Tattoo Policy

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi! I have several tattoos - and I was curious what the typical health care employers policy is on them. The ones I have now are all easily coverable. I was however thinking of getting another one the base of my neck, which would be covered by my hair when worn down - such as during interviews etc, but it would be visible when I wear it up in a pony tail while working.

Could you please give me an idea of what the policies where you work are? This should give me a general idea of what to expect! Thanks!

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I work with an EKG tech who has a large "tribal" tattoo on his forearm. They make him wear either long sleeves or wear one of those spandex arm cover thingies. He apparently refuses to wear long sleeves so he wears the spandex thingie.

I was surprised one night recently, to see him working without anything at all covering his arm. Maybe the hospital has decided to cut him some slack.

I have a tattoo just above my left shoulderblade that no one knows about unless I tell them. I personally prefer the ones that are very easily covered up.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, WCC.

I have several staff that sport tattos. I don't mind if they show as long as they are not vulgar.

My daughter works in dietary at another facility. She has a full back tattoo and her arms are covered also.... nothing vulgar. She has large gauge holes in her ears and has timy studs in her upper and lower lip. The facility that she has worked at has changed ownership several times over the years. Whenever new management comes in, they give her grief. She wears clear plugs in her ears, and long sleeves at all times. They have wanted her to removed the studs in her lips and she has refused as the holes would close. She also belongs to the Church of Body Modification..... it protects her under the EEOC. They must still like her as she was made a supervisor two months ago. As a side note, the residents love talkign to her about her items.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.
I wouldn't add any art until after school is done. Then again I was raised not to get either tattoos or piercings.

So, the more accurate statment is that you wouldnt add any art at all then?

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thanks to all for all the replies! i am going to think on this some more... i was thinking of going this sat to get it done.. it would be tasteful... a musical staff with a very elegant treble clef and five little music notes...

i currently have both of my wrists done on the inside .. and haven't had anyone say anything at the ltc facility where i volunteer. but then again, that's a big difference between being a volunteer and employee. my husband is like a walking coloring book, lol, i lost count of how many he has.. and sometimes he goes with me, the residents just look in amazement, sometimes a little shocked, but most of the time they ask him about them and start a conversation.

i hope eventually all employers will see past tattoos and judge the person for their performance rather than appearance.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

My hospital has no policy against tats and our head nurse has a large one on her lower leg(a lovely rose) and she wears capris in the summer to work on the floor.

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Specializes in ER.

My only comment would be to carefully consider where you put your body art. While you and many others may deem it self expression or freedom of speech, employers may not be so open minded. You will always be able to get "a" job as an RN regardless of your appearance, but it may limit your options.

I have worked at hospitals who only allowed one set of piercings in the ears and small ear rings. I have seen staff have to put bandaids over nose piercings, cover tattoos with sleeves or other coverings.

It all boils down to hospital or employer policy. You may find that dream job, only to learn that your body art is a barrier to the job. Ultimately, it boils down to how bad do you want to express yourself. We all make choices we have to live with.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I know some people say, "Well, I'll just wear long sleeves to cover the tatoo." Just remember that in the summer, it can get HOT!!!!

New nurse I work with has a tat on her forearm and she was DYING the other night, wearing her long sleeved shirt under her scrubs. Fortunately, our Mngr said she can take bandage supplies from the cart to cover it in the future.

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I personally do not have a problem with small, attractive tattoos in inconspicuous places. I don't mind a bunch of small tattoos. I do not like large ones, especially sleeves. It has nothing to with what I think of the person, I judge people for what they are, not how they look. I just don't like large tattoos. I also don't like facial piercings, same reason. I just don't like how it looks. As a comparison, I see it on the same plane as people who dye their hair a weird color.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Adolescent/Child Mental Health.

I don't think our facility has a policy but I wear a thin 3/4 sleeve tee under my scrubs to keep my tattoos covered.

I've seen several other nurses/staff with tattoos showing, but I work nights so it may just be that no one from admin is around to catch them. ;)

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So, the more accurate statment is that you wouldnt add any art at all then?

Body art is a to each his own issue. I was pointing out what my own upbringing taught me was appropriate. I support the rights of individuals to make their own choices. (There are social implications for those choices...)

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

in the late 70s, i took care of a little old lady in her 70s who had tattoos on her thighs. they looked like wavy blue lines, which i thought was a little odd. when i asked her about them, she said "it's my flower." when she assumed the position for placing a foley, the tattoos started just outside her labia and took the shape of a flower with her labia as the center of it. i was in my early 20s and just off the farm . . . she was the former madame of the local brothel.

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My advice is to not get one on your neck. That can have a major career impact.

Yes, you'll find the one or two people that will claim, "Oh that never stopped me!" but that is the exception and not the norm.

Some hospitals are liberal but most do not find visible tatoos acceptable anywhere.

You also won't always be able to wear your hair down if you have to wear a scrub cap, isolation garb, etc.

Remember that a huge number of patients are 80 and over. They come from a generation where about the only people that got tatoos were those that had been in prison or got drunk and had them done at a carnival (which used to be about the only place to get one for many years).

Our Nurse Recruiter said she had to turn down an applicant because they had duplicated Kat Von Dee's stars around her eyes. This applicant had worked at a "liberal" hospital where it was not a big deal, but this person was applying for a position at our hospital that would have been a promotion for her.

The Nurse Recruiter's instructions were simple: If you can successfully cover it up with dermablend or make-up, I can hire you.

The applicant wasn't able to do so, therefore, didn't get the job.

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