NursingLink

How do you feel about nurses who have tattoos? Do you think this affects an employer's view of you?

I'm tattooed. Is there a problem with that?? All of my tatt's are covered, and no one sees them unless i wear a bathing suite. Not going to happen ever in the work place. It has no effect on my nursing ability or capabilities whatsoever. The only difference between someone who is tattooed, and someone who isn't, is the fact that the tattooed person doesn't care if you aren't.

Enough said!!

I have 3 large tattoos, but none are visible. We have a dress code here that we all needed to sign in acknowledgement. We can not have any tattoos showing.

It irritates me and confuses my intelligence when people judge me over my tattoos. First let me address the whole issue of it is supposed to be a sin (for all those who use this as an arguement). Yes in the old testiment it does say that to place a mark upon your body is a sin. It also says that cutting your hair is a sin as well as eating shellfish and other commandments that don't apply or get recognized in todays world. The book that applies to todays world is what we refer to as the new testiment and in that book of commandments it says to love they neighbor regardless. If Jesus could love a prostitute and find her worthy I am sure he loves us all including we tattooed sinners.

Now as far as how the older generation sees tattoos and the need to respect that point of view, I have this to say; most older folks are racist, they don't believe in interracial coupling nor do they advocate homosexuality or abortion - so tell me why is it okay to disregard the older generations point of view on these issues yet tattoos are still taboo?

I have 5 tattoos.  One is visible on my wrist and one is visible on my neck.  I have never had a problem with anyone ever being offended by them.  Who cares anyway?  It's my body and I will put whatever I want on it.  If I want to dye my hair green and paint a blue skunk stripe down my back it really is nobody's business.  If you have a employer who thinks negatively of you because you have a tattoo, then that is not the employer you want to work for anyway!

I have a tatoo, however it is located where no one else can see it when dressed!  I do believe there are people out there who stereotype you if you have visible tatoos.  That's unfair and unfortunate.  Having a tatoo or many of them, visible or not, does not make you any less qualified or capable than someone who doesn't have tatoos.

I dont have any tattoos either but I agree that employers probably treat people with tatoos differently.  I dont think it matters if a nurse has a tattoo or not as long as they are competent and  are able to do the job.  I dont think it really matters what you look like as long as you are a good nurse and compassionate to the patient. 

I have 15 tattoos. Some are quite large others are fairly smallish. About 1/5 of my body is covered in ink. Though I have tattoos on most of the major parts of my body, none of them are generally visible. I can wear pants and short sleeved shirts without my tattoos being seen. Sometimes when I lift my arm one may catch a glimpse of an armband. I also have several piercings and stretched earlobed. This hasn't been an issue for me finding employment. I do not wear my jewelry in my facial piercings at work. I do think that dress codes for healthcare professionals is appropriate. A lot of folks over 40 do look negatively on visible tattoos and body piercings. Following a dress code is just one more way to create a more comfortable environment for patients. We are not there to be individuals and let our freak flags fly. We are there to provide care. The more we look like each other, the less our personal lives are brought to work and the less patients see us as individuals, the better. We don't want them knowing much about us as private citizens. We are there to provide compassionate care.

I have one tattoo.  I almost died from penicillin, after taking it for many years.  I do not like bracelets or the necklaces for medical alerts, so I got the allergy tattooed on my right wrist.  You can always see it, which was my intention.

I have a total of 6 tattoos. All of them are covered by clothing except one that I have on my neck. It's a small butterfly. I do feel that those individuals with tatts are stereotyped. A tatt doesn't affect my ability to care for others nor does it result in any loss of brain cells and my ability to use that brain.  The older generation does have a negative opinion of tatts, but I feel that if they were in need of help they wouldn't refuse my help just because I have a visible tatt.  I know that we should portray a certain amount of professionalism, but I personally don't see how a tatt affects my professionalism.  I am respectful to my elders and I listen to employers.  If I am intelligent and competent at what I do, why should a tattoo make any difference at all to an employer?  It shouldn't!

I don't have any tattoos and don't think there is anything wrong with them, they just aren't me personally.  I work with alot of the elderly population on our floor and they are the ones that might have a problem with it.  We have a policy that tattoos must be covered while @ work and I agree.  It  shouldn't affect your professionalism but people will be people and judge you.  We have been taught to be non-judgemental but unfortuantely the whole world has not had this training.  After all this s is not just a job it is a profession and like it or not we are held to a higher standard than the person @ the mall selling.... whatever.

klwinsor says ...

How do you feel about nurses who have tattoos? Do you think this affects an employer's view of you?

I have several tattoos and piercings. Some of them are hard to cover. I know that many employers do not like that nurses have tattoos, and they may affect whether a nurse is hired or not. I feel as though it is wrong that my tattoos should affect whether or not I am hired. It is a form of "ism" like racism or sexism. Tattooism? We are living in the 21st century, and it is almost a rarity that people in my age range (I am 28) do not have a tattoo. I have been told, while on the job, that it is not ok that ANY of my tattoos show. None of my tattoos are offensive or distasteful. I have 3 blue stars on each of my inner wrists. I can wear bracelets and watches,but they are still hard to cover. At some point in time, there will be no problem with nurses having tattoos because we will ALL have them. Haha.

My career started out as a Tattoo shop owner with my former husband. I have nine tattoos. Yes I know people judge a book by its cover. All of my tattooos can be covered up with scrubs. However, I went to a Christmas party and wore a long skirt and my ankle tattoo was visable, my manager told me to go home and change because it was trashy to have tattoos. I live in Alabama, places like Atlanta or California are alot different.

Just because a person has a tattoo does not make them a bad nurse, and should'nt be a problem for them to perform their job. Long as the tattoo is not on the face ,but I see nothing wrong with a nurse having a tattoo.

I have a lot of tattoos, I usually wear a long sleeved tee under my scrubs, but the one on the back of my neck and the one on my wrist always show. No one has ever said a negative word to me about being tattooed. Not even stringent, old school nursing instructors who have sent students home because of wrinkled uniforms. My tattoos are often a great ice breaker with my patients, especially the old vets. Many facilities have a policy that restrict visible tattoos and piercings, but i think it's difficult to enforce, especially now with the prevelance of body art in younger generations.