Can you "look good" as a nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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Is it possible to be a fit nurse (doing 12 hour shifts)?

How do you combat that?

Can you be physically healthy and mentally happy? In general, of course you will have the bad days.

And can you age well as a nurse, even with all the stress, with good diet and exercise and learn to do so?

Also, why are shifts for twelve hours?

My best friend always tells me " when your a nurse, everybody better tell you you look like a million bucks because guess who's taking care of them.."

The most important thing to do I think, is to do a stress relieving exercise like tai-chi or yoga that way you are keeping your body in awesome shape and you are keeping your mental health in check too...:D

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

You can look good, but you have to be really really motivated to do so. I could look better if I exercised more. I have 2 young kids and no outside help, so I have to exercise with them with me. There are things you CAN do, even with young kids. If I were more motivated, I would go back to the daily double stroller rides and stuff like that. A little tv time for them and I could do the elliptical more in poor weather. No, I can't work out EVERY day, but really there is no reason why I can't a few times a week. Motivation is a big part of it. Same with what you eat. Why not pack healthy food to take? you don't have to eat cafeteria food. Make a sandwich and take some fruit pre pealed/sliced and bottled water. You can eat that stuff just the same as snack food/granola/power bars and coffee/soda while you chart, and you will be full longer. Again, that takes motivation to make the lunches ahead of time instead of just grabbing stuff as you run out the door. It can be done. It just isn't always easy.

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I got in pretty good shape during nursing school, then let myself gradually go to he11 over my first few years of nursing. I spent the majority of my 4-day "weekends" in a persistent vegetative state on the couch (and that was the closest I got to "vegetables").

Culminated in big weight gain and contributed to a nasty back condition. Just now getting on top of things. It will take upwards of a year to get myself where I want to be, which isn't a happy thought but I did it to myself, so I can't really cry too much.

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I've always wondered how many breaks do you get during the 12-hour shift and how long are they?

Is it hard to find time to take a bathroom break?

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Just as a student, one thing I noticed I did a lot more of on a shift was DRINK WATER. I had a big bottle and with all the water dispensers near by I was able to drink a lot of water which is always good. The vending machines weren't close by either and I never used them. Brought Luna Bars (my favorite are the zesty lemon) if my BS was getting to low. I actually ate better, got more exercise and drank more water WHILE on my clinical shifts.

I play that game with myself - I bought one of the big water bottles that's double lined, holds on to ice for literally hours, and doesn't sweat. I have to drink four of those a shift at a minimum, and generally I do it, even if it's stupid busy.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.
I've always wondered how many breaks do you get during the 12-hour shift and how long are they?

Is it hard to find time to take a bathroom break?

I used to hold it until it was convenient to go. I would sometimes not go the whole shift, b/c it is never convenient. Now I just go whenever I have to. (unless a patient is actively crashing or something.) As per breaks, um, everywhere is different. There is no coverage in either job I work. So you can't really get a real uninterrupted break. But I WILL take 5 minutes to eat a sandwich while charting.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I have lost a lot of weight since I started working as an RN. Ive worked nights for 3 years now and have lost over 25 pounds since Jan/Feb. Working nights has nothing to do with it! LOL! Ive worked both 12's and 8's.

Its allllll about setting priorities and just doing it. I make myself work out whether I "want to" or not, I just get my butt up off the couch and go work out. I do 30 mins 4 days a week.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

When I first started nursing I worked eight hour nights and we had enough time each shift for someone to go get McDonalds every night. Well after seven months of that I was almost 210 lbs and had steep depression and back pain.

After I got married my husband and I tried to join gyms and do big workouts but it never panned out well. We would always make excuses not to go.

After we bought our house last year we made two simple changes: thirty minute walks around the neighborhood at least three times a week and simple calorie tracking using the iPhone app "Lose It!" So far we have lost twenty pounds each and several inches, and it really never felt like work. I pack all my work lunches now and make sure I have caloric wiggle room for Starbucks several times a week.

We also agreed that if we kept up the walking and weight loss we would ramp up the workouts by hiring a personal trainer, but not until we were sure we could stick to our plan. So far we have had almost two successful months and can see even more changes occurring in our bodies.

The one thing I keep in mind is that all the changes are lifestyle changes. They aren't intended to work overnight but in the end you look the mirror, see the smaller tummy, the tighter booty and feel the old aches and pains a lot less.

It really is worth it, and trust me, I can be one heck of whiner!

Plus don't forget there will be good days and bad days. Never beat yourself up for the bad days or reward yourself too much for the good ones!!

Tait

PS and take before and after pictures. Even with small changes it is amazing to see how much a little can change the image!

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I'm fit and I'm a nurse...I think that a proper diet and exercise is the key here;you can overeat now and then but it shouldnt be a regular "thing".When I see that my belly is getting rounder and more rounder then I know that I eat too much food (I'm very hooked on sweets and love carbohydrates) So to regulate my weight,I start eating "normal" and my weight goes back to normal within 2-3 days (I also have a fast metabolism after my father so that definitely helps as well). I also engage in several sports like tennis,bamington and volleball.I walk 30-40 x 2 with my dogs to get a circulation to my legs and give my brain oxygen,so far so good,I'm definitely not overweight.

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No matter what job or position you do there are always choices to make and options to take when it comes to your health. It's very easy for any profession to make excuses for not being able to exercise, eat right, or stay physically fit.

While I do not work full time at this moment..........I am a mom to 4 young boys, am back in nursing school full time, and work part time. I still find time to exercise 3-4 times a week, cook homemade meals, and take care of myself. It's a top priority, without my health I can't help others!

You don't work fulltime?? It definitely sounds like you do! Wow, that is awesome!! Okay, I definitely have no excuse to not work out. :)

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