itku2er Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Well I personally dont have any tatt's but i know people that do but I think they should be covered up when on duty. In the NH I work some of the girls have tatt's and the ones that are visible they have to cover them up with they cant be seen my the residents or the family members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaO925 Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 My tattoos do not dictate how smart I am. They do not dictate how nice I am. They do not make me the kick ass mother of my two kids that I am. My tattoos don't care who the hell you are, and wont save your life once I am a medic. Before my tattoos I was me. With my tattoos, I am me. No amount of ink will change that. And if I roll up on a scene, and someone refuses me because of some cherries that I have on my forearms, then they are not that sick or hurt. :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 Kinda short sighted thinking, actually. No seriously ill or injured person is going to refuse care from you because you have tats, just like no drunk man is going to refuse sex from a girl just because she's fat. It's the "any port in a storm" theory. But that guy is still going to talk about what a pig the girl he banged last night was, no matter how good she was. Similarly, patients are still going to have a negative image of you and your service because of your ink. At least the drunk guy gets a choice. Our patients don't. If they did, there is a good chance they would choose another provider next time. It's not about whether or not the ink makes you different (although, being different is exactly why you got the ink, so don't act surprised that people notice). It's about the image you present. As an employer, I have every right to regulate that image. There is no shortage of paramedics out here. They're a dime a dozen. I can afford to be picky. And if I have a choice between you and a couple of other applicants with equivalent education, experience, and test scores, I can tell you that I, and most other employers, are going to hire the one who presents the most professional image. That may leave you out. Think they won't notice? Think again. Agencies that have policies about ink usually put those up front, before hiring, so you can't sneak in wearing long sleeves and then show up to work with your cherries showing and claim ignorance. Body modification means more than you think it does. It is statistically linked with psychological issues and personality disorders aplenty. Those may not apply to you, but it doesn't matter, because you still send that negative signal. I don't want those negative signals associated with my agency, so I'm not hiring you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaO925 Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 If any one person or agency can prove that my tattoos will infact, with out a doubt interfere or in any manor prevent me giving any patient my 100% care, want to know. If someone is going to not hire me just because of ink, I think I might have to talk to some lawyers :wink: I can erase these tattoos of off my body, and it will not make me a better EMT or medic. I can cover my whole body in ink, and same thing, it will not make me better or worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spenac Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 If any one person or agency can prove that my tattoos will infact, with out a doubt interfere or in any manor prevent me giving any patient my 100% care, want to know. If someone is going to not hire me just because of ink, I think I might have to talk to some lawyers :wink: I can erase these tattoos of off my body, and it will not make me a better EMT or medic. I can cover my whole body in ink, and same thing, it will not make me better or worse. Get a lawyer you would lose. Businesses already have the right to set standards. There is no law that says cannot discriminate based on age, race, ink . I owned a business and my people no matter how dirty we got had to look professional. Yes I provided extra uniforms. As far as ink, you may be able to do the job but the customer does not see it that way. Cover your tats. To take it further, IMHO I can work as good or out work most of you on here with my butt crack ( alternative cleavage ) hanging out. So I should demand my right to do so. No I should show respect to the profession and our patients ( customers ) by pulling up my pants. Do I still have a butt crack yes. Your tats are the same way, you still have them to share with your peeps, but cover them up as a sign of respect for our profession and patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 If any one person or agency can prove that my tattoos will infact, with out a doubt interfere or in any manor prevent me giving any patient my 100% care, want to know. You're intentionally ignoring the facts. Your competency isn't an issue. Your image is. If someone is going to not hire me just because of ink, I think I might have to talk to some lawyers :wink: Surely you jest. You don't really think that would get you anywhere, do you? You'd end up in debt to the scheister and unemployed. I can erase these tattoos of off my body, and it will not make me a better EMT or medic. I can cover my whole body in ink, and same thing, it will not make me better or worse. Again, you are intentionally ignoring the point. Nobody ever made any claim that they made you a better or worse medic. You won't focus on the real issue, because there is no way to defend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaO925 Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Ihave no doubts or worries that I will be hired by a reputable ambulance company. Being out here in CA, Ive seen many police, and a few AMR medics with tattoos. As Ive stated, out of respect to the general public I will most likely cover my arms (aside from the fact that its wise to cover ink from sun exposure, after all, they are not cheap) all year long. Not out of fear, but because that is how I was brought up. Ive really enjoyed hearing everyones side in this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spenac Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 ](*,) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaO925 Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 ](*,) Now now, no hurting yourself over this..lol :twisted: :twisted: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustdevil Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Ihave no doubts or worries that I will be hired by a reputable ambulance company. Me neither. The question is, whether or not you'll get a real EMS job. What happens when you run into an employer who hands you a dress code that forbids visible tattoos? You do realise, of course, that many employers will not allow short sleeves in the summer, as everybody must dress the same (which is why we call it 'uniform'), right? Not to mention, after you work a couple of EMS shifts in long sleeves, you'll really, really wish you didn't have to wear them. they get filthy and stinky really quick. That first patient of the day that you pick up, with your arms under his pits, who had not bathed in a week, will leave his stench on your sleeves for the rest of the day. You'll have to roll your sleeves up and down fifteen times a day to wash your hands. The cuffs will get in the way of your gloves. The cuffs will get all sorts of mung on them. The rest of us solve that problem in the winter by rolling our sleeves up during patient contact. But wait... you can't do that. Your solution sounds idealistically simple, but the truth is, it doesn't work. You are at a large disadvantage in the job market for the rest of your life because you couldn't live without cherries on you arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts