paramedics and tattoos?

[Tyson]

hey, i'm living in nova scotia right now. and right now i have one tattoo on my upper arm. coverable with a short sleeve shirt. i wanted to work my way down my arm with some more "tasteful" tattoos, but before i put any more ink lower down on my arm does anyone know what the standards are for tattoos with paramedics. I'm assuming its probably going to be nothing on the lower arm or cant be covered by a short sleeve. but hoping otherwise. any input would be nice.

[probie1]

Our dept is coming out with a new SOP, no tattoos visible(if you have tattoos on your arms you wear long sleeves), no facial piercings.

[eveningmail]

I have tattoos that are visible with a short sleeve (And with a long sleeve at times). I have yet to encounter any problems at all. I have plans to fully cover both arms to the wrist at that point I will choose to cover them up. But as far as I know few departments or companies have any issues with tattoos, assuming of course that they are non-offensive. I have seen a lot of tattoos on firefighters and medics alike. Keep them off the neck/face and the hands and you'll be fine.

[t_lag]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1675620,00.html

Read that article, I know its from the States, but gives you some perspective on the issue. Might be sign of which direction Emergency services are heading.

I've got tattooss myself, and would really like to have a full sleeve, but I'd rather wait and get on with a department before going through with a sleeve. Just in case........

[eveningmail]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1675620,00.html

Read that article, I know its from the States, but gives you some perspective on the issue. Might be sign of which direction Emergency services are heading.

I've got tattooss myself, and would really like to have a full sleeve, but I'd rather wait and get on with a department before going through with a sleeve. Just in case........


You can usually get through an entire hiring process with out showing your arms. Unless your department does a swim wear portion for their hiring.
Of course if you do get hired and they are unaware of your sleeve you either have to keep hiding it, or just hope they are cool about it.

[itsnotahobby]

I know of a career firefighter with full sleeve tatoos on both arms, and his department has no problem with it. If there is nothing offensive about it, or nothing that could cause a safety issue (ie., nose ring or facial peircings), then it may become a human rights or discrimination issue against a department if they were to not hire someone based on having them or disciplened a current employee.

[FireChef]

I know a few guys here that are retired from BCAS and they had tattoos on their arms, and to the best of my knowledge there was no issue.

[Someguy]

Calgary EMS - LOTS of medics/EMT's with visible tats on the forearms.

[911Caddy]

FireChef,
Those BCAS Medics came from the private days.. When smoking and drinking on the job was also an acceptable practise. Maybe even dropping off a body somewhere to pick up a live one..
The tatoo then was a something that was done on a spur of the moment (drinking again) and often while in the Military serving our Country.
Unlike today, I think it's very differnt for most. It seems to be more of an art form or done in memory of a friend or family member that has passed.
I don't have one.. It does'nt look professional to me and I'm not good with pain..
If I had a uterus, I might consider it :)

[Providence]

I am a female who has a full sleeve on her left arm and am currently taking my EMT. I have had another EMT once say that the EMS system doesn't hire people with tattoos. She was a female too though and I think she was just going out of her way to be horrid.

But, that being said, I do wear a long sleeve UnderArmer shirt under my uniform. I've never been told to, but I wear it simply because I don't like people asking about them or staring at my arms.

Edit: When people inquire as to why I wear a shirt under my uniform, I say it's for religious reasons and they usually bad off very quickly.

[itsnotahobby]

But, that being said, I do wear a long sleeve UnderArmer shirt under my uniform. I've never been told to, but I wear it simply because I don't like people asking about them or staring at my arms.

You have a full sleeve tattoo, but you don't like people staring or asking questions. UMMMM, maybe a full sleeve wasn't the best idea!

[Providence]

You have a full sleeve tattoo, but you don't like people staring or asking questions. UMMMM, maybe a full sleeve wasn't the best idea!

