Required professional image to be a nurse?

[Cutiecutiecutie]

Hello! I hope this is okay to post here. I have been thinking lately that after I finish high school that I'd like to become a nurse, however, I'd like to understand the type of image outside of work that a nurse must maintain? I'm artistic and want to take it somewhere/share it publicly also and by default my face will be tied to it. My art could be deemed... hmm... very adversarial for a typical professional image? It's not mean or hateful in anyway just very... something.

Ive heard of Media stars who are nurses? Or who go on to become nurses? Rappers who become nurses? Lots of swearing in their lyrics etc? So what's the threshold before you're off the docket for getting a nursing career?

I was speaking with a health care professional (who is a lot higher than an RPN or RN) who said theirs was very strict and they essentially can have no online personal presence or not be super secretive. But I wouldn't be able to do that with my art unless severely compromising it which would devastate me :-(...

So, if someone could be so kind as to explain the level of professional image you have to maintain outside of your work, I'd be so appreciative! Thank you so much and hope that you have a wonderful day!♡

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Healthcare is a fairly conservative (not in the political sense) and small world. Think about this- most workplaces forbid visible tattoos, and multiple piercings.

Your use of the word 'adversarial' has me confused. I think you do not understand the meaning of that word- adversarial connotes making enemies. Are you trying to delicately say you produce Mediaographic art? Act in Mediaographic films? Cam model?

[Cutiecutiecutie]

Hi, thanks so much for your reply!!

Here where I live, I see nurses with full body tattoos, piercings etc. I asked an RN about that (I didn't have the chance to ask her about this), and she said that it didn't matter about those things so long as you were put together and clean. Which ones I saw were and it was a big hospital.

Adversarial:

involving or characterized by conflict or opposition.

"industry and government had an adversarial relationship"

I think I'm using it correctly? I mean to say that it's in opposition to what one would deem a professional image.

Well honestly,

I'm a "singer" and my lyrics aren't PG and I draw and share a lot of non PG images!

Thank you again for your reply.

[CelticGoddess, BSN, RN]

Hi, thanks so much for your reply!!

Here where I live, I see nurses with full body tattoos, piercings etc. I asked an RN about that (I didn't have the chance to ask her about this), and she said that it didn't matter about those things so long as you were put together and clean. Which ones I saw were and it was a big hospital.

Adversarial:

involving or characterized by conflict or opposition.

"industry and government had an adversarial relationship"

I think I'm using it correctly? I mean to say that it's in opposition to what one would deem a professional image.

Well honestly,

I'm a "singer" and my lyrics aren't PG and I draw and share a lot of non PG images!

Thank you again for your reply.

Don't assume that because one nurse doesn't have problems with her tattoo's, that no other nurse will. At all the facilities I worked for, tattoo's had to be covered up, and two of the facilities had rules about hair color.

If your song lyrics are controversial, and if the public can connect you to the hospital/facility you work for, it could be problematic. Anything that makes the facility look "bad" might be an issue with the hire ups. And if you work in an at will state, it doesn't take much for the higher ups to dismiss people.

[Cutiecutiecutie]

Okay that answers my question perfectly. Thank you so much :-) ♡

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

If you choose to continue your "art", then be very careful not to put anything out in the public domain that you are a nurse for XXX hospital. The hospital has an image to uphold and does not want a connection to anyone controversial. The issue with nurses and tattoos is that they are at work, in scrubs, and name tag representing the hospital. Also, outside of work, don't wear your scrubs and name tag to an adult bookstore or strip club. Even though you are off the clock, you are still representing the hospital in your scrubs.

[SaltySarcasticSally, LPN, RN]

I think as long as your not wearing scrubs while doing those things or advertising that you work for a particular hospital as said above, then you would be fine. Don't share much about it in the work environment, you can keep your personal life private as long as your not planning on becoming famous. I haven't had any issues with my tattoos, I keep them covered but more and more places are becoming lenient as long as they are not deemed offensive.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

Here where I live, I see nurses with full body tattoos, piercings etc.

I am so sorry but is that a hospital where nurses are allowed to go NAKED so that the world could enjoy their full body tattoos?

Seriously, piercings and such can be just unsafe things to have in health care environment, plain and simple. People in pangs of severe agitation will pull on something and anything they can reach, and if it is someone "artistically" dilated earlobe, the catch can end (and that time it really did) in OR. Plus, yes, medicine is conservative world. Outside of work, do whatever you like. I work with one amazing guy who is a rapper playing in a local band, dedicated biker, songwriter, religious author and preacher and in between of all that keeps three active licenses as RRT, RN and ACNP. I know nurses who are Amish, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu and they wear their beautiful clothes any minutes they are out of scrubs. I myself dress quite untraditionally for middle-of-nowhere continental USA. But we all leave work and work - and home at home.