Nurses and tattoos

Ceolcailin · 07-10-2013 10:51pm #1

Can nurses in ireland have visible tattoos? Even if they are small?

salacious crumb · 08-10-2013 8:48am

I know some nurses that have, but they wouldn't be visible.

I also know a guy who had a job as a hospital porter in St. James' for one day, and the matron told him not to come back because of his tattoos, granted one arm is sleeved.

dinorebel · 08-10-2013 6:31pm

Nurses and tattoos hmmm sounds like a certain type of late night film.

Ceolcailin · 08-10-2013 6:45pm

No but seriously. I have a small music note on the inside of my wrist. Could i be a nurse? Or do they prohibit any kind of tattoos regardless of size. Its not like its anything offensive and like its no where near as big as a sleeve

P_1 · 08-10-2013 6:48pm

Nothing legally against them but that doesn't mean a shítbag of a boss won't give you grief about it. Plenty of tattooed folk about in medicine

PickledLime · 08-10-2013 6:48pm

salacious crumb wrote: »

I know some nurses that have, but they wouldn't be visible.

I also know a guy who had a job as a hospital porter in St. James' for one day, and the matron told him not to come back because of his tattoos, granted one arm is sleeved.

That kind of ****e is ridiculous, it's the 21st century :mad:

Ceolcailin · 08-10-2013 6:52pm

I know. I absolutely hate the stigma attached with tattoos.

Hellrazer · 08-10-2013 6:52pm

PickledLime wrote: »

That kind of ****e is ridiculous, it's the 21st century :mad:

Doesn't matter whether its **** or not..its the truth.

Im sleeved.Does it affect my ability to do my job?

Visible tattoos will ruin your chance of getting a job.

The amount of young lads I see these days with their necks tattooed is scary.Some of them are still in school / college.Their chances in an interview are severely lowered with these tattoos.

Its going to be a long long time before employers get over the stigma attached to visible ink.

Ceolcailin · 08-10-2013 6:56pm

But its tiny and its on the inside of my wrist. A watch covers it. Im a really academic person and do well in exams so will the fact that i have this tattoo really affect my ability to get a job??? It seems ludicrous that it should....

Hellrazer · 08-10-2013 6:58pm

Ceolcailin wrote: »

But its tiny and its on the inside of my wrist. A watch covers it. Im a really academic person and do well in exams so will the fact that i have this tattoo really affect my ability to get a job??? It seems ludicrous that it should....

You could be Stephen Hawkings with a tattoo and still be discriminated against.

Just cover it in work and you`ll be grand.

Atavan-Halen · 08-10-2013 7:02pm

It really depends on the employer. Some won't have a problem, others will. I'd just cover it up for any interviews anyway.

P_1 · 08-10-2013 7:11pm

Aye cover it up for the interview. Something that small shouldn't be a problem but you don't want to be giving them any rope to hang you with.

Princess Peach · 08-10-2013 8:02pm

Maybe ask someone who works in a hospital, or has even been on placement in one? Nurses often have strict uniforms and you won't be wearing a watch in work so it may be harder to cover up than you think.

allym · 08-10-2013 8:12pm

Because of infection control there's a "bare below the elbow" policy in the vast majority of clinical settings, which would mean you couldn't have a watch on or even any makeup to cover it up. I personally don't know any nurses or medical professionals with visible tattoos (several have ones that are hidden). That's not to say that it's not allowed, I've just never seen anyone with any.

Ceolcailin · 08-10-2013 8:30pm

Okay thanks for the help!

Adiboo · 09-10-2013 1:12am

I've seen nurses in old folks homes with tattoos on their wrists. Perhaps hospitals are more strict though.

FoxyVixen · 09-10-2013 9:03am

Wear a wrist band saying that you need it for support. Otherwise wear long sleeves to the interview and you're sound. Then it's all on you to woo them into hiring you

salacious crumb · 09-10-2013 9:41am

PickledLime wrote: »

That kind of ****e is ridiculous, it's the 21st century :mad:

Indeed. This happened in the 20th century though, still I was appalled by it.

salacious crumb · 09-10-2013 9:43am

Hellrazer wrote: »

Doesn't matter whether its **** or not..its the truth.

Im sleeved.Does it affect my ability to do my job?

Visible tattoos will ruin your chance of getting a job.

The amount of young lads I see these days with their necks tattooed is scary.Some of them are still in school / college.Their chances in an interview are severely lowered with these tattoos.

Its going to be a long long time before employers get over the stigma attached to visible ink.

In fairness, I work for a pretty big organisation and wear tshirts to work every day and never had any problems, some comments, but no problems :pac:

I do tend to stick on a shirt if I have to go to meetings though, but that's just me trying to look more professional.

dodderangler · 09-10-2013 12:46pm

When I was 16 I had to wear a long sleeve shirt in tescos because with short sleeve my band on my bicep showed slightly.
Nowadays I'm seeing more and more people in jobs with tattoos now and I don't see why its a problem for anywhere.
I do understand that in a hospital nurses and doctors have to show some sort of decorum ( think that's the word)
It's ridiculous though but you have to remember Years and years ago like the 80s early 90s tattoos were shown on thugs alot more than nowadays. So I guess its a trust thing especially with the elderly.
My gf is studying to be a nurse and she has no tattoos yet but she's going to be hiding it when she does get one.

bodice ripper · 09-10-2013 6:32pm

The wrist is a stupid place to get a first (or second, third) tattoo.

dodderangler · 09-10-2013 7:25pm

bodice ripper wrote: »

The wrist is a stupid place to get a first (or second, third) tattoo.

It seems to be a place to get a tattoo that means alot.
My mate got one there for his kid. Got the autism symbol. And people get kids names etc

Grab All Association · 09-10-2013 7:29pm

dinorebel wrote: »

Nurses and tattoos hmmm sounds like a certain type of late night film.

Or a big turn on for a butch lesbian

bodice ripper · 09-10-2013 7:34pm

dodderangler wrote: »

It seems to be a place to get a tattoo that means alot.

means alot of hassles with employers and regret and aging poorly, sure.

Piriz · 09-10-2013 7:48pm

Hi OP,

dont worry about it...it will not be seen during an interview and will not bother anyone at work (especially as it is so small) remember nurses and other health care professionals see tattoos on their patients all the time and as such are very used to them...

The Princess Bride · 11-10-2013 9:23pm

I used to work as a senior staff nurse in a busy unit.Believe me, those days of matrons disciplining their nurses are long, long gone.
A junior nurse once apologised to me coming on duty.She'd forgotten to remove her facial piercing.
I told her unless it was gonna affect the way she cared for her patients, to leave it in.TBH, I hadn't even noticed it.
Not everyone would think like me, however.

I believe that the public has always expected a certain standard of appearance from their nurse, and always will.
Having tattoos shouldn't affect anyone's ability to gain employment.
The truth, however, is that in some areas of employment, it most certainly does.

(Signed- the nurse with the secret tattoo, that her patients will never see.

)

thebostoncrab · 12-10-2013 12:01pm

A close friend of mine works as a psychiatric nurse, she has a tattoo on her wrist and has had no problems with it and her work as far as Im aware

Bum Bum · 12-10-2013 5:50pm

Snip.

johnayo · 12-10-2013 6:01pm

Bum Bum wrote: »

Snip.

Yeah Right. You're having a laugh.

Hellrazer · 12-10-2013 6:09pm

Bum Bum banned!!!!

Killer_banana · 12-10-2013 9:01pm

I think, as with a lot of fields of employment, it depends on your employer. In most areas of employment the stigma surrounding tattoos is lessening a bit (bar the hospitality industry but that's a whole other conversation) but it does really depend on who you work for. I'd say ask as many nurses as you can to get a general consensus. I can imagine a small wrist tattoo might be alright. A sleeve definitely wouldn't.

Nurses and tattoos

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