If you have visible tattoos you may have caught the occasional sneaky side-glance from curious eyes perusing your ink while out and about.

Perhaps you’ve even felt judgement from strangers staring at your chosen designs, or worse, scrutiny from potential employers.

It’s 2017, but books are still being judged by their covers. Particularly in work places, where women can be expected to portray an image that has nothing to do with their ability to do their job well.

In this territory, examples of the female employee that was sent home for not wearing high heels spring to mind, or even the pink haired mum-of-one who was told that she didn’t look like the ‘mum type’.

Read more: 50 beautiful coloured tattoos, from florals to geometric shapes

Now Jordan Miller and Misti Johnson have shared their frustration – and confusion – after learning that apparently hospital employment guidelines surrounding staff with tattoos are becoming stricter.

Taking to Facebook, the pair explain that their mum, who is a registered nurse and clear tattoo enthusiast, has been made aware of the change recently. The family, though, are unwilling to accept the stigma against tattoos – and have reminded the internet at large that the artwork on their mum’s skin has never stopped her from saving lives.

“I've seen my mom pull a lady out of a car before it fills with smoke and she suffocates,” they write. “I've seen her do stitches on an injured person on the side of the road following a car accident.

“I've seen her come home after a 12-hour shift, dead tired after dealing with an abusive patient all day, and get back up and do it again the next day.”

After describing scenes that illustrate without question that their mum is a complete badass and asset to the hospital she works at, the siblings reiterate: “Tattoos don't define the person.

“My mom has more tattoos than I can count and it has never, ever affected her work ethic. She will wake up at the same time everyday and save a life."

Since the post was shared two days ago it has already amassed over 38,000 likes and thousands of comments, in which Facebook users have started some interesting debates.

Read more: In the midst of a nursing crisis, a nurse reveals what it’s really like to work for the NHS

Lori McKeown thinks that employers have the right to set a dress code, writing: “Welcome to being an adult and employers having the right to set dress codes, etc. While you have the right to wear tattoos, piercings, style of clothing etc, employers have the right to set these work place rules. Hospitals serve a diverse population, and not all people feel the same as you.”

Elizabeth Fantham, however, believes a patient in need of emergency assistance wouldn’t refuse it because of tattoo preferences.

“It only hurts the employer,” she says. “They could be losing out on the best employee they ever had. I can't imagine someone having a heart attack and refusing help because the person has tattoos.”

Learning not to judge someone on their physical appearance is not a lesson that should not need to be taught, and with the pressure nurses and doctors are already under, we think it’s fair to say that tattoos should be the last thing on the list for hospitals to worry about.

Images: iStock