Related Experiment Videos
Patients' perceptions of patient care providers with tattoos and/or body piercings
Heather V Westerfield1, Amy B Stafford, Karen Gabel Speroni
1Shore Health System, Easton, MD, USA. hvw@goeaston.net
Objective:
This study evaluated patients' perceptions of patient care providers with visible tattoos and/or body piercings.
Background:
As tattooing and body piercing are increasingly popular, research that informs nursing administrators regarding policies on patient care providers having visible tattoos and body piercings is warranted.
Methods:
A total of 150 hospitalized adult patients compared pictures of male and female patient care providers in uniform with and without tattoos and/or nonearlobe body piercings.
Results:
Patient care providers with visible tattoos and/or body piercings were not perceived by patients in this study as more caring, confident, reliable, attentive, cooperative, professional, efficient, or approachable than nontattooed or nonpierced providers. Tattooed female providers were perceived as less professional than male providers with similar tattoos. Female providers with piercings were perceived as less confident, professional, efficient, and approachable than nonpierced female providers.
Conclusions:
Nursing administrators should develop and/or evaluate policies regarding patient care providers with visible tattoos and/or body piercings.
Related Concept Videos
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Ethical Standards II
Nurses are entrusted with upholding various ethical principles and standards. Nurses forge solid therapeutic relationships using trust, empathy, autonomy, confidentiality, and professional competence.
Confidentiality is crucial, embodying respect for individual privacy and...
Impression Management Techniques I: Managing Appearances
Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
Peripheral Artery Disease IV: Nursing Management
Patient-centered Care