I think choosing not to get a tattoo because people would ask me about it wouldn't be a proper reason not to get a tattoo, just like getting a sleeve purely for the fact people would ask about it is not a good reason to get one either.

[itsnotahobby]

I think choosing not to get a tattoo because people would ask me about it wouldn't be a proper reason not to get a tattoo, just like getting a sleeve purely for the fact people would ask about it is not a good reason to get one either.


Exactly. But don't act like its a big deal that bothers you if people stare or ask, you've got to kind of expect that comes with the territory don't you think?

[Providence]

Exactly. But don't act like its a big deal that bothers you if people stare or ask, you've got to kind of expect that comes with the territory don't you think?

I do expect it, thus is why I take precautions in certain situations.

I usually always wear long sleeves in public to avoid people asking about them.

[Rojaig]

I am a little naive on this basically because I hate pain
so let me ask Providence why if she has her arms inked she would cover them up to prevent people from staring and asking questions. Did you not expect that would happen when you had it done? If they are well done and look good, is people looking and asking questions not a good thing? I are confused - not that that takes much some times

[Sammo76]

I run into a lot of medics with Tats and piercings, especially the younger ones. Sometimes I'm amazed what they get away with with the nose/lip/stretched earlobe things.. Lots of tats and stuff visible on arms, hands, neck etc.. nevermind the blue/fuscia/neon green/purple hair.

Personally I think it doesn't matter, because the patient just p!ss and s#!t his/herself and is probably not the person who should be complaining about professional appearance <joke, but not really>.

I guess the point in this mess is that I don't think Toronto cares provided you show a professional appearance (verbally and physically) during the interview section, cuz after that, i guess its up to you..

Advice: cover till u get the job, after that, find out the REAL SOP's, not just rumour from "a guy i know said ____"

[JrFFHopeful308]

I know when I see people with a lot of tatoos/piercings, I tend to shy away from them a bit. It's not a fair judgement really, but my mind always wants to put them alongside bank robbers and drug addicts for some reason. Obviously, that's rarely the case, and I've met a couple of really nice people with lots of tatoos, but it's the first thing I think, and I wouldn't want to be a patient somewhere and have a medic with major visible tatoos, working on me.

On the other hand, I think small tatoos (like the little ones people will get on their wrists or ankles) are kind of neat (though I wouldn't get one myself, I don't like to do something I know is going to cause pain.), same with piercings. I think it's an 'everything in moderation' thing. Even then, I don't think it's fair to descriminate against someone just because they have a tatoo (So I do try not too). I do think it's fair to have SOGs requiring tatoos to be covered up, as long as it's been decided by several members, not just some officer or supervisor who doesn't like tatoos.

[dentedhead]

I have thought about my reply to this thread,I find it quite amusing to be honest.When I started working as an ambulance attendent/driver,I worked with some of those tattoed old guys,yes drinking was a less than well kept secret on the job.I can tell you catagorically that I would rather have any of those guys take care of my mom than some of the squeaky clean shiny serial killers I have worked with.

I have been told I look mean,tough,scary at times. I am tattoed used to have ear piercings both ears double before it was fashionable.I am loud, abrasive and at times obnoxious...go figger who would have thought that.I am not afraid to speak my mind in real life either.

I always treated pts with respect and politness. I was firm when required and not so nice if the situation called for it.I never killed anyone...that I know of!

I worked with a guy who was a card carying member of a well known motorcycle club.He was a sterotypical biker, big gut,tats long hair and beard. That man was one of the best BLS medics I worked with and the old gals just loved him.

On the other side I worked with just as many shiners who liked to use big fancy medical words and have nice creases in their pants.They had no tats short hair looked "professional" but were borderline dangerous to the public.

I guess Im saying its the person that counts not the package in comes in.Tattoos now are as common as muck,everyone seem to have one.Or a belly piercing or an eyelid piercing.

Those old guys with the tattoos,they were prolly looked at the same way in the 50s and early sixties.

Dentedhead