Tattoos on the job

[Happiness]

i have 2 and at this moment my good friend is pushing the ink in and it hurts but it is worth it. As someone who has them I really think they should be covered as we still have the older generation. Now just wait until we are that generation and it wont matter because we will have them along with the medic. I will post my tattoo in the site later.

happiness

[letmesleep]

boeingb13, I agree with your thought process, but the reality is way different! First if I may, tattoos were the OP, but body modification is body modification (tattoos or piercings).

I have NEVER been instructed in class to conform either, but getting back to common sense. If you have done something to your body such as getting a tattoo, or not (being the big guy who looks scary), it is truly up to you to put your Pt at ease when you show up. As I stated above using common sense to get your Pt past your short comings (as the Pt sees you) is going to be your first step in building that confidence. How can you say that you don't conform? You admit that your scary looking, and that at first your viewed as such, but as soon as you start to speak everything changes. Guess what, you conformed to what the Pt needs to get the job done.

This is where I stop addressing boe, and address the rest of us...........

Listen, we don't carry our licences, certs, and other credentials around for presentation prior to care being given (your collar brass doesn't always mean crap to a Pt that doesn't understand what the letters stand for). We are not going to be interviewed by Pt that is entangled in a car following a nasty MVC. We don't need to qualify for the position durning grandma's major MI. We did all that when we got the job, but when you come through that door and you have a Body modification of any kind then YES, you are going to have to conform to the needs of that Pt. Why is this the case? Because every Pt you run in to out on the street is their own individual, and will see what it is that they want to see. They may see you as a professional, thug, biker, or even just some dumb kid that has got to be to young for them to trust with their life. It is up to you to conform to their needs by using common sense, and building that confidence so that you can improve their lives from 15mins ago.

Tattoos don't make you the medic (EMT) that you are in any why shape or form other than killing the public perception of your person. Tattoos don't make you an idiot, but if a Pt can't get past your ink, you will have one hell of a time refocusing a Pt's image of you in order to benefit their needs. There is nothing different (in regards to body modification) than the medic that shows up with jelly doughnut stains on their white untucked uniform shirt. Your Pts don't typically understand the difference between EMT and EMT-P, so why would any of us think they would know the difference between those who have visible tats, and those who don't. It's all about public perception, and that first impression. Use your god given common sense is all I'm saying.......................

[spenac]

There is no way to satisfy every patient, but there are ways to avoid problems with the largest number. How? Look professional. Tats, piercings, and other body modifications are not considered professional. How many of your bankers, lawyers, doctors while at work have any of the above exposed? Not many. Heck even fast food places often say no exposed piercings for men and only one per ear for women.

Along with the above have your uniform on correctly, shoes polished. Will some still get upset? Yes. But it will be much less than if you show up with the grim reaper or even star of life on your forehead.

[Ztenec]

But it will be much less than if you show up with the grim reaper or even star of life on your forehead.

Thanks for the idea spenac.... Grim reaper for halloween

[mstovall]

After reading this, hearing this subject conversed about in class and in the station, talking to partners, examining ink on patients and employees, and much introspection, I have come to the following conclusion. It is not the ink that bothers the patient, it is the general appearance of the medic/emt that makes the impression. Is your shirt tail tucked in, shirt pressed, do you look clean, etc, is how we are judged. We are also judged on how we look as an entity. Are we uniformed and look professional or do we look like a bunch of rag tag individuals thrown in together at a moments notice? I think services where they are all in the same uniform and the uniforms are worn identically, people tend to think higher of this group. I think they have higher esteem for these individuals whether they have tatoos showing or not. On the other hand, there are individuals that have a nice appearance that make bad impressions from there body language. We speak with so much that it is hard for me to think of one part of an individual that I seem to make a judgement call about. When we look at a patient we look at their surroundings, dress, appearance, and so much more to get that first impression. What does a patient think about if your truck is untidy inside, your shirt tail is hanging out, and you have a prison style tatoo? What do they think if a person is dressed out in B's, polished shoes, truck nice, neat and orderly, and the person has an empathetic approach? We need to patrol our activities and mannerisms more than our body art. We need to look professional, not like a rag-tag bunch of individuals that just through some wrinklely clothes on. Until we do this, tatoo or no tatoo, we will look like we are a group of just unorganized individuals.

