Tattoo cover up

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Hello!

I just started my clinical rotation for school last week and it's been really really great! I am in the LPN program at my school and we've just been doing bed baths and changing linens and charting but it's been awesome getting out of the classroom and 'getting my hands dirty' finally!

I just had a question for those of you out there with tattoos. I have several, most are covered by clothing except for one on my wrist. Our program and both hospitals we do rotation at have a strict 'no visible tattoos/piercing' policy when we're in clincials. Currently I use just white sports tape wrapped around my wrist to hide it, and that has worked out fine. Our instructors suggested either long sleeve shirts under your scrubs (but we're in South GA so it's already hot as heck here), or some kind of ACE wrap/bandage.

I know that most hospitals have tattoo policies and I am not sure that what I am doing now would fly once I am working at a hospital. I have also been wanting to get a tattoo on my shoulder that extends down partway on my upper arm, and I am sure scrubs would cover it but I would like to know what to do in case they don't. Does anyone currently working in a hospital have tattoos or know someone that does? What did you or they do to cover them? What is acceptable at your hospital?

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Dermablend is a product that covers tattoos very well - you can find it online and JCPenney use to sell it. It's water proof and stays on - I've used it to cover a tat I had on my ankle at one time.

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Long sleeves and Lab coats! hopefully they have AC in the hospital..

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Specializes in Infectious Disease, Neuro, Research.

Most of mine are chest work- I have one visible bracelet on my forearm. If you are applying at a corporate hospital (part of a multi-state/large corporation chain), rule of thumb is cover when interviewing, don't worry about it after you're hired, unless it is specifically addressed prior to your signing your employment papers.

Corporate facilities won't risk the discrimination suit, unless your ink is "distasteful". I.e., a grim reaper and dancing skulls on your forearms will, in fact, get you transferred/fired from the oncology/peds/etc., floor.

Private facilities generally have more site-specific discretion, applying to their code of conduct/professional standards enforcement. If you're applying to a private- what they say goes.

Some have taken offense to what I've said in other posts, but if you're fairly discreet you generally won't have a problem. If you like to push limits, you're likley to meet someone who's happy to set them for you.;)

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

Dermablend is great.

While most places have anti-tattoo rules, not all enforce them. It depends on what the tattoo is, sometimes. It depends on where you work too. Some clients are more offended by tattoos than others, so the rules can vary due to that.

When you start working, watch to see what others do, and ask around, if you don't get a copy of the rules.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Hemodialysis.

I've heard good things about the Dermablend that Marshall1 mentioned. You might also check into the Kat Von D line at Sephora, believe it or not she makes a line of makeup that is supposed to cover up tattoos.

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I have one on my left upp arm, and it sometimes shows. They are not supposed to be visable at my place of employment, but when it does show, they do not say anything to me.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

Dermablend (and other like products) may be great but patients may have allergies on their components. I once got systemic reaction because of that; having this product permanently applied on wrist area, it would be really difficult to avoid contamination of water while giving baths.

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Can you cover your wrist tattoo with a really thick watch? I wear longsleeves at work but am going to look in to a sweat band to cover it because even with AC it gets HOT sometimes.

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Is it small enough that your watch can cover it? At the facilities I have been to they stress no sleeves around the wrist, for infection control purposes. If you do wear long sleeves they have to be pushed up. I'm just thinking how nasty a wrap around your wrist could get by the end of the day. If a watch can cover it, then that would be the way to go. If not, it wouldn't hurt to try the makeup. I would stay away from the wraps and long sleeves. Let us know how the makeup goes if you try it. I'm thinking about a small wrist tat myself.

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The tattoo in question is on your wrist. How about wearing a watch? And don't worry about which wrist it's on, so many people wear their watch on the "wrong" side. Also, when I wear a watch, I turn it so the face is on my inner wrist, like where you would take a pulse. So there is really no wrong way to wear a watch and if it covers a tattoo, who's going to question it?

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Specializes in Mental Health, Medical Research, Periop.

If you can get away with a wrist sweatband that covers it, utilize it. You may start a trend, lol! You may be able to find some cool colors, or designs for wristbands online which I think sounds great. If you get sick of the wristbands, people have recommended dermablend and if you opt for something else many make up counters sell waterproof make-up products that cover scars and tattoos (MAC, Sephora). Good Luck to you!!!

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