This week we were informed that as a Baylor Heath Care System employee, you must submit a personal health screening including: BMI, fasting glucose, BP and cholesterol signed by your physician, as part of a "wellness program."
Ok, fine whatever. BUT if you don't, you will be charged $25 per paycheck!
In addition, Baylor will no long be hiring tobacco users. In addition to your drug screening, you will be screened for nicotine and denied the position if tested positive.
This was on the front page of the Metro section in the Dallas Morning News today, and it has a lot of people up in arms.
You're not going to be denied a job because you're fat lol. I worked for a company that did that, and believe it or not it was a wonderful thing. They are charging you more per paycheck because if you refuse to take control of your health (which is how they will see it) then you're costing them money on insurance. If you are fat or unhealthy, they will probably just give you some type of information on making healthy changes. You'll probably follow up with a lifestyle coach or something 1-2 times per month. It's really not a big deal. It's also not uncommon, so better get used to it.
The hospital my husband works at has done this for about 4 years now. Each employee must do the "health risk assessment" each year. Urine samples are required to test for tobacco derivatives, and those who test positive must complete a tobacco cessation class in order to be eligible for benefits.
The hospital is not unionized, but it is a magnet hospital.
that's absolutely ridiculous. whether people approve or not, using tobacco is LEGAL. period. testing for it, and treating it's users like hard core drug addicts is just wrong. my grandmother smokes like a freight train and i dont like it but she's happy and it's legal. she smokes outside away from everyone on her own time. it's none of mine or anyone else's business.
i also meant to add, if they dont want tobacco users on our staff, well there goes about 85% of your surgical staff. including the surgeons actually they'd lose a good portion of the doctors as well as a good chuck of the nursing staff. whether or not you agree with smoking to deal with it, medicine is stressful work..
Is this legal? I mean basing your final selection on staff based on are they fat (over 25 BMI).
If it is legal then why not ask " Are you or have you ever had back injuries before". I am sure that would weed out a few more nurses as well.
Yes it's legal, and they already ask that question- asking the year and outcome...generally after hiring.
Employers owe none of us anything if we don't already work for them.
Gender, ethnicity, race, religion...(I'm forgetting something) THOSE are illegal to discriminate against. Otherwise, the facility is paying for a service and has the right to decide what/who they are looking for....NO different than BSN only....except some health issues can be rectified- if someone wants to work there, get to where they want their employees. I would NOT make the cuts- so this isn't coming from some 25 y/o 5'9" 120 pound blond bombshell with good labs (even bombshells can have cr*ppy lab work)
I'd like to work with people who are less likely to drop dead; I wouldn't make the cut myself, but if I were working, I'd do what I needed to get to where I wanted (and are there accommodations for those being treated for BP/Chol/diabetes ??? If someone is compliant with a MD treatment plan, does that matter?
WE (nurses, all healthcare employees) are products that employers "rent".... simple as that. I don't rent the "rent-a-wrecks" if I rent a car..... why get a dinged up nurse? Just sayin' We are not "all that".....we are owed nothing if we're not employed by that facility.
OK. Fire away. Don't care. :) Just get a job somewhere...and be glad you a) CAN work, and b) have a job.....seen the unemployment figures lately?
:chair:
Oh....I worked in TX for 17 years....and would never work at a unionized hospital...just MY preference. I prefer to fight my own battles...and not be stuck someplace for a specified amount of time due to some stupid contract :)
Oh....I worked in TX for 17 years....and would never work at a unionized hospital...just MY preference. I prefer to fight my own battles...and not be stuck someplace for a specified amount of time due to some stupid contract :)
I've worked for 3 hospitals with unions and 1 without. Unions have their downfalls, but overall, I'd prefer to work with one than without one.
I don't know what you mean with that last comment, but I've never been stuck anywhere due to a contract.
Actually, I think this has more to do with what's going on at Parkland and Methodist Dallas than Baylor. Both Parkland and Methodist are at risk of losing their medicare/medicaid funding; nurses who are pursing advanced degrees have to work at an accredited hospital, so they will be jumping ship quickly to preserve their grants, scholarships, financial aid and to remain in their programs. Everyone else will be looking as well, since I know 75% of our patients are funded whole or in part by medicare/medicaid. Unless it's a St. Jude's with tons of exterior funding, the average hospital can't get by without medicare/medicaid dollars. You cut off that money, the hospital closes.
While I see a lot of that in the corporate world, and it's coming to healthcare, I think Baylor's just putting that in place to weed out a lot of the resumes that are about to come their way.
I've worked for 3 hospitals with unions and 1 without. Unions have their downfalls, but overall, I'd prefer to work with one than without one.
