Nursing and tattoos?

[didgery]

I am planning to study nursing in the next couple of years, and am therefore putting aside my idea for a forearm tattoo (to end a couple of inches above the wrist). I am assuming that this would be, if not strictly forbidden, at least in poor taste for a nurse, and that I should be clean up to the elbows at least.

This is not a big deal to me, especially since I can't afford a new tattoo anyway, but just out of curiosity are there any nurses with visible tattoos on here? I would eventually like a tattoo (tasteful, HR) on the inside of both forearms and a three quarter sleeve on one arm but am assuming that this will not jive with my intended profession. I'm OK with that, and will definitely be conservative about adding tattoos, but just figured I'd find out what others' experiences have been.

Thanks!

[Irishrose261]

I have a tattoo on my wrist, and I am about to graduate from an ABSN program. Here's a photo: http://irishrose.tumblr.com/post/63621860

I generally wear a long sleeved t-shirt to the hospital under my scrub top because I get cold. I've only had a few patients ever notice it, mostly because I just put my watch on that arm. I also tend to cover it with a layer of make-up when it's my first day on a unit, just to be safe.

A lot of the nurses that I've worked with (at two major medical centers!) have tasteful tattoos on the hands/wrists.

[mustangtrailrider]

I have been a nurse in Surgery for a little over 11 years. I have a tat in the small of my back. I absolutely love nursing. I absolutely love tattooes that are tasteful and meaningful.

Combining the two in an overt way I think is a bad idea. I think that tatts lack a certain amount of professionalism.

I don't like visible tattooes. That is just me. I want to focus on the individual, not the art work.

But, you know what....it is up to you. A lot of patients, especially the older ones, hate tats. A lot of pts will treat you differently.

As much as you want to get a sleeve, I think it could really hinder your future career and advancement.

Get your job, get established, decide in which direction you want to go. After you get on your feet so to speak, I think you will have a lot more leeway.

[4Martini]

At the ER we had a nurse who had a hand stamp from a local bar. I found that extremely unprofessional and gross - even if he wasn't drunk- shouldn't he have washed his hands at some point to get it off? He also had a phone number written on his wrist...

Tatoos wouldn't bother me very much. I personally would not get one - even though I'm not a nurse as I don't think they are very professional though.

[horse-loverz]

I have an anklet tattoo.. planning on getting one on the other ankle too.. but it is easily covered...I've known nurses who have the cuff around the bicep again.. easily coverable by a sleeve but I can't think of one with a full sleeve.

Lots of nurses have tattoos... but 99% of them are in places that can be covered.

[kittykeno]

There are a lot of employees in the hospital I work in that have tatoos...large ones....but they don't tend to be nurses. Many of the stock handlers and respiratory therapists have them.

The inpatient population tends to be older. I wonder what they think of visible tatoos.

I think some tatoos are quite artsie but I would not want it placed anywhere I could not cover it easily.

[midnightdream]

I would say no- keep it somewhere where it isn't visible. Remember you are representing the nursing profession and like some said depending on where you are working a large number of inpatients are elderly and don't always take well to things like visible tattoos.