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.
Piercings are usually a different story even though they are more easily removed than tattoos :chuckle
Exactly! You don't see any patient ripping off tattoo, do you? Rings on any sort are too easily removed, even if it means thru a way that wasn't there before (leaving you with two nice flaps of skin). -Andrea
with the nose peircing - as long as it is a small, discreet stud (and i mean SMALL) i dont think it should be a problem. i have seen nurses with them before and they dont look unprofessional as long as it is indiscreet. a teeny tiny little diamond stud (little bitty) should be ok i would think.
I have 4. The state of Texas on the right ankle, a frog on the left ankle for surviving my first year of NS, a ladybug on the top of my left foot for luck, and a purple heart on my right breast area. I intentionally had them put there to be easily concealed if needed. Occasionally, the ones on my ankle can be seen if I am squatting and my pants leg comes up, the others cannot be seen at all. They are usually great conversation starters with old and young alike. If I have a patient with tattoos I always comment and then they want to see the ones on my ankles........a little show and tell going on :rotfl:
In the hospital that I work at you would be hard pressed to find employees without tattoos!! :chuckle We even have significantly older nurses that shocks me to know they have tattoos. I view it as another avenue in ways that people express themselves and doesn't bother me in the least. I also don't have a problem with the piercings to an extent. The peircings that tend to worry me are the 20 on the face, lip, eyebrows etc......or the ones with the ears that have the HUGE holes that they are stretching.....I think it is scary looking and would be a little leary of having someone like that takeing care of my loved ones...........Not that they aren't competent, but i just imagine myself waking up from anesthesia and this person leaning over me with all these peircings saying "Wake up" and be like, "OMG, I must be in H***!" :uhoh21:
Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.
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....?
I think our hospital has a facial-piercing ban, justifying it as an 'infection risk', in the same category with fake nails. I don't get it....but that's what they said.
Lots of our nurses have tats (as do i), and many are visible. i've never heard any complaints- but I'm sure it's regional and/or hospital-specific in terms of attitude.
Alot of our nurses have tattoos both visable and not..I myself have 3. All of which you sometimes can see sometimes can not...noone ever makes a big deal. I have never heard anyone make any negative comments about them. A few of our nurses also have piercings...A few have nose rings and one even has her skin below her lip pierced...also never made an issue...I think if you gain respect as a good caring nurse, noone really pays attention how you look or how you decorate your body...
I have one tattoo that is visible at all times, it is located on the inside of my right wrist and it is very noticble.
I have never had an instance where the facility I work has made me cover it up, in fact, most of the time they are very intrigued about it and it's meaning. I've had lots of situation's involving my tattoo on sight, the most memorable is when the assistant director of nursing asked me which arm I would like my TB test shot given and when I turned my wrist over she freaked out (in a good way) and wanted to know everything surrounding and concerning my tat. It was so funny!
I believe it's a general understanding that if the tattoo's are not offensive or cover the majority of your body making one look obscene then it is allowed.
I remember working with a CNA/Med Tech who had vibrant red hair that was spiked, around six piercings in each ear, a nose and eyebrow piercing and visible tattoo's. But they were all decent and looked gorgeous on her. So, I bet it just comes down to your facility.
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!
I have a nose piercing as well. I have not been through clinicals yet but I will deal with it when it comes. The only thing that I can thing of is that at least with a piercing you can just take out all of the ones that are noticeable or it doesn't cost you a fortune to get rid of it, but with tattoos...it is a different story. Permanent.. unless you want to spend a fortune taking it off. At the nursing home that I work at, it is the same story. Noone says anything about tatoos or piercings unless someones thinks that they are distasteful or so on. But I do think that they make more of it at nursing school. Couldn't have a piercing in the military, can't have one now(not saying that nursing is like the military). I'll get over it. At least it's one that I can put back in at the end of the night.
HI all.....I have a nose piercing and honestly no on has ever said a word to me about it! In fact I think that it looks nice, I cant see why it would be an issue when there are others who are working who have terrible hygiene which to me is also an infection risk.....where will they draw the line?
Tattoos i think look fine as long as they are tactful. As well my nose ring initiates alot of discussion amongst patients, wanting to know if it hurt, etc.
HI all.....I have a nose piercing and honestly no on has ever said a word to me about it! In fact I think that it looks nice, I cant see why it would be an issue when there are others who are working who have terrible hygiene which to me is also an infection risk.....where will they draw the line?
Tattoos i think look fine as long as they are tactful. As well my nose ring initiates alot of discussion amongst patients, wanting to know if it hurt, etc.
Overall, I think its a freedom of speech!
Some of my residents that do not see very well(my nose piercing is very small) think that I have something on my nose(well besides a piercing). It's kind of funny. I have to explain. No, that's supposed to be there. Then they become very interested.
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 used to work in a hospital and there were a lot of staff, nursing all the way to maintanance, that had visible tattoos and the hospital was ok with it. except this one girl who was a CNA had profanity written down her arm and they made her wear a lab coat at all times. if she were caught without they would send her home. and now i work in a doctors office and one girl there has tattoos all over and they hired her with no questions about it. so i guess it will depend on where you work and what your tattoos are
Aneroo, LPN
1,518 Posts
Exactly! You don't see any patient ripping off tattoo, do you? Rings on any sort are too easily removed, even if it means thru a way that wasn't there before (leaving you with two nice flaps of skin). -Andrea