Overweight Healthcare Workers

[EmpoweRN]

Imagine a weigh in as part of your employment application… followed by a reassessment throughout the year. Could this be a reality in the future? Since hospitals stopped hiring smokers - it does bring up the question: How far could employment requirements go?

Whilst hospital staff should be shining examples of health and happiness, the reality is, we are really just normal people; Some mothers and fathers, many of us struggling to manage long shifts combined with our other responsibilities.

Nurses work long hours, and throughout the day must put their needs aside for their patients, making it especially hard to stay healthy. I do believe it is possible to stay healthy and fit on the job. However, it does take a tremendous amount of planning, focus and discipline.

Some argue that patients will not accept our advice or education when they think we do not care for our own bodies as they think we should. In this situation, stick to the research and facts. Regardless of your own health issues, it does not have any effect on your patients.

[video=youtube_share;oC0f8QBLB3s]

[debrasimons]

People should open the video because she goes on to say of course anyone who is good at what they do and caring and kind regardless of their size is welcome in the healthcare profession..

No one should just automatically assume something they have not seen and say they are not going to open the video. It is an eye-opening video.

[Nphillips1]

Agree with much of this post! Honestly, though, I would love to hear more from someone who actually came to be fit after the struggle of being overweight and then getting fit and healthy, especially someone who is say, over 35 or 40. It was much easier when I was in my 30s than it has been at my age now. I am working out, reducing calories but it's been a hell of a struggle. My daughter is eating the same way I am and has lost 35 pounds. Yes, I am teaching my kids how to make better choices and it's sticking. It's just hard for me to take advice from someone who has not likely walked my walk yet and has not hit the challenges that peri-menopause brings. The video is very well-meaning and I get the message and yes, we can do better and should. But again, I would like to see someone who has already made changes and succeeded, and came back from overweight struggles, show us how they did it.

But that may just be me.

Me too! Struggling with the whole age/ menopause thing. I have generally been underweight or close to ideal weight but no more! I do agree with others mentioning that we all recognize fat shaming but what about making someone who is thinner but still overweight by their standards feel shamed? I may be smaller than most, but I weigh more than I ever have. That is distressing and not healthy either.

[Nphillips1]

First off no one has 12 smoke breaks unless you let them. They have their 15 min/lunch break to smoke. technically 3 a shift. If more is happening someone is letting them get away with it. If you hate it so much then do something about it instead of complaining. If you do and nothing gets done then live with it or find another place to work. solution given problem solved.....but you can never solve all the problems but this is my motto and I live by it. If you don't like it try to change it. If you get no results you tried and spoke up.

Just curious, if you are not the supervisor or administrator but another co- worker how are you "letting" anyone do anything??? And what if you like where you work, just not the inequity in how people are allowed to do their jobs? I have experienced this situation at a majority of places I have worked. Your suggestion of doing something-exactly what would you do? How would you effect change? And really, find another job problem solved??? Why should I or anyone else have to go find another place of employment because smokers are being allowed to take 15 minute breaks all day long to smoke? The amount of time wasted is ridiculous and productivity is in the toilet, yet they are never disciplined or docked pay. I have no explanation for why this happens, but it does and it is totally obnoxious. Combine that with the horrific nasty odor that clings to hair, clothes and breath after they return and you have the perfect storm. Non-smokers can barely make it to the bathroom or to lunch, in part because we do not leave the unit/floor/building, etc. to smoke!

[gypsierose]

Things like this make me want to quit entirely, but then I read all your awesome responses and remember that most nurses are awesome and not body shaming &$$holes

[nursealisha, BSN, RN]

If you didn't watch the video, then your opinion doesn't count! Everyone jumping to conclusions to weigh in on a subject they didn't even take the time to listen to.

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

If you didn't watch the video, then your opinion doesn't count! Everyone jumping to conclusions to weigh in on a subject they didn't even take the time to listen to.

And they vote:)

[SmilingBluEyes]

If you didn't watch the video, then your opinion doesn't count! Everyone jumping to conclusions to weigh in on a subject they didn't even take the time to listen to.

I did watch the video.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

If you didn't watch the video, then your opinion doesn't count! Everyone jumping to conclusions to weigh in on a subject they didn't even take the time to listen to.

I watched the video on the same day this thread was created, so I would respectfully disagree that 'everyone' has jumped to conclusions without listening to the vlog.

Nonetheless, based on reading some of the comments, it is clear that a handful of respondents exhibited knee-jerk reactions and opined without ever watching the video/vlog.

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

But why does it have to be "Too fat or not"?

It it feels like we went straight to Cosmo instead of Scientific American.

Whats next? "12 ways to please your doctor?"

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

People should open the video because she goes on to say of course anyone who is good at what they do and caring and kind regardless of their size is welcome in the healthcare profession..

No one should just automatically assume something they have not seen and say they are not going to open the video. It is an eye-opening video.

Perhaps you're referring to me, as I said I hadn't watched the video and didn't intend to. I posted in response to the text post that accompanied the video. I don't plan to watch the video because I don't have internet at home, and pay for data by the GB. Videos use more data than text, so I don't plan to watch them.

I posted in response to the original post -- the text part. In the future, I'll avoid the video threads since I don't plan to watch them. This was the first video I encountered on AN, and it took me by surprise.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Whew . . . thank you. I thought I was going crazy!!

It is a very odd thread.

But then, the delivery in the video is also odd. I think her self admitted sarcasm, especially at the beginning, doesn't go over too well. And the choppy editing style is bizarre. Makes you feel like they cobbled this together from multiple videos to create a message. Even a single sentence may be composed of 3 or more snippets

Also, when she does that "when you point a finger at someone else, you're pointing 4 fingers back at yourself," she was actually pointing 2 fingers forward, only 3 fingers back at herself.

[amzyRN]

There are genetic variances in sizes and I think the BMI needs to be overhauled. There are people who are large and eat healthy (and exercise vigorously) and there are people who are very unhealthy who are quite thin. I think if she would have taken the weight part out of it, the video would have been better received. I think people need to stop focusing on weight so much and instead focus on eating and exercising for health.