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Working in the medical field, nurses may want to keep their nursing tattoos small, discreet and easily covered up by work clothing, depending on their work environment and employer policies.
One thing to keep in mind is that if tattoos are visible to the general public, a nurse will probably want to avoid any art that might be considered offensive to patients.
In the U.S.A., a common symbol for the medical field is the Caduceus, a rod or staff with wings at the top and two snakes wrapped around it in perfect balance.
Note that in Greek mythology, this is not a medical symbol but the symbol for the god Hermes, more commonly associated with commerce than with medicine.
In most of the world, the appropriate symbol for the medical profession is the staff of Asclepius, a staff with a single snake wrapped around it. Asclepius was the actual ancient Greek god of healing.
Nurses who want to avoid the whole Caduceus vs. staff of Asclepius affair can opt instead for the red cross, an international symbol of medicine. In predominantly Muslim countries, the red crescent is the equivalent of the red cross.
Other instantly recognizable symbols for the nursing profession include the stethoscope and an old-fashion nurse’s cap with a red cross on the front.
To show their love of nursing, many women who choose the stethoscope, red cross or nursing cap tattoo incorporate a red heart into the design.
Another popular nursing tattoo design idea incorporates the mountains-and-valleys design that represents the human heart beat on an EKG printout.
