I overheard a disturbing conversation of nurses who were saying that overweight people should not be working in healthcare. They were basically saying that patients do not respect health advice or treatment from a worker who is unhealthy themselves. I am posting this topic because I wonder if this is a shared sentiment among the medical field? Or from patients? Or has anyone experienced anything related to this? Like getting fired, or discriminated by either pateints or a facility and such? Are there ever clauses in facility contracts that employees must maintain optimal heath to represent the industry's interest? (I am in Vegas & yes casinos do enforce waitresses/dealers with a +/- 5 lbs. original hiring weight monitoring weekly). I hope this is not what nursing school meant by "take care of ourselves before we can take care of others." Honestly, I dont think like this but wonder if others in healthcare do? Is this really a "thing?"
BTW, they were referencing a theme of nurses who gained weight from emotional overeating. They were not referencing a physiological underlying condition. ~ Thank You ~
Why Are So Many Nurses and Healthcare Workers Overweight and Unhealthy?
I would choose not to have a fat or overweight nurse serve me in a hospital.
Well, you'd be missing some pretty damn good nursing care, based on the likes of some here who claim to be "fat." Ruby Vee or heron or Rose Queen could be my nurse any day! And I would be extremely grateful, because I am confident my care would be impeccable.
I would choose not to have a fat or overweight nurse serve me in a hospital.
Good luck with that then.
Could you imagine" I refuse care by that nurse because he/she is overweight"
Where I work you get who you get. It's not like we have a manu to choose from.
Tonight's choices: female , RN, 115 lbs
male BSN 150 lbs
female Msn 165 lbs.
LOL
I thinks its fairly shallow if people judge their caregiver on weight. I understand if its extreme obesity and they are 400 lbs and cant walk more than 10 feet withoutt being out of breath. But some 200 lbers do just fine and can run to get the bed alarms just fine,hmph
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
SO beautifully stated. Thank you for your compassion toward your patients and colleagues.
Thank goodness my employer and my patients do not agree with all this purposefully blind prejudice. I work as a bariatric nurse educator. I am morbidly obese by BMI. I make uncommonly good money, have fantastic work hours, enjoy a multitude of perks and feel valued and appreciated every day. I giggle inside a bit that I have the dream job I do when I think of all of you saying I should not even be allowed to be a nurse. I was recruited to apply and offered a 10k bonus as incentive to accept the position. How you like them apples? A fat bariatric nurse educator, oh my!!
My patients feel my compassion, my empathy and my hope for them. That is all they care about. In a world that considers size discrimination okay and obesity to be a character flaw, encountering a healthcare professional that understands obesity is a very poorly understood disease rather than a statement about the validity of an individual's habits goes far FAR further than the size of my wardrobe when it comes to therapeutic teaching. Obese people are used to being lectured, marginalized and judged. They could care less about my weight. They are simply glad to finally be met with intense kindness, camaraderie and hope. My weight is on its way down and my life as a nurse is fulfilling and happy. You can squawk all you like about my lack of qualification. The proof is in the low carb pudding as far as I am concerned. I get to witness and participate in changing lives for the better every single day and know I am part of that. I do not need your validation. Their tearful thanks and little smiles of renewed optimism weighs more than your judgement. So do their before and after pictures. So does my paycheck. My ability to understand where they are coming from does more than those who have never been obese (or those who have and now think they have all the answers) can comprehend. They can't even hear you over your sanctimony.
People don't care how much you think you know. They care how much you care. The greatest deficit in treating obesity is not in the fitness of nurses. It is in the dearth of compassion and the prevalence of judgement throughout our communities and invading our healthcare workers, as evidenced by this thread. I get paid a lot of money because of what I help my patients feel. You may be fit as a fiddle but your humility and compassion muscles are weak. Perhaps add strength of character to your personal fitness goals?
I will feel bad (sarcasm) about your resentment of me all the way to the bank after I wake up Tuesday looking forward to going back to work after the long weekend. I am fat. I love my job, my patients and my employer. I am fat, yet they value me, listen to me and share with me. How the h-e- doublehockeysticks did that happen?
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
No one is arguing against taking care of ourselves or having personal goals regarding our health. What we are objecting to is the assumption that:
a. You can discern our personal goals or level of self care based on physical appearance.
b. That you get to dictate those goals and self-care priorities.
c. That you have some god-given right to intrude on your colleagues' lives and pontificate on another nurse's "duty" to live that life according to your personal ideas of professional virtue - or be considered incompetent.
requoting because this is so well said and it bears repeating
I would choose not to have a fat or overweight nurse serve me in a hospital.
If it were possible to choose I would not to "serve" you as well. During my shift I will give you your meds, observe your status, and keep you alive. As for "serving" you, get it yourself.
I agree no one should be shamed for their weight, however, as healthcare professionals, we should try to incorporate healthy habits into our lives. I remember reading before about how even running 10 minutes several days a week can be beneficial cardiovascular wise. Saying u don't have 10 minutes to spare is pure bull. And you don't get to be 5 feet, 250 lbs because u have a thyroid issue. That is bull too. Most people have food addictions. Google some of the blogs or pages of triathletes and runners who work full time and have a family. They still get it done.
I have congenitally defective feet that severely limits my hind foot motion. I have been told by more than one ortho to not hike, run or do anything else that would put me at risk for even more severe injuries than the pretty severe ones I've already had because my feet just don't move the way they should. There's more to it than just willpower and deciding to run 10 minutes. 10 minutes could take me out for a month.
Btw, being 5 feet is not a choice any more than having a thyroid condition. And it is absolutely possible to get to 250 with a crappy thyroid.
Are u SERIOUS??? GO SWIMMING! Plenty of people with joint issues exercise. Being sedentary is NOT healthy. And it's not being self righteous. The point is that playing the whole I'm too busy card doesn't cut it. You get ONE BODY. Take care of it.
Also, ever heard of paralympics? Again, people overcome a lot of obstacles to be active.
Are you at all aware that not everyone has access to a pool? You are incredibly self righteous and willfully ignorant. I'd hate to see you with patients. Time to grow up.
Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN
5,047 Posts
Well, you'd be missing some pretty damn good nursing care, based on the likes of some here who claim to be "fat." Ruby Vee or heron or Rose Queen could be my nurse any day! And I would be extremely grateful, because I am confident my care would be impeccable.