JMHO,

Michael

[boeingb13]

How can you say that you don't conform? You admit that your scary looking, and that at first your viewed as such, but as soon as you start to speak everything changes. Guess what, you conformed to what the Pt needs to get the job done.

I can say that because, conforming would mean changing, i dont change, i open my mouth and talk in my normal tone. And the "common sense" comment I keep seeing, has nothing to do with this subject, common sense would tell you not run into a structure fire, common sense tells you to wear a seatbelt at all time in a vehicle, do we do that in ambulances all the time, no.

When its all said and done, this is our generation, just like all of you who are older did stuff looked down on by the public, we do things looked down upon by you. But the realization is, we are the people giving the care for the next 25 years, while everyone elses careers are winding down. We train hard, and learn as much as possible, whenever possible, and we also have one life to live, and I know myself, I dont want to be someone who looks back, and thinks "damn, all the stuff I didn't do because I was to worried about what people thought" Life is built on memories,experiences, and actions. Not being conservative and worried about every little thing people think about you.

When we show up on scene and one of our rescue guys is sleeved, and the pt is having an MI or what have you, I cant recall one time there ever being a problem. Our operation flows the same way as always.

Being a proffesional isnt the color of your skin, or the colors in it, its how you carry yourself, how you work, how you apply your knowledge in a correct manner, how you treat people. Everyone has predjudices in this world, as you have seen in the posts here. And along with that comes not what i view as a fun life, but a life filled with pleasing others at the cost of yourself.

These are my thoughts, they may seem ignorant to others, but such is life.

[paramedicmike]

Boe,

At what point are you driving? You initiated this thread by asking what other forumites thought. Then, when people told you what they thought, you became defensive and offered the "we're the upcoming generation, we think it's ok, so move out of our way" defense.

Did you really want to know what others thought? If not, then why did you start this thread? Honestly, judging by your responses, it doesn't sound like you were really interested. It sounds like you were asking to justify your already formed opinion.

You asked. People responded. Why are you getting bent out of shape over this?

What's more, after skimming through all the responses to this thread, I don't recall anyone saying "no tats" or "all tats are evil". Most of the responses centered around showing some respect for those with whom we interact, recognizing that not everyone will look favorably on tats, and if common sense dictates they be covered then cover them.

If you ask, be prepared to hear something you might not like. But at least be open minded enough to consider the viewpoints of others. Especially after *you* asked what others thought.

-be safe

[boeingb13]

Im not usually one to do this but here goes.

First of all MIKE, I added my thoughts to the post that I started, just because I start the post doesnt mean I cant add my own thoughts on it. Second just like you always tell people to take it to PM, have you ever heard of a thing called email. I you think I have a problem, or am being defensive, try sending a message, before making assumptions. You seem to assume things pretty quick.

As I stated previously, it doesnt matter to me how people view me, im not on this planet to please everyone, I am here to do whatever was predestined for me to do.

And as I said, i just posted my opinion, which is "mine", its not a judgement against others, or a shot at others, or a " were better than you" comment. I posted the thread, let others post, than put my own thoughts into this. You can take it as you want, which is usually in a negative light.

[paramedicmike]

Interesting. No assumptions were made. That's why I asked questions. Those questions were added to the thread as they were directly related to the responses following the original post.

Who's defensive now? :roll:

[boeingb13]

Im still not defensive, Mike, this whole thing is just thoughts from everyone. It just seemed that you were taking what I was saying wrong. Its hard to read somethings and know how to take them, being theres no tones, or gestures to go with it. Like I said, what I wrote was just my thoughts. I live in the " I dont want to not do now, what i'll regret later" type of menatality. Thats not for everyone. And I accept that, to each their own.