Can Nurses Have Tattoos? Hospital Policy and Exceptions

Tattoos in the Nursing Profession

Nurses’ relationships with patients are highly dependent upon clear communication of patient education, instructions and important healthcare information. Though it is situational in nature, how we appear to a patient/family/community may “speak” too loudly.

Nursing in the Ink: Understanding Patient-Caregiver Dynamics Amidst Tattoos and Body Art

The popularity of body art, including tattoos and body piercings, has been increasing steadily for several decades. What formerly was commonly associated with military personnel, criminals and gangs has evolved into a very common expression of individualism and an art form that transforms one’s body into a canvas. Motivations for acquiring body art are varied. Spiritual, political, societal causes and just the need for self-expression can initiate a visit to a tattoo artist. But can nurses have tattoos?

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As is true with all forms of artistic expression, art appreciation is highly subjective. What may be pleasing to the eye of one individual may be perceived as offensive, repulsive, hurtful or embarrassing to another. Encounters between nurses and patients are often random.

Patients are vulnerable to forced interactions with whoever presents as a caregiver. If, during the exchange, the patient is uncomfortable, offended, or frightened by the appearance of a caregiver, the interaction often fails, placing the organization in a position to defend the quality of services it provides and its reputation as a provider.

How Do I Know What Body Parts Are Permissible?

In response to the rising popularity of body art in society, healthcare organizations as employers, have been forced to minimize the risk of those seeking care having an encounter that can be perceived as offensive or negative. In most cases, this has been accomplished through adding clauses related to tattoos to existing “Dress Code” policies.

Though these policies are generally applicable to all employees of an organization, there may be department-specific restrictions. These policies are most frequently found in the Human Resource manual or Employee Handbook. A nurse working in a behavioral health setting, for example, should become familiar with department-specific policies related to body art.

I Want to Express Myself With Some Tattoos. How Do I Keep It From Being “Too Loud”?

Keeping in mind the importance of minimizing distractions when interacting with patients is a great place to start. Choices in subject matter and location of body art can impact your career in both the short-term and long-term. Here are some tips to avoid regretting your decision:

Avoid tattoos in difficult-to-conceal areas of the body. This includes the face, scalp, neck, hands and forearms.
Know your patient population and potential patient populations. Avoid controversial spiritual, political and societal subject matter on body parts that are difficult to conceal with standard healthcare attire.
Keep in mind that patients present with a wide variation of anxiety, cognition, orientation and consciousness. Hence, images that may be perceived as frightening should be avoided in areas of the body that cannot be concealed.

It’s Too Late! I Already Adorned My Canvas!

Being cognizant of the impact body art may have on therapeutic interactions with patients is the first step. Here are some recommendations:

Check your organization’s Dress Code policy to be sure you are not in violation. Discuss with your supervisor to verify your understanding of the policy and where you stand in relation to compliance.
Seek an objective opinion of your artwork from a trusted colleague or co-worker.
Be perceptive! If patients demonstrate verbal or non-verbal unfavorable responses on introduction, you may consider concealing even if the art is not in violation of policy.

In summary, building therapeutic relationships with patients is a cornerstone of the nursing profession. Training and experience prepare nurses to positively contribute to the well-being of patients. Though professionals have the right to express themselves through body art of their choosing, it is important to avoid having physical presentation create unwanted distractions that overshadow or distort the message.

Can Nurses Have Tattoos?

So, can you have a tattoo as a nurse in the US? The short answer is yes, you can. However, there are a lot of variables, such as hospital policy and the state of residency.

So, to better answer this question, we’ll look at hospital policy, patients’ perceptions, instances when tattoos may be deemed offensive, and how to make life easy as a nursing professional with tattoos.

What to Consider Before Getting a Tattoo as a Nurse?

1. Hospital Policy About Tattoos

Hospital policy determines whether or not nurses can have visible tattoos in the US.

The same applies to clinics, nursing homes, and sometimes medical schools. In some hospitals, the policy rules are stricter than in others.

For instance, some hospitals require you to cover visible tattoos completely during working hours.

Other policies may determine where in your body you can and can’t have body piercings and visible body art such as tattoos.

Hospital policy varies from facility to facility, so you must consult the management on rules regarding tattoos.

Overall, you can expect to run into problems if you have visible body art in the face, hand, and neck.

2. Patient Perception

Although image has always been a fundamental aspect of nursing practice, professionalism and quality of care are more important to patients than the physical appearance of healthcare providers, including the presence of tattoos or unconventional looks.

For instance, one who wears blue, purple, or white scrubs as opposed to one with piercings on the face, striking hair color, and visible neck tattoos.

Some studies have compared patients’ perceptions of nurses and doctors with and without visible body art.

Surprisingly, the results indicate that patients are more focused on the care they get than the appearance of the person administering the care.

However, the idea of being presentable lies in the principles of nurses and health practitioners upholding a professional image during working hours.

3. Instances When Tattoos are Deemed Unacceptable

When the Tattoo is Large

If a tattoo covers the entirety of your arm, you may have issues in the nursing profession. The nursing industry is lenient, but only to an extent.

However, while a tattoo that fully covers your arms or neck can give you problems in the workplace, some employers and hospital admins indicate that they have no issue so long as the ink is fully covered during working hours.

When the Tattoo is Offensive

Tattoos with offensive images are not acceptable in the nursing profession.

For instance, tattoos with insulting imagery such as racial slurs, nudity, or implying criminal offense or gang affiliation can be problematic in nursing practice.

If you have such tattoos, it would be best to cover them up because your colleagues and patients will consider them absurd and unprofessional.

What Tattoos Can a Nursing Professional Have?

If you’re a nurse and want to get a tattoo, ensure you consult the management on the hospital policy regarding tattoos.

If your employer is okay with getting tattoos and has no unusual requests, here is how to get a tattoo that won’t cause you problems.

What Kind of Tattoo Design a Nurse Should Have?

Avoid tattoos with provocative designs. Potentially offensive tattoos, such as those with negative symbols, will most likely land you in problems at work.

Does the Placement of the Tattoo Matter?

Yes. visibility concerns for tattoos in healthcare settings primarily focus on highly visible areas like the face and neck; arm tattoos are often considered acceptable if they can be covered by standard medical attire or are not deemed offensive. Go for a more hidden placement that you can cover during working hours.

This way, you can avoid patients making complaints regarding your body art even if your employer is okay with it.

Does the Size of the Tattoo Matter?

Taking into consideration the design and placement of the tattoo, the acceptability of tattoo size in exposed areas varies by workplace policy rather than a universal rule; some healthcare settings may allow larger tattoos in exposed areas as long as they are not offensive or overly distracting.

If you want to have it in a hidden area, such as your back or chest, there's no limit to how big you can go.

Final Thought

To sum it all up, although hospitals are aware of the decreasing stigma against tattoos, the stigma isn’t done and dusted.

Even progressive facilities such as the Mayo Clinic that don’t require tattoos to be covered have restrictions on the type of tattoos that can be visible.

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