So 4 weeks ago I started my first semester of nursing school. I got accepted into the program in November and had orientation on December 16. The head of the nursing department was the one holding the orientation. Now, I have tattoos on my left wrist- 2 small black Kanji tattoos that are close to my hand on my inner wrist and the second is a floral band that wraps all around my wrist above the Kanji tattoos. I was very nervous to show her them, because I knew they have a strict no visible tattoo policy. I showed her my tattoos and she said to cover the floral one with a watch that has a wide, stretchy band and cover the other ones with Dermablend for clinicals. She made me feel better about the tattoos so I registered for classes and paid my tuition. I bought my books, supplies, and uniform. I bought Dermablend to cover my tattoos. Spent about $3,000 for the semester all in all, not to mention all the money I spent on pre-req's. All I had to do was wait for classes to start.
Fast forward to Week 3 of NS and we have our first skills test, and there is a major problem with covering my tattoos. The Dermablend did NOT work. Neither did any of the other products I bought to cover my tattoos. My instructors wouldn't even let me test for hand washing. After my second attempt at trying to cover the tattoos and take the test, my instructor took me to the head of the nursing department. She didn't remember me at first, but then she remembered seeing my tattoos at orientation. She insisted that Dermabland has worked for other students in the past, so it should work for me. I told her I have tried everything I could to cover them and nothing worked. She wouldn't let me use a band-aid for the smaller tattoos, wear long sleeves, wear a lab coat, nothing. Just make-up and if I couldn't cover up my tattoos with make up then I couldn't continue in the program. She said it's the clinical site's policy to not allow visible tattoos, not the college's. So I cannot continue in the program and I'm out.
Now, I believe she should have told me when she saw my tattoos that were going to be a problem. She also never told me I had to cover them during testing, only at clinical. Should I just let the matter drop and take a loss or fight back and try to get some of my tuition money back? Any thoughts, suggestions? I know there are nurses out there that have tattoos, even if they are covered under long sleeves.
They don't let you wear long sleeves under your scrub top? Tthat's surprising. We have a no visible tattoos policy in clinicals too, and I always wear sleeves because I have a tattoo on my left forearm.
Another option to look into would be a warm-up jacket (not a lab coat); my scrub uniform came with an optional one. It's a long-sleeved snap-up jacket that matches my scrub top. It's not terribly flattering but the cuffs are stretchy and elastic which would make it ideal for covering up a wrist tattoo.
Tattoo removal is a pretty expensive (and painful!) procedure, so I would definitely weigh all your options.
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions! I withdrew from class, as I talked with the VP of health professions and he said there was nothing I could do about covering the tattoos other than using make-up. It really angers me because he said this has happened to other students. I also talked to a college adviser and he told me a story about a guy that had tattoo sleeves on both arms and tattoos on both hands and the nursing department clearly knew there was no way he could cover all those tattoos according to their uniform policy- no long sleeves. They let him register for class and pay his tuition. A week into class they pulled him aside and told him he could no longer continue. It seems like they want to protect themselves against discrimination by allowing us to enroll in the program and then after we discover we have no way to cover the tattoos, they kick us out. I was told by my college adviser to write a letter to the president of the college and inform him of what is happening because he might not even be aware that this is going on. It might not change anything, but I will feel better that he knows.
My college adviser told me he has secretly asked around at the local hospitals about this matter because so many students are having a problem and a lot of the hospitals around here have a no visible tattoo policy, but they are not enforced. I just have to get through nursing school to find a hospital that will hire me, even if I have a hard time finding one. I think that should be my problem, not the school's.
Tattoo removal is not an option for me at this point. Maybe in the future I will be able to save up and pay the $2000 that it will take to have them removed.
In the meantime, I have to be put an appeal in to try and get my tuition back. Of course I will have to take a loss on all the money I've spent on supplies and the $1000 I spent in books, but a little money back is better than nothing. I'm looking into other schools in my area and their tattoo policies. I may even have to go for my LPN instead of my RN as the LPN school in my area is less strict in their tattoo policy.