I don't know what you mean with that last comment, but I've never been stuck anywhere due to a contract.
Contract implies something binding....if I'm wrong, and you can resign at any time without penalty, I've learned something :) But then don't understand the point...
If anything just being a nurse can contribute to an increased BP, BMI, lipid profile and use of nicotine with all the stressful charting, under staffing and regular life or death medical practices... now let's just add so called "wellness screening programs" .. yeah right!
Just because the economy is bad does not give employers the right to treat people like slaves. This "you are just lucky to have a job" mantra is a pathetic excuse for accepting the totalitarian behaviors of corporations. You work your bum off for that check, its not just given to you for showing up and looking pretty.
I figured all this was coming from Texas, they seem to be on the cutting edge of discrimination. Not everyone lives there, I for one, would never. I don't talk about it often, but at the beginning of my nursing career, the hospital I worked for tried to ruin me. If it wasn't for my union, I wouldn't be posting on AllNurses, because the liars would have ruined my career. The union sat right beside me the whole time, and we won every fight with the truth being told. I've never worked in a unionized place since then, but I still think a union is a good thing. I'm so glad that my working years are winding down. Some of you that think all this is so wonderful, watch out. Some day you'll get old, or chubby, or have high blood pressure.( By the way, I'm not hypertensive, but am guilty of the first 2.) What will you do? Wonder why this world has gotten so mean and uncaring about others plights. I just don't get it. I'll keep being me, I care.
Specializes in LTC, Disease Management, smoking Cessati.
This week we were informed that as a Baylor Heath Care System employee, you must submit a personal health screening including: BMI, fasting glucose, BP and cholesterol signed by your physician, as part of a "wellness program."
Ok, fine whatever. BUT if you don't, you will be charged $25 per paycheck!
In addition, Baylor will no long be hiring tobacco users. In addition to your drug screening, you will be screened for nicotine and denied the position if tested positive.
This was on the front page of the Metro section in the Dallas Morning News today, and it has a lot of people up in arms.
What are your thoughts??
This is going on in many companies, not just health care related. If you don't comply your insurance copay and cost go up! It is most likely here to stay... more intrusion into one's life by employers.
]i figured all this was coming from texas they seem to be on the cutting edge of discrimination[/size'][/b]. not everyone lives there, i for one, would never. i don't talk about it often, but at the beginning of my nursing career, the hospital i worked for tried to ruin me. if it wasn't for my union, i wouldn't be posting on allnurses, because the liars would have ruined my career. the union sat right beside me the whole time, and we won every fight with the truth being told. i've never worked in a unionized place since then, but i still think a union is a good thing. i'm so glad that my working years are winding down. some of you that think all this is so wonderful, watch out. some day you'll get old, or chubby, or have high blood pressure.( by the way, i'm not hypertensive, but am guilty of the first 2.) what will you do? wonder why this world has gotten so mean and uncaring about others plights. i just don't get it. i'll keep being me, i care.
omg....this is hardly unique to texas ....and if you never worked there, you have no clue about the state as a whole :) i'd give my right arm to be able to move back there- the best years of working as a rn i had, hands down. and i worked mostly with lvns & cnas, and some very nice rns (yes, there were duds....but overall, it is a h*ll of a lot better than here in il...the first three letters of this state pretty well sum it up...any place where the governors retirement plan includes making license plates is no gem ). there are parts of tx that are more prone to nasty discrimination- but they don't speak for the whole state. austin is amazing :) the hill country was the most welcoming place i'd ever worked, and most of my friends are still from there- 8+ years after leaving (il b*tches i worked with hit the road as soon as i became disabled....nice bunch).
i do definitely agree with you that the world is a whole lot nastier than it used to be...and i have theories on that that don't belong on this forum. i care, too...in my way :) i think that's part of it...nobody wants individuals anymore- they want dumb puppets. and, from the info i'm hearing from the nursing students/new grads, the schools are doing their part to turn eager students into inadequately prepared grads. lots going wrong.
it is too bad we can't all see that differences are a good thing.....but i would still stand behind a facility's right to hire who they want- and my right to not work there :)
actually they'd lose a good portion of the doctors as well as a good chuck of the nursing staff. whether or not you agree with smoking to deal with it, medicine is stressful work..
kenyacka
91 Posts
You're not going to be denied a job because you're fat lol. I worked for a company that did that, and believe it or not it was a wonderful thing. They are charging you more per paycheck because if you refuse to take control of your health (which is how they will see it) then you're costing them money on insurance. If you are fat or unhealthy, they will probably just give you some type of information on making healthy changes. You'll probably follow up with a lifestyle coach or something 1-2 times per month. It's really not a big deal. It's also not uncommon, so better get used to it.