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?
No not to be mean at times yes we r judged harshly by peers pts and their families
But at other times we r respected and appreciated as nurses!! We have pts over 300 lbs at times whether for cellulitis or wound care they have come thru our facility n we continue to treat them w respect as our pts and hope they do the same in return as nurses
I hope as nurses we don't judge pts when they r over wt and morbid obese -- we should always do our job and treat w respect the way we want to be treated
Whether it should or not is one thing. The reality is, I believe many people will take other healthcare workers less seriously. I don't believe obesity correlates with poor clinician skills, but you see the point. We should do a research study to see if this is overall peoples' perception.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Whether it should or not is one thing. The reality is, I believe many people will take other healthcare workers less seriously. I don't believe obesity correlates with poor clinician skills, but you see the point. We should do a research study to see if this is overall peoples' perception.
I once believed that people were better than that; smarter than that. Sadly, I don't believe that anymore.
I think overweight nurses are the easiest targets to pick on, but in reality there are nurses who might be taking very good care of themselves but are NEVER going to be stick thin because it is not in their genetics. (I'm not saying that because I am overweight and using an "excuse", I am a genetically thin person who could never gain a lot of weight, because, well, genetics.)
I think a bigger, endemic, issue is nurses off all sizes and shapes that eat ****** food, do zero self-care, are running on empty at all times, and not only look it, but seem to glory in it in a weird sort of martyr-ship. Every single one of us work with nurses that look (and act) like they have been pulled through a knot-hole and still pick up as many extra shifts as they can. And the potlucks?!?!? Damn if you can find ONE single healthy dish.
This is not clearly written, but my bigger point is that we, as HEALTHcare workers need to take the time and the space to take care of OURSELVES. We have access to a incredible amount of well-researched health information, we understand chronic disease and its cause, many of our employers now participate in some sort of health incentive programs, and we do owe it to our patients to be models of health and healthy habits.
I know some will read this and say "Oh, easy for you to say, you don't have my life raising kids, working full time..." et cetera. But I walk the walk as I've been a single mom, working full-time, and I still manage to do yoga, prepare and pack healthy meals, and do cardio/weight resistance when I can. Is is hard sometimes? Absolutely! But these days it is even easier to incorporate health via apps on phones and the internets - much easier that when I started in 2001! I see it as crucial to keeping myself from being a patient myself, and also fueling my tank so I can be the best nurse I can be. I benefit, my patients benefit, my family benefits. Not easy but WORTH every second of effort.
I wonder if there are studies as to hourly rounding and obesity. I just dont see the heavier nurses leaving their seat. We have trackers at our facility for call bell responses. I would imagine there are disparities and others are forced to pick up the slack. My obese coworkers are very smart and sometimes i am sure they are multi tasking better than i can. Sometimes I accidentally stubble into a room that needs my attention just because i am up and walking around. Nursing is a very physical job and i am sometimes frustrated by those that dont take it seriously and just sit all day charting. I basically have to workout on my days off to have the stamina to do the job. Crazy that this is so taboo while discussing someones smoking or diabetes is not. And we cant touch the subject if someone is 100lbs overweight and not yet diabetic. We can only address this issue if a concurrent subsequent health issue has been diagnosed. And yes skinny nurses can be lazy or sickly. I like that at least most of our MDs are of healthy weight but the mid levels are heavy too.
On the other hand, just as everyone pays attention to what fat people eat, it could be that you only pay attention to the times your fat colleagues are sitting. Confirmation bias.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
On the other hand, just as everyone pays attention to what fat people eat, it could be that you only pay attention to the times your fat colleagues are sitting. Confirmation bias.
So what you are saying is the topic of weight is always 'fat shaming', I do not think so. I think is ridiculously PC to tip toe around it as is done. Obviously someone who is 150 pounds overweight would not be able to do certain aspects of the job. I am in corrections and If I am treating a patient who is down I have to get down on the floor. Now I am not young, I do not get up from the floor that quickly but it does not matter how quickly I get up, only that I can get down.
If I were 100 pounds overweight I would not be able to get down on the floor.
And my comment will likely be removed by administrators given we are permitted to post about alcohol, drugs, sex you name it but weight, don't even think about bringing up the topic.
So what you are saying is the topic of weight is always 'fat shaming', I do not think so. I think is ridiculously PC to tip toe around it as is done. Obviously someone who is 150 pounds overweight would not be able to do certain aspects of the job. I am in corrections and If I am treating a patient who is down I have to get down on the floor. Now I am not young, I do not get up from the floor that quickly but it does not matter how quickly I get up, only that I can get down.
If I were 100 pounds overweight I would not be able to get down on the floor.
And my comment will likely be removed by administrators given we are permitted to post about alcohol, drugs, sex you name it but weight, don't even think about bringing up the topic.
No, what I'm saying is exactly what I said: those who buy into the common stereotypes of fat people tend to see what they expect to see. Confirmation bias is a reality - got nothing to do with "being PC" - a phrase that's come to reflect singularly sloppy thinking. Call something PC and you supposedly demolish its validity. It's really just a substitute for actually thinking about something that makes you uncomfortable.
Well, there's a reason your hackles are raised when this particular stereotype is challenged. The reaction reminds me of what happens when you call a racist a racist. In any case, it's your problem and none of my own. Ciao!
I think what most of us are saying is this issue has been done to death. There isn't anything fresh or new that can be said that hasn't already been said.
chynesetiger
3 Posts
No not to be mean at times yes we r judged harshly by peers pts and their families
But at other times we r respected and appreciated as nurses!! We have pts over 300 lbs at times whether for cellulitis or wound care they have come thru our facility n we continue to treat them w respect as our pts and hope they do the same in return as nurses
I hope as nurses we don't judge pts when they r over wt and morbid obese -- we should always do our job and treat w respect the way we want to be treated