too little to be a nurse?

weesyanne · Apr 18, 2005

I have a former boss who is 4 ft 8 in and weighs about 90 lbs. She has her MSN and is the director of a department. Size doesn't really matter.

snoopychic8 · Apr 18, 2005

I am a student nurse and I am 5'1, and have quite a young looking face, and I have had many patients comment about how young I am to be nursing. I had one who was convinced that I was no more than 15....he just couldnt believe that I was 20. Well I haven't had a lot of experience nursing, but since I started working in the nursing home I haven't had too many problems with moving patients and lifts, but I am always wary about getting help if there is anything that I am unsure of as far as transfers. It can sometimes be difficult getting help with such a heavy patient load and understaffing problems. Lift machines are awesome though, I dont know how nurses ever got along without them.

z's playa · Apr 18, 2005

here's a topic with threads pertaining to this subject.
gompers, you are in there somewhere.
can a short person be a nurse?
https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58226

thank you . i was wondering how long it would take.

off topic but does your user name mean peanut butter and jam sandwiches?

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2005

Thank you . I was wondering how long it would take.
off topic but does your user name mean peanut butter and jam sandwiches?

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

studentNY · Apr 18, 2005

Grass is always greener, I know, but I'm 6 foot and my back always hurts from leaning over. I wonder if shorter people have less injurys at work??

lilshorty · Apr 18, 2005

I'm graduating in May and I'm 5'4". I've had a few people ask me how old I am, but mostly they're just joking. I look very young also, but I agree that you just have to act confident. When you present to people as being confident (not cocky) they usually take you more seriously. When people say something about my size, I smile and laugh with them, then do my assessment or give their med or whatever. Once they figure out that I know what I'm doing and that I'm pretty competent I never hear about my size again, unless it's "Oh, it's my cute little nurse again! She's so little isn't she? But she really knows what she's doing!" (I get that a lot from the old grandmothers.) :chuckle

lady_jezebel · Apr 18, 2005

Hello everyone,
I have a dillema. I am a nursing student and recently got a job on the med\sug floor. I am 5 feet and 111 lbs. and I had 3 pts refuse my care in the same 12 hr day because of my size! One pt said that I was too young and too little to be working here and management should do something about that because it puts pts in danger and if nothing is done he will speak to administration:o . I admit that I am not strong, but I know how to get help and the correct was to move pts. I am a bit discouraged now. what do you do when this happens?

That's just ridiculous, isn't it? Could it be that you also come off as being insecure with the patients, and that contributes to them viewing you as "young"? It's really all in the attitude. And as for size, it's your thinking skills and knowledge that matters more. I cannot move MOST patients by myself, since obesity is such an epidemic. There's not a nurse out there that doesn't rely on her co-workers for help. Your size shouldn't be an issue at all. Just cultivate a stronger, more powerful & confident persona, and you'll do fine! :)

prinzessdy · Apr 19, 2005

I never, never come off being cocky or too confident.I'm not a know-it-all. If I have questions, I will ask, If I need help, I will ask. I am actually one of the nicest nursing students and employee on the floor. and my instructors and co-workers love me because I love to learn and work. So I dont think that was the problem. I do have a soft squeeky voice and it may come off sounding timid, I dont know. but when they refused my care, I just said ok and I'll get someone to help. I know that i cant do that once i graduate because i will probally be their only nurse, so i was just wondering what to do or say in that situation. Isnt it considered assault or battery if I force them to accept my help? And the Rn told the pt that sometimes thats all the help that the floor can get, "we're short staffed". That also made me feel a little bad.

prinzessdy · Apr 19, 2005

you can get a job while youre a student? maybe it was because you are a student? if i was a patient i wouldnt care if my nurse is 5 ft tall how old are you?

24

Speculating · Apr 19, 2005

Hello everyone,
I have a dillema. I am a nursing student and recently got a job on the med\sug floor. I am 5 feet and 111 lbs. and I had 3 pts refuse my care in the same 12 hr day because of my size! One pt said that I was too young and too little to be working here and management should do something about that because it puts pts in danger and if nothing is done he will speak to administration:o . I admit that I am not strong, but I know how to get help and the correct was to move pts. I am a bit discouraged now. what do you do when this happens?

Size doesn't have a lot to do with it, but you do have to stand up for yourself. Let him know if he drops dead in front of you that you'll have to walk away since he thinks your to small to do chest compression, and even if you start CPR you'll have to call administration to make sure it's okay. What's he do for a living you need to come back with something like how can a nasty condensating bigot like yourself be in sales and make any money. If your still a student you may want to pass till you get the license - don't let these people talk to you like that!

PicklesRN, RN · Apr 19, 2005

Size doesn't have a lot to do with it, but you do have to stand up for yourself. Let him know if he drops dead in front of you that you'll have to walk away since he thinks your to small to do chest compression, and even if you start CPR you'll have to call administration to make sure it's okay. What's he do for a living you need to come back with something like how can a nasty condensating bigot like yourself be in sales and make any money. If your still a student you may want to pass till you get the license - don't let these people talk to you like that!

(emphasis my own)

And after making a comment/inference like that shall we all take bets on just how many minutes it takes for her to be asked to leave the floor? Or if she does it after she gets a job just how many hours it will take to be fired?

Getting down and dirty and lowering herself to a step below the pt's behaviors isn't the way to do it. Being the better person and the best nurse around is the way to do it.

zenman · Apr 19, 2005

I'm in Hawaii where there are a lot of Asian nurses...who tend to be on the short side! :chuckle