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?
Hate to say it but its true. Been a nurse for MANY yrs and this is a constant compliant. Pts definitely do not respect a nurse who is overweight-obese and worse, huffing and puffing while trying to do the job, sweating profusely, etc. I have many pts complain about this. I have also noticed the biggest and oldest nurses spend the most time sitting 'documenting' or 'charting', meanwhile everyone else is done and doing physical care but the obese ones are still lagging behind 'oh, Im 'charting'.
Really HOW can pts have confidence in someone who is obese. Family members of pts are the worst to freak out when they see it. They are 'outraged' and not convinced they made it through nursing school-total discrimination. When you remind them well we didn't all have to climb ropes to get our licenses. I have had so many complaints about fat or unfit or smoking doctors and nurses.
They are 'outraged' and not convinced they made it through nursing school-total discrimination. When you remind them well we didn't all have to climb ropes to get our licenses. I have had so many complaints about fat or unfit or smoking doctors and nurses.
Vic, RN, ca
I find this reaalllly hard to believe. I have done this job for many years, and all of it has been front-line patient care, customer service, etc. I have never had anyone complain about my weight, or any of my coworkers for that matter. one or two are obviously over weight. I dont look as heavy as I am in reality Im definitely not skinny.
maybe it's regional. I mean maybe those areas who "care so much about appearance" are like big cities ,or California , or something.
Hmm. I have been an overweight nurse (275 lbs) and a lean nurse (currently) over my 23 year career and I hear the same thing about what credibility nurses have if they are perceived as being unhealthy by patients. However it is not limited to weight. I have worked with nurses who were smokers, had many piercing, and tattoos who were seen as less than professional. There are nurses of different ethnicities, cultures, gender, sexual orientation who have perceived by patients and some staff to not be professional and not as good as a nurse that matches their own conception of what a nurse is. It is a challenge for many nurses
Been sober since '89 (well before becoming an RN) and I can talk to my patients about 3 day alcohol and coke binges but I don't recommend anyone go through what I did and it's unlikely I would be situated to have made it to a position in which I can advocate for sobriety had I continued drinking.
Been sober since '89 (well before becoming an RN) and I can talk to my patients about 3 day alcohol and coke binges but I don't recommend anyone go through what I did and it's unlikely I would be situated to have made it to a position in which I can advocate for sobriety had I continued drinking.
Then you should know better than to think that sobriety gives you permission to hurt people just because you can.
I suggest actually reading the thread. I believe there are a couple of posts that discuss food addiction, which is a factor in some, but not all, people's weight. Do you think you would still be sober if you had to drink alcohol daily just to stay alive?
I tend to doubt it.
Of course, there's sober alcoholics and then there's dry drunks. From your obvious willingness to verbally abuse complete strangers, I tend to wonder if you're as "sober" as you think you are.
This bears repeating? The individual still has a BMI of 60 so how is this any sort of example...now, as a illustration let us say I work with alcoholics and hey, make uncommonly good money *smirk* and try not to pass out whilst counseling them but sometimes I do need to slip in the loo and do a line to prop myself up. As luck would have it I can afford a gram @ a time while I laugh my way from the bank! Back to work to counsel my people who are so happy they have found a nurse who, like them, can drink a 12 pack and an MD 20/20 and still be on my feet!
heron, ASN, RN
4,647 Posts
Apparently you are a fool. And you are not served, but cared for by highly skilled professionals.
Not only is he a fool, he isn't a nurse, either. Apparently, he just likes to troll AN ... A bit creepy, if you ask me.