Nursing and tattoos

Published

  1. Do you have any tattoos?

    • 716
      No, never would
    • 525
      No, but would like to
    • 712
      Yes, but only one in a discreet area
    • 83
      Yes, but I wish I didn't
    • 990
      Yes, I have more than one, but less than ten
    • 132
      Yes, my body is a living canvas

1,962 members have participated

:D Just thought we needed a new poll...

I wanted a tatoo also when I was younger, but when I would talk to older patient's about theirs they would always tell me that they regret it now and it is to expensive to get it removed. When I had person after person telling me that I had to stop and listen. I have several friends that have tatoos and they are ok. But I guess just not for me.

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Specializes in ICF-MR.

I have a few tats,

behind both ears, a large one on the back of my neck and above my ankle

I want more but I'm holdin off for a while...

I don't regret them, I don't think tats on anyone are "trashy", and I'm of the opinion that when I'm old and wrinkly in my 60s and beyond I won't care if they are distorted or not :D

I actually like the fact that they are more acceptable now (even though we recently moved back to the US from Japan and while living there, a ban against all tattooed people was put into effect at various parks, which was weird because traditional Japanese tattoos have a huge influence in tattoo culture, but apparently some Japanese still cannot seem to not associate tattoos with the yakuza. I'm a blonde haired white woman, certainly not yakuza LOL, so why ban me? LOL), and to those that don't care for them, I just say "To each their own".

I really try to live by not judging others by their appearance. :cool:

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Specializes in LTF, ALF, Primary & Rhuematology offices.

i happen to love tattoos! i dont care if when i get older and start to wrinkle they look like raisins. shoot the way things are looking i might not even remember what they were supposed to be anyway so why not give myself something to ponder lol.

i have tattoos that mean something to ME and it is MY body im not forcing anyone to understand why i have them because truth is if you dont like them you will never understand why i have them. i am a wonderful person, a fantastic nurse on the grow and in my professional life that is all that matters. i have a panther cub and orchid on my deltoid- my first and represented me going out on my own, two angels on my shoulder blade- my deceased grandparents, and Phoenix/peacock mix on my hip down my thigh- reminds me to be bold and stand tall and proud and that represents the continuum of life and changes that i go through which is a short version of what they both symbolize. and i used to have my tongue pierced but i took it out.

but i think that they are all personal choices. i mean way back when red lipstick and red nail polish were something that was frowned upon and look how far we are there are hundreds of shades of them both.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

This reminded me of patient I had the other day she was in her 80's and was a retired nurse. She had just got her 1st tattoo a couple of years ago!

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

i just cant stand them. on a man, or a woman.

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Unprofessional in the healthcare environment. If you love them, then they are personal to you, which means that they do not need to be visible to the outside public.

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Something being personal to someone has nothing to do with whether or not it should be visible to the public...just saying...IMO. If something is personal to someone then it's up to them to do whatever they want with it and to share it or not share it... or show it or not show it....to whomever they want.

I've been in healthcare for 6 years...I'm in nursing school now.. but I see healthcare workers with tattoos all the time. :D

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Unprofessional in the healthcare environment. If you love them, then they are personal to you, which means that they do not need to be visible to the outside public.

There was a time when the professional nurse came to work in all white, a nursing cap, cape, and would never have thought about wearing make-up or ear rings. Times change and so do people's perspectives on professionalism.

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I'm not trying to offend anyone as I also have a tat, however, I also understand why it is against hospital policy to have them visible. My tattoo is personal and and for me has everything to do with whether or not I choose to make it visible. I know that tats are offensive to many individuals and is why mine is out of public view. I suppose for me personally, it is out of respect for those that do not like them or find them offensive.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I'm not trying to offend anyone as I also have a tat, however, I also understand why it is against hospital policy to have them visible. My tattoo is personal and and for me has everything to do with whether or not I choose to make it visible. I know that tats are offensive to many individuals and is why mine is out of public view. I suppose for me personally, it is out of respect for those that do not like them or find them offensive.

Tattoos are the new norm. We all have to adjust. I keep all mine concealed while at work, but I don't ask others to do the same.

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I've got about 11 tattoos. I just tried counting but I always seem to miss one or two. A few of them are a heart with a keyhole and wings and a crown in black and grey on my right forearm (husband has the key somewhere on his arm), a pink ribbon the inside of my left wrist (I got it outlined in dark pink rather than black so it doesn't stand out. Most people think its a stamp), on my left upper arm I have vines with a cherry blossom for each of my children, my right upper arm I have a sugar skull and a cluster of stars on the back of my neck. They are all covered except for the pink ribbon and sometimes the forearm one. They have never been an issue and I'm currently working in the corporate office of a major healthcare system, sitting in contract negotiations. I even put hot pink highlights in my hair for Breast Cancer Awareness month and it was a nonissue. I don't plan on "pinking" my hair ever again though.

I think tattoos are okay as long as they're tastefully done. The ejaculating member someone mentioned several pages back is just not okay hahahaha! Sure there are some designs that I don't agree with or would never ever get (like names, religious symbols or any characters) but some people look at mine and say, "a skull?! Stupid girl." I try not to judge...but some people make that very difficult! (aforementioned member)

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