Tattoo's on Nurses

meownsmile, BSN, RN · May 19, 2005

How did your clinical instructors deal with the tatoos? I guess you could take your cue from their reaction and how the patients you delt with in clincals handled it. I really couldnt say for sure. If people i work with have tatoos, they arent at all visible as far as ive noticed.

Good luck.

ERNurse752, RN · May 19, 2005

They shouldn't be visible during an interview. Most places have a dress code, but it'll probably just depend on the facility. I think they have to be covered where I work.

Soon2BNurse · May 19, 2005

A very good question, one I think many people would want to know the answer to. My best friend wants to become a nurse and is taking pre-nursing school classes and with this all in mind got a tattoo on her wrist. I warned her about it, but she chose to do it anyways. I don't have any visible tattoos and chose to because of the profession or any profession that I might seek.

I'd think it would depend on the area, hospital, person hiring, etc, but I really have no clue :rolleyes:

lna2rn · May 19, 2005

Hi all!
Finals are over and I can breathe again! Yipee!
I have a question. I have 4 tattoo's any of which could possibly show in scrubs. None of which would show fully.
1 is on the back of my neck and I have long hair, but even with my hair pulled up my shirt covers most of it.
The other 3 are on my upper arm area where my sleeve would cover it unless my sleeves came all the way up like a tank top almost. Like, if I wear a top with cap sleeves you can see a little of it.
The one on my neck is a sun, moon and stars.
The ones on my arm are 3 Kanji symbols.
So, finally, here's my question, is this something that a hospital will flat out not hire a nurse over?
In all my hospital stays I've never seen a nurse with a visible tattoo, or at least never noticed it.
Does anyone have any experience with it?
Thanks!

I am cuurently an lna and have a tat on my back between my shoulder blades occasionally it is noticeable but I have not gotten anf flack about it. Just shock that I have one. I work in a private hospital in NH and have worked agency. No one has ever complained, as long as it is tastefull and not offensive. ie foul language, nudity

pricklypear · May 19, 2005

I work with several nurses who have small tattoos on their ankles. One has one just under her collar bone which shows at times. It's never been any big deal at all. Piercings, are a different story.

Soon2BNurse · May 19, 2005

Piercings are usually a different story even though they are more easily removed than tattoos :chuckle

indigo · May 19, 2005

Piercings are usually a different story even though they are more easily removed than tattoos :chuckle

I am a brand new RN and I have a nose piercing. I think it is attractive and I don't see how it would offend anyone. As far as I know, our hospital doesn't have rules against it. My nursing program did (I had to use a plastic plug that made it look like a blackhead!@?!?!), but as far as I know, when I go to orientation on Monday I will have it on and don't intend to take it out. I have given presentations at the RN staff meeting, and I wore it at graduation and no one complained. It's really no big deal. I have a tattoo on my forearm that means loving-kindness, and when someone asks me what it means and I tell them, they always give me a warm, loving response. I'm a 49-year-old lady, a breast cancer survivor (just finished chemo/rads in January) and mother of three, as well as a new nurse. Can't see how I would freak anyone out!

Soon2BNurse · May 19, 2005

indigo, I think it is very neat that you have your nose pierced.

I have nothing against piercings, but sadly not everyone feels the same way.

Surfer8210 · May 19, 2005

The hospital I recently worked at had a written policy regarding piercings....they were not allowed. I guess they can choose their employees according to what they deem to be acceptable and if you don't agree with their policies that's fine with them. Tatoos were another matter, they had no policy regarding the display, although I'm sure if there was a distastfull one in their opinion it would have to be covered. Why am I on this computer when I have a final in a few hours....?

tvccrn, ASN, RN · May 19, 2005

I have one tattoo that shows constantly when my hair is short. It's a clover just under my right ear. I work in a Cahtolic facility and have never had anything bad said about it. I have even had a couple of the administrators compliment me on it. Working in Wisconsin, I did expect to have comment sfrom my patients as this is a fairly conservative area, but all the patients that say anything about it think it's cute. I do have a couple of others that occasionally show if I am not wearing my scrub jacket. The custom ferret face and paws run-around on my left arm gets quite a few comments, all favorable. It usually leads to a conversation about the little critters and keeps my patients mind off the procedure they are undergoing.

I think as long as you keep it tasteful and moderate-sized that no too many places are going to say much.

angie1982 · May 19, 2005

I have a tatoo on my forearm. A purple rose that i have had for five years now. I have never received any flack about it. However I am the type of person that is always cold, so i am always wearing a scrub jacket or a long sleeve white tee under my scrub tops. On occasion I have worn just a scrub top and people have seen my tatoo. I usually just get a few suprising remarks like oh I didn't know you had a tatoo, usually just because they have never seen it before b/c it is usually coveredup . I really do not feel like it is that big of a deal as long as it is not offensive. I have another tatoo on my lower back that is a dragon but noone ever sees that except my boyfriend. Anyway I would definatly keep them covered during job interviews b/c a lot of people look down on people that have tatoos and an interview is a first impression and important to make a good one.