Thanks again, and thank you for reading if you got this far! )
It doesn't sound like they were trying to protect themselves from anything, it sounds like they just wanted your money. That's awful. If I were you I would seriously consider speaking with a lawyer.
Wow what a terrible school. Cut your loses and run far far away. I know that my school had a strict policy on tattoos, but we could wear long sleeves and band aids. But at the hospital, once you start working, they become a little more lax. They are even going so far as to review and update their tattoo policy.
I have a decent sized tattoo on my left inner wrist. It can be almost totally covered with a watch. So far, the only issue I have come across is that during our OB rotation we were not allowed to wear a watch (handling the newborns) and I needed to cover my tat due to "strict hospital policy". I tried a duoderm - didnt work, you can see through them. I tried a bandage - didn't work and was tacky. Every time you wash your hands you would need a new one. And I didn't bother with makeup - I only imagine hand washing would remove that as well.. I guess I was lucky because my instructor didn't make a big stink about it. It really is a ridiculous policy.. I've seen plenty of nurses in the field who look dirty and unkept with dirty fingernails.. to me, that is a far bigger problem than a tattoo. But, things will change in time. I would however change schools. They never should have let you enroll if they knew they would be kicking you out. That's bad business. It's especially silly since a tattoo in that area is easily covered with a watch which is generally required anyway!
Good luck and definitely fight it and find a different school. Keep your books, you may be able to use them at the next school you find. If not, they make great references which you will need for the papers you will be writing.
You could sell any books you don't need at your new school to the incoming class at your old school (next term). Keep looking for schools. Our clinical sites all have a "no visible tattoos" policy but enforce it to varying extents.
I would do my best to get my money back, tell that program to go take a hike, and enroll somewhere else. I live in one of the most conservative parts of Texas (which is very conservative anyway), and we have a lot of students with tattoos and piercings. They let us wear long sleeves, band aids, makeup, whatever we need, and it's not a big deal. I myself have a half-sleeve and I just wear a long-sleeve shirt under my clinical top. I haven't had any problems. I can't believe the school is making such a big deal. What a crock!!!
This sounds like BS to me. Its not like you have orange hair and can dye it back, or a piercing you can take out. Maybe because I am in California and live in an area where people are pretty liberal (went to nursing school with a nose ring and Monroe piercing and was never asked to take it out, went to school with several people that had visible tattoos and they were never asked to cover them up; work with a girl who has piercings ALL over and our employer has never asked her to take them out). I am guess that you live in a conservative area and they think tattoos are offensive. Maybe you should tell your teacher the way she dresses offends you and she would be required to change her clothes or go on probation. Your tattoos are not going to make a difference of what kind of nurse you are going to be; I would do what ever it takes to get your money back and go apply to another school without such ludicrous rules.
I dont understand why coverup makeup doesnt work on you but it does on others.
I think the location of the tattoo is interfering with the cover up makeup. I have no problem with the cover up on the one that is further up my wrist, but when I put cover up on the one that is closer to my hand, it washes off. The friction and pressure caused by my thumb, when I wash my inner wrist, rubs the make up off. I'm glad I got out when I did because I would have hate to have gotten further and then have a problem when I have to scrub my arms for sterile/surgical procedures or something.
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ErinRN2B
315 Posts
They don't let you wear long sleeves under your scrub top? Tthat's surprising. We have a no visible tattoos policy in clinicals too, and I always wear sleeves because I have a tattoo on my left forearm.
Another option to look into would be a warm-up jacket (not a lab coat); my scrub uniform came with an optional one. It's a long-sleeved snap-up jacket that matches my scrub top. It's not terribly flattering but the cuffs are stretchy and elastic which would make it ideal for covering up a wrist tattoo.
Tattoo removal is a pretty expensive (and painful!) procedure, so I would definitely weigh all your options.