Dear Hamcarver,

The only visible body piercings I have are a few modest holes in the lobes and a nose bone.  It is under written instruction in my facility's employee handbook that there are to be no facial piercings, multiple ear piercings or acrylic nails.  Tattoos are to be non-offensive and covered by a long sleeved shirt or makeup (neck/face tattoos).  The inpatient floor managers enforce these policies daily, but luckily, I work in an ER where it is expected that most of the rules were made to be broken.... (lol).  So- My ER manager is not very strict about the nose bone (as long as it is small), my colleague's forearm tattoo (sword wrapped in a vine), or yet another colleague's acrylic nails and dozens of ear piercings.   We can even have any color hair if we so choose.  While you're in nursing school however, I would cover up everything you can and be modest; not only with your body art, but also with personality/attitude.  It's kind of like boot camp.   Keep your mouth shut and your bowels open!.....and you will emerge a new RN with a specialty as lenient as mine.

Good Luck to you (my favorite)!

Love,

denise2137

 hahahaha! I'm about to graduate from nursing school, and it's been the same way denise said. Instructors have been pretty strict about these policies. No earrings, no jewelry allowed, even small earrings. Acrylics are a BIG no-no, and tattoos have to be covered up completely. We've been lectured about no funny hair colors, making sure to use minimal makeup, etc....You name it, they've lectured about it! They even told us to make sure our socks are white/match our uniforms, and that our shoes are not scuffed, uniforms not wrinkled, and on and on. I even had an instructor tell me that I needed to take my wedding band off. I was like - NO, surely that's one piece of jewelry that could be allowed! (It's just a plain band for goodness sakes!) So yea - it's pretty much like boot camp. But most nurses I've worked with in clinical say that workplaces are not quite so rigid. 

All the places I've had clinical don't allow acrylics or piercings other than ears though. But some nurses wear jewelry, and of course they're allowed much more freedom in their choices for attire, shoes, etc. So for now - yes, you just have to jump through all the hoops like the obedient little dog they want you to be. LOL  I can't WAIT to be done, and I'm thinking of dyeing my hair purple for pinning. bwahahaha

part of nursing school is learning to do as you are told.......when you interview you should be aware of the "culture " on the unit.  I have worked areas where ironed creases and shined shoes were expected and I have worked ED  where by the end of a shift NONE of us would pass a "sniff" test and functionality is KEY.

CAUTION with the acrylics...they pose an infection risk to YOU as well as your patients...don't believe me? run cultures yourself! eewwww

The tricky thing with body piercings and body art, to any extent, in a professional job can cut into your credibility.

Before you start to scream, hear me out.  That is the way it is, I did not make the rules and that is how it flies in almost all corporate cultures (outside tattoo parlors, coffee shops, Harley shops, etc.).

The point is: you may be "expressing" yourself, but at the same time, you are making it harder for other professionals and your patients to take you seriously (as a professional) if you have a dozen earrings and tongue and nose piercings.

When at the FDA, I was in my thirties, and we let our gray hair show just to believed as someone who might know something.

As I said, I did not make the rules, but there are always hidden rules of conduct and appearance in any corporation and it would be best to start out on the conservative end, before you "loosen-up" and start to show-off you new tats to the boss. 

(I wore a conservative gray suit to work the first week that I was a Director at a new (to me) pharmaceutical company.)

Absolutely dedicate your mind, body, and soul to nursing school, but do so without losing respect toward your personal sense of self.  Ultimately, your instructors will appreciate your individuality and it will only enhance your nursing experience.  CLEARLY, it is not 'unfortunate' that you have body art and a Harley; for God's sake- that's part of your charm!!  Just realize that each nursing program is responsible for upholding an industry standard required by the state (of Ohio) in order to maintain their accreditation (existence), and these rules/regulations are in place because MOST of the general public simply doesn't understand what behavior is necessary to obtain and maintain an active RN license in good standing (those are the individuals you will not be graduating/working with).  Demonstrate that you understand and implement the professional code, and I promise that your body art will be a non-issue in the workforce.   I have a great  feeling that you will either find an established nursing position that cultivates individuality and excellence as an asset to your patients, or you will create one.  In the meantime, jump through the nursing school hoops, take your hoops out, wear long sleeves, and charm everyone you meet (just like you naturally do)- especially your deserving patients.

Number #1 fan,

SP

Denise,

Well said.

Tom