Tattoos & Nursing

Body piercings and tattoos seem to be on the raise according to a report by Anne Laumann and Amy Derick (Laumann & Derick; 2006). Should professional nurses be allowed to have visible tattoos or additional body piercings that aren’t covered? This would depend where in the country you are and the facilities affiliation. Even though getting a tattoo is a personal choice, society and primarily business leaders, have objective to body art calling it unprofessional. In a study conducted by Westerfield, Stafford, Speroni and Daniel, they concluded that administrators should develop policies about visible tattoos and body piercings on health care practitioners (Westerfield et. al.; 2012). The study found that a majority perceived that nurses with tattoos and body piercings where less “caring, confident, reliable, attentive, cooperative, professional, efficient, or approachable” than those of who did not have visible tattoos and piercings. Female nurses were seen “as less professional than male” nurses, and “less confident, professional, efficient, and approachable than non-pierced females”. Maya Stanley, a tattoo designer and writer for examiner.com, list Registered Nurses among the occupations that do not allow tattoos in the workplace. She writes “most hospitals and medical offices require” that nurses cover or remove certain piercings and visible tattoos (Stanley, 2011). Marijke Durning writes that most nursing schools tell student nurses that they cannot have visible tattoos, although each of these programs have their own policies and some are not strict with tattoos (Durning; 2012). She also adds that there is variation in hospital policies on tattoos, some facilities want them covered, others frown upon them completely, and yet others allow them as long as they are not offensive. Durning says “the best thing to do when you arrive at a new job or have acquired a new tattoo is to ask your department about its specific policy regarding body art”. So is it ok professionally to have tattoos and body piercings? Well if having a tattoo or body piercing will cause managers, co-workers or customers to fill uncomfortable than you have to weigh your career verses body art. There is always some facility that will hire you for you. But don’t feel offended, just like you are you, the facility has it’s own image that must be upheld and if you want to work for a specific facility your going to have to confirm to most of their rules.

Durning, M. (2012). Too tattooed to be a nurse? Scrubs: the nurse’s guide to good living. Retrieved from http://scrubsmag.com/too-tattooed-to-be-a-nurse/

Laumann, A &  Derick, A. (2006). Tattoos and body piercings in the United States: A national data set. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=increase+use+of+tattos+and+percinges&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb#channel=sb&q=increased+use+of+tattoos+and+piercings&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&spell=1

Mathisen, T. (2014). Nurses with tattoos: Dress code woes. Different Medical Careers. Retrieved from http://differentmedicalcareers.com/nurses-with-tattoos/

Mighty Nurse. (2012). Should hospitals force nurses to cover up tattoos? Nurse stories. Retrieved from http://www.mightynurse.com/should-hospitals-force-nurses-to-cover-up-tattoos/

Stanley, M. (2011). 10 occupations tattoos are not accepted in the workplace. Examiner. Retrieved  from http://www.examiner.com/article/10-occupations-tattoos-are-not-accepted-the-workplace

Westerfield, H; Stafford, A; Speroni, K; & Daniel, M. (March 2012). Patient’s perceptions of patient care providers with tattoos and/or body piercings (p 160-164). The journal of nursing administration (Vol 42; Issue 3). Retrieved from http://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2012&issue=03000&article=00008&type=Abstract&AuthenticationFailureReason=LoginFailed