Nurses with tattoos

hospitalstaph · Sep 12, 2007

You may have a harder time in nursing school than you will in finding employment. In school, we were not allowed to have tats showing at any of the clinical sites. If there is an interview involved in admission to the program that you are interested in, make sure it is covered. You only have one chance to make a first impression and tats still carry a certain stigma with many people.

My employer also does not allow tats to be visable. I have seen some cover them up with makeup (not very effective though) or a bandaid.

Hope this helps and good luck to you:)

ari3sdog · Sep 12, 2007

I didn't have a hard time getting into a nursing school with a tattoo. Well, it's not visible. They questioned about my earrings and I told them that I can take them off if it's not allowed. They never asked me to take it off.

As for your tattoo on your wrist. Just hide it when you're getting you're interview. Wear long sleeve or something. Put in your pocket. Or try to distract them some sort of alibi. I told my interviewer that I will do what it takes to be in nursing program even they told me I can't be in nursing program because this is one opportunity I wouldn't miss for the world. This proves that I'm determined. That gives my interviewer a smile, meaning that I will be competent.

Good Luck!! =D

me_daffy · Sep 13, 2007

One of my friends has a tattoo on her wrist and she just wears a sweatband over it to cover it. The band is white to match her uniform. No one has complained about it.

TracyB,RN, RN · Sep 13, 2007

Dermablend makeup is supposed to be EXCELLENT for covering tattoos. My mom used it religiously to cover her vitiligo spots before she lost most of her pigment. It worked awesome for her...

Never tried it for my tattoos. No one has ever complained, but I can hide them with my socks....

Good luck

Deidre Shiobhan · Sep 13, 2007

You may have problem getting into nursing school however even if you are able to disguise it during the interview. There may be problems with future employment the place that I work in will not accomodate visible tattoos. I've got nursing colleagues who have tattoos but they always get it done in non visible area such as the body/back or their upper arms.

Camill3 · May 8, 2008

i have a tattoo on my nape... hehe... i don't know if it's ok

queenjean · May 8, 2008

We have many nurses with visible tattoos in my facility; some of these nurses are in administration. In my experience, having a tattoo has as much bearing on employment as having glasses. In other words, no, my visible tattoo has not ever ever ever been an issue.

Dachsielover · May 8, 2008

I've worked with nurses who've had visible tats, and no one ever complained. In fact one nurse with a large tat on her wrist got a lot of complements from pt's. I have seen a few suck their teeth at piercings. Like everyone else here, I'd probably cover for any interviews and during clinicals if you had to. With this nursing shortage going on, it'd really be a shame if anyone made a big issue out of it. Good luck!

elkpark · May 8, 2008

Most nursing schools have pretty strict dress code policies for clinical, often including no visible tattoos and limits on multiple earrings and other piercings. This varies from school to school, though -- you'll have to abide by the specific dress code at your school.

Hospitals also have dress codes and, again, the details vary greatly from one organization to another.

michiganyan · Sep 8, 2009

i am in michigan state university college of nursing bsn traditional program right now, i have two sleeves(to my wrists) and some tats on my lower leg, so whatt.....

getting a tattoo on neck mightbe a little questionable.

finding a job if you have tattoo(you think your tattoo is more than mine??)wont be a problem(i have asked some old nurses), its not 1960s.....

dont worry about this, worry about how to get into the program and worry more about the classes you are/will taking/take

good luck

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Sep 9, 2009

i have a tattoo on my nape... hehe... i don't know if it's ok

My next tattoo is going to be on the nape of my neck-I think a small one there would be cute. I have 4 tattoos now and have coworkers who have them as well...no one says anything.