Would you? Do you?

[JustRNingAlong]

Attention school nurses!

If a student comes to you and requests you assist them and put vaseline on their freshly done tattoo, would you do it? (Work at the high school level).

Why or why not?

Let me hear your thoughts.

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

This is not an answer to your question, but I just wanted to say that I like how you've presented this question/issue as a would you/do you scenario. I would like to see would you/do you? threads for many topics, because we all run our Health Office differently, and I love hearing other nurses' rationale for their

interventions or policies (or lack thereof).

Sometimes I come on this board seeking advice, and sometimes I just want to hear other people's views on things. For those scenarios I am just looking to hear others' approaches and rationales, I will definitely steal your "Would you/Do You?" phrasing!

[Farawyn]

This is not an answer to your question, but I just wanted to say that I like how you've presented this question/issue as a would you/do you scenario. I would like to see would you/do you? threads for many topics, because we all run our Health Office differently, and I love hearing other nurses' rationale for their

interventions or policies (or lack thereof).

Sometimes I come on this board seeking advice, and sometimes I just want to hear other people's views on things. For those scenarios I am just looking to hear others' approaches and rationales, I will definitely steal your "Would you/Do You?" phrasing!

Well, we can keep this going for allllll topics, yes?

[jnemartin, BSN, RN]

Well, we can keep this going for allllll topics, yes?

Yes! I agree! Sometimes I (and others) post things specifically asking for advice or input. Once I posted something and I was just interested in how other nurses handled the situation, I was not looking for advice. But I got A LOT of advice. "You should..." "You need to..." - I could have done a better job wording the question to elicit the types of answers I was looking for.

I am (as I've mentioned in other threads) helping my admins to write some nursing/health policies for my small school that currently doesn't have a lot on paper. Many replies I've gotten as I've tried to learn various rationales for policies is "check the policy" or "refer to your district policy," so these aren't helpful to me. I think wording questions/scenarios like this will be super helpful in my quest for info!

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

I agree with a lot of these;

not during an academic time

vaseline only

I show them the stuff

they apply it (unless it is on their back where they cannot reach)

[bsyrn, ASN, RN]

My kids ask for A&D. I stock little packets and give them one to self apply. I do assess the tattoo for obvious signs of infection though.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Kids can legally get tattoos!??

I had no idea.

[OldDude]

Kids can legally get tattoos!??

I had no idea.

Me either...why don't you check in more often??

[mslove717]

Happens all the time, I point to where the vaseline is located. I'm not doing it.

Also in my state, under 18 can't even get tattoos even with parental approval. Yet they still walk in with them.

[dd_txrn, ASN, BSN]

All the time. Well, I don't apply it..I point them in the right direction and let them do it. :)

[ABRN2012]

I treat that like I do with a lot of other things. I will let them apply some the first time. Then I explain that from now on that will need to be taken care of at home. That is how I do it with bandaids. If you get a cut at school I will give you a bandaid. If you come in everyday for a bandaid for a 3 day old scab you got from home then no you will need to do that at home. I will put hydrocortisone on a bug bit one time then we either have to deal with the itching or your parents can apply something at home. I try to base my rationale on is this a home problem or a school problem. But to answer your question yes I might let them apply it with my supervision one time while I assess for infection and proper care.

[TLJax]

I have never had that opportunity, but I hope I would administer whatever care I could to prevent infection or complication, including the benign and tedious application of Vaseline, but I would take that opportunity to educate the student about the hazards and complications of tattooing, the development of the prefrontal cortex, and the reality of adult regret. It might be the only contact time s/he has with a healthcare professional who cares.

[jd81pn]

Definitely not. I didn't go to school to put vaseline for the tattoos, but I would be kind to the people and give them an opportunity to learn about possible infections about those pretty things carve in the skin.