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.
I've been reading through all the posting about tattoos on nurses and I noticed that nobody really mentioned sizable tattoos. Mostly, people referred to smaller ones. I myself am about to begin nursing school next fall and have a very large tattoo covering my right arm and right chest completely. It's a very beautiful red dragon done in a Japanese traditional style. I plan to have a complete japanese body suit by the time I die with many different themes of nature and Eastern Mysticism. Most people, I think, would not find that offensive. However beautiful my tattoos might be, I'm still worried that I'd have to cover them up due to their size. What is the opinion of my fellow forum members?
Hello MLNurse,
Mine is not visible but is large, (was the start of a full back in progress but put on hold). Next is going to be my right near full leg from waist to calf. These may be eventually joined together in the Japanese style.
Meanwhile I am very surprised that I am considering an in easy view small tattoo, (first of all I am not a small tattoo kind of person). The "break the silence about violence" campaign called Into The Night uses a crescent moon symbol to represent both night time and woman too and I am planning on having it put on my inner wrist. A classmate suggests to get it where the watchband would go for discretion.
Best wishes,
Gen
p.s. many of my coworkers have had visible tatoos and also non visible tattoos in the past without issue
i don't think you have anything to worry about. as long as the tattoo is not offensive in anyway, you should be fine. I have tattoos as well and also have run into many nurses who have them and nothing has been said or done against them.
My husband and I both have tattoo(s) and as my husband says...never where a judge can see it! Which is quite funny considering my husband is in management and has NEVER been in front of a judge, and prob never will be!!
I don't have any tattoos yet. I plan on getting at least two and several other peircings. I have three peircing in my ears and a navel (can't see at work) But I was surprised at how many aides and nurses have tattoos. I work at a nursing home so its kind of weird for me to see a couple of the older nurses and even some of the residents with tattoos. We've also come across some of the nursing staff with facial peircings. None of the residents seem to mind and as far as I know we don't really have a dress code about tattoos and peircings.
Ive got a half sleeve...on my right arm... from my upper shoulder down to the elbow, all the way over. I will wear 3/4 sleeve shirts since its not proper to show it just like its not proper in my opinion to show piercings besides one in the ear. I have a tongue ring and my belly button pierced but where spacers and they can not be seen. I have no problems with tats and piercings I love them but in a workplace it does not need to be seen UNLESS its part of the business or a very liberal workplace where people show there individuality in healthcare thats not needed.
I have 7 tattoo's all covered by my scrubs, the one on my chest sometimes shows. I work in the ER, and we have a nurse (female) who has a medium size tat on her forearm, which she was hired with 8 years ago. There are also others that have parts of them visible, no big deal. I work for the 2nd best employer in Ohio - Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC)...I love it here. They are great. Bottom line do what feels right to you.
i have both sleeves done. all the way down to my wrist. i have never gotten any trouble for it. i feel the patients are curious about it, not hostile.. i still feel i dont want to make attraction to my tattoos. but my sleeves were already done before i choose nursing as a profession. i asked my bosses over the time and all of them said it was ok to show it. if it would occur a situation i might have to cover it up they told me.. nursing is plural.. there should be a certain dresscode but at the very end it all depends on your skills and your personality.
My husband and I both have tattoo(s) and as my husband says...never where a judge can see it! Which is quite funny considering my husband is in management and has NEVER been in front of a judge, and prob never will be!!
Never where a judge can see it.
Of course, since your hubby has never had legal trouble you could interpret it as a pun, as in a legal judge or a person on a moral high horse, ya know?
i have tattoos and a piercing....all visible....and i don't cover them up at work. i have bracelet tattoos around both wrists and a silver stud in my lip. i had issues at the last hospital i worked at with my lip ring, and brought up the fact that policy or not, it is discrimination. needless to say, i did not change my appearance at all.
Hey everyone, I have quite a few tats. over 15 none so far show when i'm wearing scrubs except the very very bottom of the one on my left upper arm and all you see is an anatomically correct heart (the tat is a zombie nurse) I also have my septum pierced and a monroe piercing (supposed to represent Marilyn Monroe's mole ) I wear jewlery in my septum that can be turned up inside my nose for work and I wear a retainer in my Monroe. Our hospital policy is no facial piercings and tats can be visible if not obscene or vulgar.
Each hospital has it's own dress code and policy on tats and piercings. Where I work now our policy is very straight forward: tats must be covered if visible. Piercings are limited to two sets of holes in a staff members ears; all others must be removed while at work. I will admit that a few of our staff have tattoos that are visible and not covered, each supervisor is a little different in how they handle this. I keep mine covered and prefer to do so at work - I think its' just more professional looking. But, again that's personal preference,
i agree biker momma. covering up as much as possible is the best. so if you have tattoos down to your wrist (full sleeve) how can you cover it to hygienic principles?
Never where a judge can see it.
Gennaver, MSN
1,686 Posts
Hello MLNurse,
Mine is not visible but is large, (was the start of a full back in progress but put on hold). Next is going to be my right near full leg from waist to calf. These may be eventually joined together in the Japanese style.
Meanwhile I am very surprised that I am considering an in easy view small tattoo, (first of all I am not a small tattoo kind of person). The "break the silence about violence" campaign called Into The Night uses a crescent moon symbol to represent both night time and woman too and I am planning on having it put on my inner wrist. A classmate suggests to get it where the watchband would go for discretion.
Best wishes,
Gen
p.s. many of my coworkers have had visible tatoos and also non visible tattoos in the past without issue