Disturbing Conversation on Overweight Healthcare Workers

heron, ASN, RN · Sep 6, 2016

No more rude that someone carrying on ad infinitum and with intended sarcasm gloating over money while stating they are an obese bariatric educator. I would not educate anyone in my specialty if I did not have long-term sobriety.
Now, in absence sobriety no patient would take seriously anything I said and would consider rather hypocritical thus how is it that compulsive over-eaters so readily give themselves a 'pass' on 'educating' others about a problem they have yet to do anything about?

I don't think you actually read the post you are going on about. Did you miss the part where the poster said that she is slowly shedding weight herself? Or are you just fixated on the audacity of a fat woman being paid well for being an effective educator about problems she herself is struggling to solve?

You are once again projecting your own issues onto a subject that is much more complex than simple compulsive over-eating. Food addiction is only a part of the problem, as many others in this thread have already pointed out. You are willfully ignoring that fact. I believe that you are doing so in order to justify your hateful comments and attitudes toward anyone weighing more than you think they should. This is abuse ... and neither your alleged sobriety nor your claim to be a "specialist" make it ok.

As Ruby Vee pointed out, fat-shaming is still fun. As a specialist, you know that anything that's experienced as fun can become an addiction. As a specialist, you know that switching addictions is not the same thing as sobriety. I strongly suggest that you acquaint yourself with some of the research on obesity before you pontificate any further on a subject you obviously know little about.

Then take your own inventory and leave us alone.

vanilla bean · Sep 6, 2016

I would choose not to have a fat or overweight nurse serve me in a hospital.

Well, PinayUSA, I can't believe the day has come that you and I are *finally* on the same page! This fat nurse wants absolutely *nothing* to do with serving you.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 6, 2016

It's funny, but in all my years in healthcare I never had a complaint from a patient, or heard about one from a manager, about my weight. Not a single one. In fact, it was quite the opposite...most of my patients loved me, and some even asked for me whenever they were hospitalized (or when they came back to whatever LTC I worked in at a given time). Of course, I took care of myself and made sure I did NOT drip sweat on them, and I wore deodorant and fresh clothes each day. I also was able to keep up with the pace of whatever floor I was working on, which pleased management and they never got on me about the pounds.

Slippedangel · Sep 6, 2016

Well for all of the fat shamers on here that believe we ( yes I included as morbidly obese at 5'4" 266#) don't have the right tp be health care workers.

Do you think we don't look in the mirror and wish we were thinner or healthier?

I am the size I am, and I can do my job just fine.

bells111 · Sep 6, 2016

Well for all of the fat shamers on here that believe we ( yes I included as morbidly obese at 5'4" 266#) don't have the right tp be health care workers.
Do you think we don't look in the mirror and wish we were thinner or healthier?
I am the size I am, and I can do my job just fine.

Correct! â˜ºâ˜º

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Sep 6, 2016

If you were an actual nurse, you wouldn't use the term "serve me in a hospital". Now, since you're not a nurse, it just makes you look like an arogant, sexist unmentionable

I would choose not to have a fat or overweight nurse serve me in a hospital.

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Sep 7, 2016

It really really frustrates me that the main reason that so many people lack the time and energy to adequately care for themselves is because their jobs are so engrossing and demand so much of them. It's the fault of the system and the institutionalized culture/expectation that you work yourself to death as a nurse.

I'm sure I'll get flamed, but we don't get extra time to do this sort of stuff in the military, and I'm expected to fulfill that obligation just as I am everything else I'm supposed to be doing.

I don't get duty time to address fitness but I have standards I'm expected to adhere to - if I don't, I lose my job, plain and simple. On top of this I get deployed, sent on temporary assignments, have to work, do my job, keep my commander happy, look out for my people, and balance family life on top of it all. (Oh, and our food courts and chow halls are terrible for healthy choices - which to me makes the DOD even more hypocritical than it likely already is.)

And it's far from easy. And I could still lose ten pounds.

And I know our system isn't the only answer for millions of reasons.

I don't blame anyone for any sort of struggles they have - we're all different. I don't care what someone weighs if they're doing their job like they're meant to. I do care about others healthwise -that's my concern, not their appearance. We all have our problems and struggles.

I don't think it's a systems problem. With that said I don't know what the problem is. Inside the military we have a culture that says - you have to work out, you have a standard to uphold. Believe me when I say I only run because they pay me, so I get it. I hate running, but I have to make time for it. So I do. Being here in Korea is great because I'm carless (I could ship a car or buy one here but I've chosen not to and plan to stick to that). I live 1.25 miles from the front gate of the base because all the company grade officers don't have on base housing (due to renovations). I'm averaging almost 4 miles a day and this has been fantastic. I actually consider it a luxury!

