With tattoos becoming more and more noticeable, the question is being debated about whether having a tattoo affects patient care.  One Missouri nursing school recently implemented a policy that stated that all tattoos must be able to be hidden by the standard student nurse uniform requirements outlined by the school.

Some students planning to attend are upset with the policy which they contend infringes on their person rights to self expression.  They argue that the Missouri Southern State University policy intended to ensure their graduates can get jobs in hospitals with “no visible tattoos” policy is not in line with other regional schools or even some local hospital policies.

Do A Nurse’s Visible Tattoos Impact Care?

I tweeted about this – (Twitter.com/podmedic) – and boy did I dig up a can of worms!

In response to my tweets, I was called “backward,” “oppressive,” and urged to stand up for the nurse’s or student’s rights to express themselves.  I did discover that other nursing schools have similar policies and that this one just appears to have made the news because of it’s recent addition to the school’s policies.

Of course, I was the person who stirred the pot, but I wanted to see if this really was a big issue?

I don’t believe that a tattoo affects a person’s ability to learn the skills and knowledge that make you a good nurse.  That’s insane!

But . . . is this about the nurse or about professionalism in nursing?

Good Patient Care – Versus – Nurse’s Rights

One tenet hammered into us when I was in nursing school was that it wasn’t about me, it was about the patient. As a nurse, I needed to appreciate what would help that particular patient move along the path to healing and facilitate that healing.  When educating the patient, I was to put myself in their shoes and make sure they really understood what I was trying to say.  That included recognizing and removing obstacles to their understanding or healing.

Like it or not there is an underlying public perception among many people about tattoos. That perception is changing but certainly not for all people.

The place to stand up for that right to self expression and someone else’s disapproval is certainly not in the patient care arena. That makes it about you and not about the patient.

If your tattoos cause the patient to have a preconceived notion about your ability to care for them, it may be wrong but it also may impact care. Right or wrong, your visible tattoo may affect the patient’s willingness to call on you for assistance, listen attentively while you explain interventions and treatments, and ultimately hinder their care.

If you think that is the patient’s problem and not yours – you are in the wrong profession!

Being Different is Your Right – Having a Nursing Job Isn’t

I support your right to self expression and even welcome it. I don’t have any tattoos but I probably would if I were younger. I will defend your right to look however you want in public – piercings, tattoos, pink hair, skimpy outfits, or baggy pants with your underwear showing.  Be different and draw the stares of the people around you. I’m an internet celebrity with my own style of entertainment on my shows and I get it!

Here’s where I draw the line, though.

Don’t come crying to me when you can’t get a job because they are judging you. You chose to look different or what some might call unprofessional, as a personal form of expression. There are rules about what is acceptable in society. If you don’t want to play by those rules and live outside them, great, but don’t complain when your CHOICE to stand outside those rules removes certain opportunities from your grasp.

If you want to run a marathon and choose to do it in a cocktail dress and high heels, I say, “Go for it, Dude!” Just don’t bitch to me about how unfair it is that everyone else showed up in running shoes and shorts.

Yes, you look great but you aren’t going to win the race!

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As Craig Ferguson would say, “I look forward to your letters.” Leave your comments. I want to hear what you have to say!