializes in PTSD, Mental Health.

I guess I live in a much more progressive area. I've worked for over a decade now in various areas and I've not yet come across a policy that forbids visible tattoos or piercings. We have many, many doctors on the unit that also have VERY visible tattoos. Additionally, the doc that just did our hospitals most recent cont. ed lecture had full sleeves...both arms. She was fantastic!

Professionalism is not just how you look. To me, the most important aspect of professionalism is how you present yourself, not whether you have an extra piercing or color on your arm. I'd personally rather work with a well groomed tattooed coworker then a tattooless nurse who shows up in tight fighting clothes with her junk hanging out front and the entire pink thong showing whenever she bends down to lock a wheelchair or empty a urine bag.

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
I guess I live in a much more progressive area. I've worked for over a decade now in various areas and I've not yet come across a policy that forbids visible tattoos or piercings. We have many, many doctors on the unit that also have VERY visible tattoos. Additionally, the doc that just did our hospitals most recent cont. ed lecture had full sleeves...both arms. She was fantastic!

Professionalism is not just how you look. To me, the most important aspect of professionalism is how you present yourself, not whether you have an extra piercing or color on your arm. I'd personally rather work with a well groomed tattooed coworker then a tattooless nurse who shows up in tight fighting clothes with her junk hanging out front and the entire pink thong showing whenever she bends down to lock a wheelchair or empty a urine bag.

Physicians are not employees of the hospital, they are contracted by...big difference.

I would also wager that they didn't go to interview with the practice in a tank top.

Seriously...don't misread what I am saying...if someone wants to put so many earrings in their ears until it falls off or tatoo every inch of their body..seriously...I would never think of standing in their way...but again, don't freak out or cry if jobs are hard to find.

I haven't worked in a hospital that I could not wear my nosering, but I do try to wear a smaller stud to work. I also have 7 tattoos, but they are all covered at work. I had thought about getting one behind my ears, but decided against it. I am a traveling nurse and haven't yet run into a hospital I couldn't wear my nose ring. I have had pts jokingly ask what was in my nose, but noone has acted offended about it.

Specializes in School Nursing.
Additionally, we ARE the most respected profession!

Really? I've seen where nurses were voted the more TRUSTED profession, I have never seen any evidence of being the most respected one. In fact, most of my experience says just the opposite, lol.

50 years ago this discussion was the same, except for "tattoos and piercings" you would substitute "men with hair below their ears and women in pants".

It's all blah blah blah. Professional culture changes more slowly than popular culture, but it will change.

Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

As us old farts die off, more changes will be accepted. But you have to remember that one day you will be and old fart also. And at that time there will something that people do to themselves that you will consider "unprofessional" in the work place that you will not want them to do. I don't know what setting you work in but in my job we see a LOT of elderly patients dating back to WWII. They don't like tats, strange colored hair, sloppy clothing. I am 56 and I don't like it. But I am old school. As time passes and we all die off you will come into your own.

My facility just updated the tattoo/piercing policy to state that all visible tattoos must be covered by bandaids and all visible piercings must be removed prior to shift. For a while, people with piercings were allowed to cover them with bandaids but I guess they didn't like the look of this. We are also limited to 2 piercings per ear. Luckily I haven't been talked to yet as I have a tattoo behind my ear and a tragus and industrial ear piercings. Simple solution though, I just wear my hair down and administration is none the wiser.

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