It's been pointed out to me recently that I get my confidence in part from running and cycling.
I hadn't realised this but I guess it's true.
This is inherent to my character and has been since I was about sixteen.
I have other friends who don't feel this way about exercise. They do it because it's fun and to stay healthy but it's nothing to do with expressing themselves as a person.
They have other things they get their sense of individuality and confidence from.
Like the way they paint or draw, or dance, or dress a certain way. They have their own brand.
Midwifery tends to attract feisty, strong women (and to a lesser extent, men). Many of these people express themselves by having funky hairstyles, tattoos and piercings in non-standard places.
I think one of the best descriptions of why people have body art is from Billy Connolly. He got his nipple pierced pretty late in life and he said once it was done, the piercer sat back and said 'that's one more of us and one less of them'.
It's about belonging to a clan of people who like to express themselves that way.
Many universities and hospital trusts have rules about piercings, jewellery, visible tattoos and even the colour hair that midwives have. Here's a typical policy*:
For infection control reasons, personal safety and in the interests of professionalism, the following are not acceptable:
- Tongue, nasal, lip and other such visible piercings must not be worn
- Visible tattoos can be seen as unprofessional by many patients and offensive by some. Staff in clinical practice are therefore discouraged from acquiring new visible
tattoos while in Trust employment. - Tattoos that contain nudity, swear words or symbols associated with extreme views
must be covered regardless of the area of work.
*some trusts are far more lenient about these kinds of rules than others
I understand the ideas behind these policies.
In part, they are for infection control. Piercings and rings are thought to be places where bacteria can be harboured. Though I have done a search and not found much evidence to support this, it seems sensible to keep jewellery to a minimum.
But if we're going to ban nose piercings, we should be thinking about why earrings are fine. And, for that matter, why nursing badges clipped on to uniforms are ok.
Tongue piercings have no risk (as one student in the Secret Community noted, she isn't planning on licking clients!) so there's something other than infection control going on there.
Professionalism is a consideration. The policy makers may be concerned that some clients will be concerned by piercings and tattoos as they are associated with risk taking behaviour.
However, I've never seen any evidence for this. I couldn't find any research, but my experience and this MumsNet thread suggests that it's experience and expertise women look for in midwives, rather than a particular appearance, within reason of course.
Anything offensive or that shows a particular prejudice is not ok, but this is an expectation for healthcare professionals in general. It's not ok to be prejudiced just as long as you don't have a tattoo about it!
Body art is something that pre-dates hospital policy. The oldest frozen mummy ever found is 5,300 years old and had stretched earlobe piercings.
In New Zealand, Ta moko (Maori body art) is considered sacred (tapu). Working in New Zealand, I began to realise that this particular kind of tattoo was associated with people of significance in Maori culture.
For me at least, when I see a healthcare professional with a non-standard piercing, a tattoo or wild hair colour, the first thing I do is smile. The second thing is I do is feel a bit safer because I know I'm being looked after someone with a sense of individuality and who can think for themselves.
I'm concerned by the dehumanisation that can happen in healthcare. Healthcare professionals are not just cogs in a machine, they are people and I'd much rather they are their authentic selves at work.
It's a hard enough job already without having a part of their humanity taken away.
If I couldn't have cycled to and from the hospital as a midwife, I'd have been devastated. And the more I think about it, the more that was to do with my identity as much as anything else.
I'm opening this up to the floor as I'd like to hear what you think. The research isn't sufficient to have an evidence-based policy that bans tattoos, brightly coloured hair and small piercings similar to earrings.
Is it ok to make assumptions about what women want from their midwives in this way? Is there something cultural going on?
And how can we support midwives to be themselves in practice?
Before I round this one off, I want to remind everyone how hard midwives work. This is a quote from a student midwife I've known for a while online:
'I was a single parent through my degree. It was a tough old slog, I won't lie. I put my head down and battled though. My university and placement were 50 miles from home so I commuted a lot. I was lucky to have my sister nearby who was my childminder but that still meant getting my children up and ready at 5:30am, sometimes I didn't see them for days.
My advice would be to accept help wherever it's offered and don't be afraid to ask for it. Be organised and prepared to do a lot of late night working. Be honest about your situation with university, mentors and peers (there were times when my peers had to pick up the slack for me and that's okay because that's what friends are for). Also coffee, all the coffee!'
