Tattoos and nursing

Nurses General Nursing

Published

:uhoh3:I have a tattoo of a lotus flower below my collar bone and am going to school for my associates in nursing. I am worried that finding a job will be hard.

I don't know what you wear to work, but I don't think I've ever exposed my collar bones. LOL

my scrubs are v necks mostly and my collar bones are obvious. i think the only way your collar bones don't show is if you're extremely overweight.

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I have a half sleeve, and a big chest piece that goes to my collar bone. I am a very successful nurse, and tattoos have never been a problem. Interview with long sleeves and high collar if you are very worried about it. Nobody cares.....let your work and attitude speak for yourself; that is what people care about.

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Specializes in ICU.
look into getting that puppy removed. laser removal is usually done in sessions so you can pay a little at a time. i have a tattoo on my wrist which i cover with a bracelet at work, but i may have it removed eventually. i never thought i'd say that and even though i hate to admit it (and i deny it to my husband who hates it) i even hide it when i'm not at work. he says, "you hide that bc you know it looks stupid" and i'm like, "no i don't! i don't care...i like it." LOL. it was a lot cooler when i was 19 and "different."

No, need to get it removed. I don't show anything while working below my collar bone. I have one on my arm, one on my shoulder and one on my back, and once I become employed again, there will be one on my foot. I know nurses who have them on the backs of their necks, on their wrists, on their forearms. Great nurses. Got the job. If you don't like the tattoo, remove it by all means, if you are removing it to land a job, it really doesn't have impact as long as you interview in proper attire.

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lol don't get it removed. I have a chest piece, backs of my legs, arms, back of neck, and a few only visible to my hubby.

I'm switching to nursing after a career in opera and concert/oratorio work (bachelor's and master's degrees in opera). I wear very formal, often ballroom, gowns for most of my concert gigs. As for costumes, that was never an issue because the makeup person would just work their magic. I used dermablend for concert/oratorio work. Depending on which of my gowns I wore, I'd just cover up whichever ones showed and voila.

I think it's hilarious that one of the posters said they wouldn't hire you. Honey, you'd have no idea I even have any tattoos if you interviewed me.

I also taught college, for two years, at a VERY conservative, private Baptist college. If I managed to make it there, without a single faculty member knowing, I'm fine. lol

Honestly, who would show up at an interview with a big 'ol tattoo showing? Yes, I love my artwork; however, I understand the difference between professional and play. I also understand that people judge me because of my art. Sad for them, because I'm a great person. But maybe it works to my benefit by keeping away the orificeholes.

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I just found it interesting that amongst all the women in that list, the only woman who has my respect is Ms. Patricia Horoho.

The rest are either lying politicians (who don't give a **** about guttin' the Constitution), conniving 'business CEO lady', a couple of "Supremes" who don't mind playing 'fast and loose' with the Law AND a "professional Royal" ... a blessed "Queen" no less....

Yeah. What a "list of luminaries to live up to" right there....

LOL high five

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Have you tried covering it with makeup? I think there are some types of makeup specifically for the purpose of covering veins, freckles, and even tattoos. It's definitely worth looking into as opposed to getting it removed.

I have three tattoos: one on my ankle, one on my shoulder, and another that goes around my upper arm. I regret the one on my upper arm because it's difficult to hide in the summer. Short sleeves are almost always too short to cover it. Luckily, though, I will be able to hide it when I have to go on interviews.

I say definitely look into the makeup if you're that concerned about it.

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look into getting that puppy removed

Really?? If you don't like or regret your tattoo, I get it, but I have a tattoo on my forearm that I love and I would not dream of removing it. I don't have to cover it up at my current job, but I could wear long sleeves or a jacket if needed. I think tattoos are becoming less and less of an issue these days. Of course some areas of the body are more taboo than others, like the neck, face and hands...areas that are much harder to hide. If you love your tattoo just wear a t-shirt under your scrubs and definitely cover it during your interview. It is almost a 50/50 split tattooed vs. non-tattooed staff where I work. Only a couple have full or partial sleeves, but so many people have at least one somewhere on their body.

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Specializes in Retired NICU.

Some hospitals are more conservative than others about this. I would say, cover up to start with, and check the culture out as you go. It is certainly much more comman to see visible tattoos than it used to be. I have 2 that I got after being a nurse for many years. One on my ankle, that I can cover up if I wear crew length socks, the other on my shoulder that is covered by normal scrub sleeves. My husband hates the one on my shoulder (not married to him when I got it), but it is meaningful to me and a very outstanding-looking tattoo...what can I say :lol2:

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, Med Surg.

I have one on my left forearm/wrist that it difficult to hide. On interviews, I always cover it up with long sleeves; not because I'm ashamed of it, but because I do realize it's bad form to show tattoos on an interview. Appearance is important, and that's fine.

While I'm working, I wear 3/4 sleeve shirts under my scrubs and a watch on my tattooed wrist. It's still visible...some pts ask about it, some don't.

To those who feel tattoos are not appropriate or professional for nurses: I will attest that my tattoo has allowed me to connect with some pts that otherwise feel marginalized by the healthcare system, or started a conversation that puts the pt at ease.

We all have stories and our bodies are a map that documents important events in our lives.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

It must depend on the workplace. I work with a nurse that has a large tat on her lower leg and she wears capris to work in the summer to show it off.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

You can probably find thousands of nurses who will say "I have a visible tatoo and never had a problem." While I think that getting it removed is pretty extreme, you never know what the HR person or the NM with whom you interview will think. To me, it sounds pretty simple to cover the tattoo, at least for the interview. Once you get a job, and if you see that tattoos are accepted on that unit, then you can display it. For the interview, I would say play it safe.

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Specializes in LTC.

We all have tattoos whether visible or not. Some are inked into our skin, some are inked into our souls.

Very true.

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