Will my tattoos hold me back?

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · May 17, 2012

Come work in the ED. We love our tattoos.

MLutiker · May 18, 2012

Come work in the ED. We love our tattoos.

Haha, thanks. I'm thinking i'll start off in an er and get some good experience with chaos before finding a spot in mental health. :)

PrayToTheUnicorn · May 18, 2012

Don't worry about wearing another full layer under your scrub top or polo, as that could get incredibly hot!

Instead wear pull-on sleeves! That's what I'm doing for nursing school, where the long sleeve must be white. My plan is to be covered not just in clinical where it is required, but in all school situations ALWAYS. I won't let going to a Catholic university or being around those who don't like tattoos ruin my dream and my goals.

These are a good place to start: Cover a Tattoo | Tattoo Cover Up Sleeve | Ink Armor Full Sleeve Tat2X

breezy7, BSN, RN · May 18, 2012

I have a tattoo on each of my wrists. I don't regret getting them. One of them is nursing related. If anything, I think it'll better help me to connect with my patients by allowing me to share a bit of myself.

The current generation is HEAVILY tattooed. This has to be accepted and dealt with by older generations. Luckily, I have already seen improvements with regard to this. Prove them wrong; if you're a strong nursing student, get along well with others, and connect with patients, then there really isn't anything that can be said once you reveal your tattoos. Of course, if the hospitals requires them to be covered up, then you should do that, but from what I've heard, it won't make or break you.

I'm usually a cold person, so I'll definitely be taking the long-sleeved route regardless

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · May 18, 2012

as to "sharing a bit of yourself," put that one to bed. it is not all about you. honestly, people who are sick in hospitals are not interested in learning about you. if someone is sick enough to be in a hospital, s/he is sick enough to be worried, frightened, or bewildered, but not likely to strike up the conversation you envision. this also goes for whoever said that "the older generation" was just gonna have to get used to a heavily-inked younger crowd. again, in the hospital, when you are allegedly caring for the vulnerable, the confused, the easily-frightened, and the delicate, it is not about them accommodating you.

as to the tattoos, i have some myself (one of them is probably old enough to be your mother...always was an early adopter :smokin: ) and i keep them out of sight unless i'm in a bathing suit. as to anyone's difficulties with finding work or getting into a nursing program with tattoos (7 letters--will you all at least get that right?), well, my grandmother used to say that some of us are put on this earth to be examples to others. perhaps some of your stories will convince the un-inked to remain that way long enough to become established professionally. besides, these adolescent inkers? when they grow up they'll be ruing the day they got that so-meaningful little rose on the ankle, the cheery unicorn on the shoulder, the chinese characters that probably do not mean what you think they do, the maori design on the neck (which you shouldn't even have unless you're maori, but i digress). can you imagine being 80 and having the aide turning you seeing the tramp stamp on your sacrum? please, spare us a little while longer. :clown:

Editorial Team / Admin · May 18, 2012

as to "sharing a bit of yourself," put that one to bed. it is not all about you. honestly, people who are sick in hospitals are not interested in learning about you. if someone is sick enough to be in a hospital, s/he is sick enough to be worried, frightened, or bewildered, but not likely to strike up the conversation you envision. this also goes for whoever said that "the older generation" was just gonna have to get used to a heavily-inked younger crowd. again, in the hospital, when you are allegedly caring for the vulnerable, the confused, the easily-frightened, and the delicate, it is not about them accommodating you.

agree with this 100%! i, too, have a tattoo. i didn't get it to make a statement; it has a special meaning for me. that's why i chose to get it somewhere that isn't always visible (it's on my ankle). my opinion is that if you are going to permanently alter yourself, it should have meaning and not necessarily need display, not just be some teenage rebel thing. that's why i took about a year searching for a design that matched what i had in mind and also making sure that it was something i truly wanted to go through with, not just some crazy whim.

as for whether tattoos can hold you back, it depends on facility policy, facility culture, and just what that tattoo is. many of the people i work with are tattooed. probably more than i realize, since there are many that may have tattoos that have never been seen or discussed. those that have visible tattoos don't have any professional issues with other staff or supervisors, but i have heard some patients talking about the tattooed staff (anesthesia is a lot like truth serum- reduces inhibitions and people say things they probably wouldn't say otherwise).

FitMommyRN · May 19, 2012

I see a few peeking out of the scrubs of nurses and techs when I'm in clinical. I've seen a few half sleeves showing on a few docs. The only tattoos of mine that show are my arms and a chest piece. I simply wear a long sleeve shirt under my scrubs and I'm golden. I basically have two wardrobes: one that covers everything and is professional, and then the stuff I really like to wear. If I don't want somebody to know I have tattoos, they will NEVER know. I was on the faculty at a private baptist college for two years and not a single colleague or member of administration had a clue.

I ADORE my tattoos. I think they're the prettiest things. I also know that I'm certainly judged because of them and could lose a possible job if I simply waltz into an interview with them showing. You're smart enough to know not to do that. You're also smart enough to keep them covered whilst working. You'll be fine.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · May 19, 2012

Haha, thanks. I'm thinking i'll start off in an er and get some good experience with chaos before finding a spot in mental health. :)

You will probably get more Mental Health experience in the ER then an actual Mental Health Facility. :|

night-billy · Jun 10, 2012

Tattoo policy varies quite a bit from place to place. I used to work for a private practice that allowed them to be visible. I now work the night shift at a hospital that has a no visible tattoo policy and even though it's the night shift I still have to cover my tattoos. I hated wearing baggy long sleeve shirts under my scrubs and eventually found these tattoo cover sleeves called Ink Armor. I can wear them for 10 hours in a row without any issues. You have to get the right size though or they will slide a bit. I wear the black full length although they come in skin tones.

sandanrnstudent · Jun 10, 2012

GREAT post on tattoo coverups with Tat2x! Thanks for sharing, though I personally don't need them.

plumbtrician · Jun 11, 2012

Two words...UnderArmor Heatgear!

shay&lynn, ASN, RN · Jun 11, 2012

i didn't get a chance to read thru all 46 posts so perhaps this has already been mentioned, forgive me if its a 'repeat' :]

i have a friend who is a phleb and she has a 'full sleeve'. she wears longs sleeves under her scrubs to hide it ... i also had a classmate who had a tat across her wrist [on the inside], luckily the watch covered it. as for me? i have a tatt on the back of my neck [i have more, although this is the 'visual one']. we are allowed to wear our hair down as long as it is off the shoulders. my hair is short, so it covers it. i haven't always had short hair, i just got if cut 3 days before starting my first semester. i wasn't sure how to feel, but now i love the short look, it takes less time to style and i also donated the 7 in. to locks of love.