With that kind of intelligence, drive, passion and compassion going on, I'm having problems caring how this midwife decides to decorate her body!
Let me know what you think in the comments? Thanks in advance!
I hope you're having a good week and are getting to be 'you' out in practice or whatever you're up to right now.
Ellie x
As a student midwife with 17+ tattoos and a nose piercing and previously stretched ears I was concerned about this prior to my application. The majority of my tattoos are on my legs and can be hidden but I still have wrist, arm and tattoo behind my ear which are visible to women. Even when doing clinical practice at university I was advised to remove my nose piercing but I just replaced the ring with a stud and nothing much was said after that.
I’ve found now I’m in second year these concerns shouldn’t have been as major as I made them. Never on clinical placement have I been treated differently or asked to remove jewellery. I follow all infection control procedures and my tattoos have even helped start conversations with some women.
We may be midwives but we are normal people too and that’s the person the woman wants to connect with – I feel like wearing a uniform is our professional appearance but we should be able to promote our own ‘selves’ as these characteristics are usually what make us good midwives and approachable!!
I can understand the bit about covering tattoos with extreme viewpoints on them, we work with different kinds of people on a regular basis and its important to make sure they feel comfortable. But tattoos a potential infection threat is a little silly to me. Yes when you first get a tattoo one must be careful to cover it and see that its kept clean I would hazard that people with new tattoos would pay better attention to keeping themselves and others safe than those who accidentally cut themselves or something.
As a first year student midwife with a full sleeve of tattoos, this terrifies me. My perception of what I thought people would think of me almost stopped me from applying! When I got my place, I was asked by people around me if they would “let me” be a midwife because of my appearance. Yes I have tattoos, but they are not offensive, political or vulgar in any way. Working as a youth worker in a previous life, my tattoos were a great ice breaker with both young people AND their families so I know that people really don’t care that much. This reflection gave me the courage to go for it. Why is a full sleeve any different to a small tattoo on the wrist or an ear piercing? They are all an example of self expression and doesn’t affect the care we provide in the slightest.
I really do hope that soon enough, people will understand that tattoos, piercings and hair colour does not affect intelligence, spirit or professionalism… sometimes we just want to be a bit more colourful!
If I was receiving kind and competent care from a midwife who had even something which could be construed as inappropriate on his/her skin I’d like to think that I’d have faith that the profession they are in and it’s high standards would be more important. It may reflect their lives in an earlier phase. The fact that we change over time is probably why I haven’t any tattoos myself but I am happy for others to make the choice to have them. I like the point made above about them being a conversation point – that works both ways
Hi Ellie,
I’m obviously coming from an Occupational Therapy perspective but I agree with some of your view points regarding piercings and tattoos, particularly your statement about people being individual and their ‘authentic selves’.
For example, my last placement was a community, non clinical setting but because it was working for the NHS policy states ‘dress code’ and what is appropriate. Because of this I had to take my nose ring out and wear particular clothes and be in a sense a different me… and I realize this can be for professionalism, infection control and for safety as you could be faced with anything out in the community but I did feel a change in the way I presented myself, I just didn’t quite feel like me! Also that was sad considering in Occupational Therapy and I suppose midwifery similarly we are supposed to apply therapeutic use of self when we can! Which I feel isn’t as possible to do when that ‘self’ is hidden away!
Love Nikki
X
My tattoos, crazy hair and crazy tights do not not impair my ability to provide good, safe and effective midwifery care to those I midwife. There have been women who comment to me about them and they tell me it makes me seem more human and that they’d be uncomfortable with someone all dressed up and posh looking. There are of course women who would be uncomfortable with my appearance – after all we don’t all drink tea. Luckily there’s diversity within midwives to suit the diversity of women we care for.
I’m a 3rd ye student. I have a nose piercing and a lip piercing along with 7 tattoos. All mine are out of sight but not on purpose. I love art and how I can represent and carry memories in my tattoos. I definitely think if they are offensive then they should be covered up but in reality how many midwives do we’re come across who would have offensive tattoos, it’s not our nature ! I have only one as a 1st year met one mentor who said i think you should go and remove THAT (whilst pointing to my face). I just politely returned with a comment of what? An answer of , The face metal . I came back once agiain saying you are the only person who has ever said that to me and asked me to remove it, I will happily remove it if the reason isn’t that you don’t like it, if I could have some validation in how me removing these will make me a better student midwife or how it will improve my skills I will happpily remove them and do a reflective piece of work on how I differ from wearing to not wearing. I said also if it’s for hygiene reasons I am not planning on putting my nose or mouth on any of the women I care does She just said leave them then.