I'm 99% positive my thoughts will be misconstrued, and I can't help that - but this isn't a criticism of anyone. My mom struggled with her weight for years. My oldest brother struggles - and he's retired Navy. I know darned well that if I wasn't military, I'd likely have the same issues. There's more to this than jobs working us to death (and I've been a civilian as well - so this isn't all about military stuff). And I know there are those that have medical issues that create even more hindrances. I don't know what the answer is.

I had a Mirena IUD a few years ago before I came back on active duty and it put almost 35 pounds on me. (I know it was the Mirena because when I had it removed, I dropped 25 pounds in about two months with no effort.) I got called a "fat b*tch" in the parking deck of Duke Medical Center by some idiot going the wrong way in the deck. I blew my horn at him because he missed my front end by less than a foot, and he yelled that out his window. Charming. I asked him if he kissed his mother with that mouth....he had no answer. LOL. Norplant did the same thing to me several years ago. I've struggled with weight (NO exercise took any of that off until the offending device was removed). While that doesn't make me an expert, it does make me empathetic, and I hope that counts for something.

Just a few random thoughts.

Anyone who's struggling - you know your efforts and you know you're making them. It's what counts and to me it's what the patient sees. We all have our problems, it's how we deal with them that really matters.

historylovinglpn · Sep 8, 2016

How awful.. my bmi is 29%..( according to outdated charts im on the cusp of obesity! (.but i compete in kettlebell sport competitions and am on a local team where i also instruct during my off time. I also powerlift and competed in that as well. I may not be uberthin but i can deadlift 300 llbs. Too bad ppl go on how much one weighs instead of how much weight you can put over your head. Those nurses and other healthcare professionals complaining about overweight nurses would be in trouble as well, if strength were the criteria and not bodyweight.

I also used to be in the army and regularly got TAPED,and would score damn near perfect on my APFT. My high bodyweight just did not correlate with my high APFT scores. Army was so a$$backward. I always felt ashamed about it. ALthough i know taping just meant I had a bit more muscle mass on, but hated I always failed my BMI. The army rewards cardio queens and kings. If you are on the muscular side...you will be taped.

I decided to just go with it and pursued strength sports such kettlebell sport and powerlifting when I got out. I will never be extremely thin but in the apocalypse if you need me to carry you over my shoulder while I run to get away from zombies, I am your girl. I also get suckered into changing the water cooler at work, as well as called over instead of some of my male nurses when transferring heavy patients......

dbabz · Sep 8, 2016

I've noticed much "judginess" on this thread. I think it's helpful not to think of obesity and its causes as a chronic condition that may have many different sources. Yes, some people may just be lazy and undisciplined, but many others are simply wired that way:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/02/health/biggest-loser-weight-loss.html?_r=0

Furthermore, even though someone may appear to be overweight, that just may be the way they are meant to be. Many people who would be considered "fat" from a strictly esthetic perspective are quite fit. Believe me, I know. I've trained for and completed 13 marathons and there are all shapes and sizes out there...many who post better times than mine (PR 4:19.)

St. George · Sep 9, 2016

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 ~

The remark is not totally off base since being over weight is unhealthy. So is smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol excessively. However, being overweight is more observable. Other contributing factors to obesity not mentioned: being married; having children, taking extra classes at school, and other necessary adult necessities. Being a Registered Nurse is an extremely difficult job that exacts many difficult Crosses to bear but there is no job that will yield better health consequences to the patient. The Registered Nurse has skills that no other health provider has; and no other health care Professional has such a broad based view of all things that impact a patient's health that if Registered Nurses ever stop being direct care, hands on providers of health care to the patient that the loss to not only the patient but also to the health care of the entire Nation that the Nation might not survive!

snowy_owl · Sep 9, 2016

As a patient I would just want competent care regardless of your weight.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2016

The thread title refers to "overweight" healthcare workers, yet many on this thread are equating "overweight" with "obese." They are not the same thing. I've met many "overweight" individuals who are nevertheless very physically fit and healthy. I've also known more than a few who are not overweight, yet are extremely unhealthy because they are thin but sedentary.

Studies have shown that fitness levels have a far greater impact on health and longevity than weight alone.

Being morbidly obese is a completely different animal.

I love riding my bike very vigorously for an hour most days. It feels really great. If I ever become unable to do this, I'll be in trouble, because it's the only exercise that I LOVE to do. I try to keep a quick cadence (80-90 rpm) the entire ride. After an hour of that, I feel completely invigorated.