Can nursing schools kick out students who are overweight?

[veritas]

hi,

this happened in my institution. an overweight student wanted to study for RN. but at the end of her 1st year she got kicked out. the reason turned out to be that she's overweight and they think she will not be able to function as a nurse. so they told her to lose weight and try again. she went to court and the newpapers and in the end, she lost maybe 5 kg and the courts ruled she should be allowed to study RN despite her weight. she's actually about 15-20kg overweight for her height.

i wonder if this happens else where? my institution is a very horrible place... they eat their young... :monkeydance:

[veritas]

diapason, what makes you think i preach to my pts?

i educate them.

they are free to make their own choices.

i recognize my pts as fallible.

ea and every one of us, has our weaknesses and imperfections.

i am not overweight.

to my pts, i look like the picture of health.

but i smoke like a factory.

every single one of my smoking, lung ca pts, know it was their smoking.

i do not need to 'educate' them.

my overweight pts know their htn and cad is a result of poor food choices.

i remind them of the benefits of a low-fat diet and the importance of reading labels.

i also tell them i know how hard this is, and if they have to have that cake, then for God's sake, do 15 min of exercise.

my point is, looks are deceiving.

and ibw does not necessarily mean good health.

i work with nurses who are overweight, and have the stamina of a camel.

they can run circles around me.

nursing should always be performance based.

our pts want to receive competent care.

that doesn't mean we have to epitomize barbie or ken.

we need to be able to perform, for ourselves and our pts.

and the buck stops there.

leslie

i totally agree! we all choose our own decisions in life and we lead our own lives. not someone else's idea of what ideal is. as long as we are doing our jobs in the standards required and as long as we are safe and not hurting anyone, we should all be allowed to make our own choices, and not be guilted, bullied or manipulated by others into their perception of ideal. no one is perfect and looks are always deceiving. we all have our own battles, fat or thin, and it's not right for one to judge the other as being better or worse. we are all different people and our diversity should be celebrated. people come in different shapes and sizes and have little reflection on their character or abilities. surely nurses are not expected to become clones of each other, in one skinny size? people place too much emphasis on looks and appearances. by accepting that, we are perpetuating it. do what is good and right. not what is superficial and biased. :monkeydance: