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 do special fx make-up for a hobby, Tattoo cover up make-up is made and should be available at a local theater make-up shop. I have 3 tats two of which might be visable whith scrubs. My school has a policy that they should be covered and that a person can only have 2 ear piercings one in each ear .
Rob
theater shops now I have not thought of that thanks!!!
haha... after reading this forum, I feel a little more comfortable about choosing nursing as a career. My situation seems to be a little different than everyone else's though.
After I turned 18, I started apprenticing under a local tattoo artist and remained a devoted member of the studio for almost a year, along the way aquireing quite a few tattoos and piercings (lebret, gauged ear lobes, the largest being the 0g in my left ear). It seems that unlike the people that wrote the posts that i read, I have what could be considered sleeves and half sleeves. for starters, my left forearm is wrapped with 6 inch blue and white flames, and I don't intend on stopping there, just because of my love for the art.
I live in KY, does anyone else live in the state that can give me some insight on their policies?
I have not encountered any problems with tattoos as of yet. I have six, only visible when wearing shorts or tanks, which don't happen at the hospital. I am getting my 7th in a couple of months on my inner arm, and I'm not too worried. That's how I am, if they don't like it then they don't have to hire me!!!
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?
I think we have to remember that society has changed a great deal. What used to be taboo, is often times commonplace today. Nurses used to be angels in white and hand maidens-- do we really want to go backwards? Food for thought. I got a tattoo with one of my nursing friends. I got two dragonflys and flowers on my left ankle/calf About 3x3 inches. I got it for me and only me, it represents things to me and I am willing to show it to others if they ask or we get onto the tattoo topic. I also have seen some very nice tattoos in all sorts of places on patients. Its living art and symbolic to the person. Unless the tattoo if valgar or has incident acts portrayed in it or the F*** word it in then I don't see it as a problem, and I work with several male/female nurses who have tats all over. Same goes for nose piercing... eyebows I don't really see except on the ports so I guss thats okay too.
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?
More than likely school will have you cover it up. Easy since all you need to do is wear a long sleeved shirt under your scrubs although you might get hot.
Lately I've noticed that although HR stresses the "no tattoo" rule the manager in that department doesn't mind or doesn't notice. I've seen a couple aids, nurses, unit clerks who have writing on thier hand or a tattoo peeking out from under their sleeve (my old facility had a girl with a large tattoo on the back of her neck and no one cared) and no one says anything. My ankle tattoo is visible when I sit down because I wear short socks. I have yet to hear anything about it.
Specializes in Open Heart/ Trauma/ Sx Stepdown/ Tele.
Where I am employed there is a new policy on jewlery and tat's...however it really is left up to the manager of the floor. Facial jewlery should be removed...all earrings except for one pair of studs. I personally have one ear with three holes on the bottom, the other with four on the bottom and three cartilage piercings...I will sometimes remove the bottoms, but the cartilage piercings have always stayed in. I have my navel pierced, which does not show. I also have two tat's. One on my ankle of two roses going up and two roses wrapping around the ankle...it can be seen when I sit. The one on my left shoulder going down to the middle of my back is of a wolf with a moon and eagle feathers. That one is not visible at work. Some of my fellow coworkers still don't realize I have tat's. Having tat's or body jewlery does not imply that one is unprofessional nor inadequate as a nurse.
One of the techs at the hospital I worked for 3 years ago had a tattoo on his neck and no one said anything...I myself have 4 tats and the only one that is really visible is the one on my arm and you can only see it when I roll up my sleeves on my top while scrubbing...I'm actually thinking of having my tongue piercing redone(turning 35 in two weeks-think it's early midlife crisis!)
During clinical, I have seen people with visible tattoos and I have not heard anyone said anything about it. It may depend on the hospital too. I have 7 tattoos and one of them is a half sleeve and during nursing school, I have to have all of my tattoos covered. Could be a different story though once I start working at a hospital.
i have 3 tattoos . one at my right back shoulder it's 2 rose buds with my name on it in the middle of the 2 rose buds. another one at my back of my waist, it's playboy bunny with a red collar. the third one is at my right side calf, it's a dolphin with wings and halo on it. it's colorful... i love art that's why. i think its not bad though having those things...it depends in the individual how you carry it.
. 
Soon2BNurse
71 Posts
I didn't mean to be rude or anything, just wanted to say the outline is usually worse and you got that over with :)