Published
Hello Everyone :) I am writing again. I visit this website everyday and read your lives.
That's my hobby. I am a future RN, I mean I am a nursing student.
As I am learning and learning.. about 'Nursing Care', I think being a nurse is not really easy.
Need to have many abilities. Such as Knowledge, Patience, Strength, Generosity, Faith, and beautiful Smile..... still ...etc....
One of my problem is .. :zzzzz I am a kind of tiny person. 5 feet 2 inch.. People can think me I look weak.
So Every night I exercise.. like jumping a rope... to make my body strong... for the future Job..
Well.. Is there something(or big) disadvantages as a tiny nurse?
Hope not this question sounds stupid...
Originally posted by Teresa76:kiss: Now I feel one member of this nurse family.
You are my sister, brother, uncle, aunt .....
Yeah! There is no hard thing if I use my weak point with wisdom.
Maybe that makes me much powerful person...
![]()
I will continue to post my thoughts to share with you..
Everyone seems to be giving you good sound advice so far. Using good body mechanics and always thinking the situation through first, and being smart about the lift should never fail you. If they weigh more than you it's a great time to ask for assistance. Spread out the number of co-workers your asking help from so they don't get resentful. Being a nice person is very important when it comes to getting help. If they don't like you they will always have something more important to do at the moment. Do your best to help everyone else in their time of need, and there will always be a great deal of hands waiting to assist you.
Originally posted by stressednurseI do know from some management training in my earlier years with the cooperative extension service that height is something that will get you a management position over smarts.
Must be a very basic endocrine assumption.
![]()
That's just a shame, Stress. I saw something the other night on the news that stated taller folks with exactly the same job qualifications even make more money on average then there vertically challenged peers.
Your question is not a bit "stupid", and you received some excellent replies. The proper body mechanics is absolutely right. I have nursed for 26 years. My height is 4'10". I am not quite 100lbs. I have lifted and still do lift very heavy clients in a long term care facility. My co-workers have commented that for the size of me, I lift very well. The skill did not come overnight. I have been very fortunate in that I have never had a back problem to date.
A nurse that I used to work with nicked named me "Big Red", and it stuck. In her honour and memory I have used my nick name as my username here. The other respondents are right. You will learn. You are wise to exersise. It will pay off. I exersise as well. It's a good habit to get into.
Good luck to you. Just remember that you are not alone. There are lots of us "wee" nurses out there that manage very well. Hope this has helped!
I fully sympathize with the problem--I'm 5ft 1in. I have the same advice as the others--watch your back! It's the only one you have and an injury can end your career. My pet peeve? Those Amazon nurses who take the IV holders in the ceiling tracks and shove them all the way to the ceiling!! I have to find a chair or stool to stand on to pull them down to my level. Sort of like when my 6ft 2in husband puts things away for me then I can't reach them. Good luck in your career--you'll do fine!:)
I am short. 4'11". I work in the OR. I had a nursing instructor tell me that I was too short to work in the OR, to think about another area. Well!!!!! I have been in the OR for 12 years!!!!!! ever since I graduated. Don't let your size rule your decisions. and DON'T let anyone tell you that you are too tiny to work anywhere!
Let the taller ones help you out. It is your skills that make a nurse NOT your size.
yep, I am 5"1" with shoes! he,he and I deal with ventilator patients that don't move a finger!
It was very hard when I first started as a nurse, I couldn't even pull one of them. But with time, I guess you get stronger. I learned different techniques on how to turn them , etc.
I will NEVER pull somebody that is very heavy without assistance, don't you ever put yourself on that spot, you can hurt yourself and its not worth it. Whenever family members will be like" oh.. my mom needs to be turn" and yeah mama is like 400lbs.. I am like ok, let me get my cna or RT to help me turn your mother, I mean, people don't think that somebody can turn a heavy patient by themselves.
take care and have fun!
LilRedRN1973
1,062 Posts
I chuckled after reading this because ALL of my nursing instructors are under 5'2" and 6 of the 40 students are under 5'1", myself included! And at our clinical rotations now, at least 1/2 the staff is under 5'2". So I would not worry about any disadvantages...the only I have run into is being able to move a larger patient. Because of my low center of gravity, it's difficult to move around a larger patient if I have to lift my arms above waist level. And also, reaching some of the supplies off the top shelves!!!