We are all unique and that’s the incredible thing about this profession. We meet a huge variety of women and families and I think if we were all mine dyed hair, no tattoos, no piercings, no make up, no hair style we wouldn’t fit in with the society we care for. It shouldn’t be should midwives have tattoos? It should be should anyone have a tattoo. That person who drove you to hospital in the ambulance, the cleaner, the chef, the dentist, the doctor, the funeral director! Invest most of them have then even if not visable to the eye.
As a student midwife I have never received any negative comments regarding my visible tattoos, however I was informed I would have to dye my hair prior to the start of my placements. As midwives we strive to empower women and encourage and support their choices, whilst being 100% non-judgmental. So why is it that the same does not apply to us? Why are we expected to change our appearance? I can guarantee 9 times out of 10 it is most definitely not for the benefit of the women in our care as I have only ever had positive reactions to both my hair and tattoos in the past!
A Midwife for two years, I have a visible bird tattoo on my wrist which is so important to me and my life… not once has any ever said it should be covered. We are a profession that support individualisation of care etc, why can’t we have individialised midwives? My tattoos and piercing to not implant on my ability to give great care.
I have a half sleeve, which is very colourful and vivid, so obviously on show at work! Although some older staff members have been a little bit put-off by it (I think they assume I’m some sort of violent reprobate…?), other staff members have been supportive and interested in my tattoos. This is of course, generally a matter of personal preference, and whether or not someone likes my tattoo doesn’t offend me at all.
In terms of the women we care for…I have of course never had someone react negatively at all to my tattoos. In fact, most react positively- they are intrigued, and like to know that we are just as human as they are. What inspires women to know they are well looked-after is most often not the appearance of her midwife, but how her midwife makes her feel. I like to think I make my women feel safe and at-ease in their environment-I trust them, and they trust me.
As far as I have witnessed, most hospital policy now is not against tattooed individuals in the workforce. In an NHS which must constantly adapt and change to our modern world, not adapting to tattoos in the workforce would seem churlish and backwards (seeing as they’re so prevalent now, and not just associated with Sailors or “People Who Make Poor Life Choices”).
Midwives are a variety of women (and men) caring for a variety of women. The more closely our workforce represents our clientele, the better we can serve the needs of the women and families who need us.
I’m starting my midwifery course in September and this article and all the comments have made me feel so much better! I have a half sleeve on my arm, which isn’t offensive, and I have been worried for months that I was going to be told I wouldn’t get a job or I was unprofessional. This has made me see that isn’t the case at all! Thank you so much 🙂 xx
Like Bethany above, I’ve just been given a university offer to start in September. I’m absolutely thrilled but my tattoos have been playing on my mind. I have a colourful half sleeve, chest and leg tattoos. I was going to buy a flesh coloured cover for the sleeve but wasn’t sure about infection control, hygiene, etc. This post has made me feel much better about the situation – I’m just going to turn up on my first day as I am 🙂
Awesome – who you are is important to the role!
When I started midwifery 7yrs ago I didn’t have a tatoo but longed to get one but was put off by the ‘rules’ I now have 2 ( one wrist and one covered) and I find it is a great conversation peice for my clients, of which 85% have one too! so it is an instant connection in a stressful environment. And I have never been asked to cover it by my band 7s. Don’t let it stop those new midwives in waiting…we need you..we need your personalities!!
I am about to qualify as a midwife and I have one tattoo but I do want to get more. My tattoo is on my wrist and it is a Tibetan writing meaning ‘hope’. I got it because it represents me as I never lose hope no matter what happens and this reflects my midwifery practice. It represents my journey applying for this midwifery course. I was unsuccessful for 6 long years but I never lost hope because it was midwifery or nothing. I love my tattoo because when women I look after give birth, I like to think that the first thing their baby will “see” will be the writing on my wrist saying “hope” and I like to tell my self that it will help them keep hope in their lives. My tattoo is right on my veins, its symbol is flowing through my bloodstream and that keeps me going when life is hard. I have never had any bad reaction to my tattoo in practice. Women usually ask me what it means and that starts a nice conversation. I think this article is really important because it is about more than tattoos and piercings, it is about being a whole human being. Thank you for that, I enjoyed reading it very much!