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?
Exactly. My patient-teaching is always from the standpoint of best practices for one's particular situation and I acknowledge that new behaviours can be a challenge. Keeping it informational and encouraging instead of pontifical always goes down better. My own health status is not pertinent to the patient.
I disagree; your health status is very pertinent if a code is called and you are too big to move fast enough to assist in the life saving measures.
No no one is saying being overweight makes you a bad or ineffective nurse. The point I think people are trying to make is the obvious one. Your weight becomes a problem when it starts to affect your ability to do your job. It's not about not being smart enough. Stephen Hawkins has one of the most brilliant minds but you do not see him trying to run a marathon? That's because his body isn't capable. The fact is; if you can no longer work on a fast paced unit, and your patients lives are at risk because of that, then you probably need to have a conversation with yourself. No one sees a Dentist with bad teeth, or goes to a Dietician who is morbidly obese, that is just a fact.
I love how when people are replying to a post they take out only a piece of it to quote, and totally disregard the rest of it. Funny how that changes the whole point of the message one is trying to get across.
Exercise is good for many things including muscle mass preservation, cardiovascular health, mental well-being, and improved physique. However, exercise alone does not cause weight loss. Diet is 90+ percent of the equation...
I figure I'll chime in before this topic gets closed. It's one of those emotional topics, and pretty soon somebody will say something deemed inappropriate, and mods will step in.
Having weighed 235 in the past, and constantly working to keep a healthy weight (now 175) it's something I think about multiple times daily. Basically every time I eat.
A few thoughts:
Anybody unable to do their job resulting from personal characteristics is a problem. Obviously if your weight makes it hard for you to keep up in a code, and part of your job is working codes, it's a problem. The same could be said for a tendency to panic, clumsiness, poor math skills, or general stupidity. The job is the job.
Role modeling is a different story. I work in an ER. It really isn't that much of an issue. When COPDers come in, we do our best to get them healthy enough to smoke again. We hand out prescriptions for medications that will allow people to continue eating the food that is killing them. We aren't trying to change behavior, just doing a bit of damage control.
On the other hand, a friend of mine is in cardiopulmonary rehab, where he is teaching people to eat right and exercise. His ability to walk his talk is a huge help- He can bike 100 miles, and eats a healthy diet. If, after his teaching, he waddled over to his sausage stromboli, he would not be as effective at his job.
A lot has been said about medical conditions, and things out of an individuals control. I really like food. I notice what other people eat, and paid more attention to it over the last couple of days at work. We often don't take lunch breaks, and eat at the nursing station, so it is pretty obvious who eats what. Not a validated study, just what I observe:
In general, the overweight people eat food of a type and in quantities that are known to cause obesity. In general, the more fit staff tend to eat food associated with a healthy lifestyle.
I often work a 12 hour shift that overlaps lunch and dinner. Packing healthy food takes some effort, but I probably spend less time on it than many people spend on Facebook. I snacked on a smoothy from cashew milk, banana, maple syrup- total prep and clean up
The overweight people around me ate differently- One was snacking on a lb bag of roasted almonds, a healthy snack when limited to a few ounces. Ring dings, ice cream, white potatoes in mayonnaise, huge sweetened coffee drinks, cookies, massive sandwiches, pizza, etc.
I really like a lot of that stuff, but don't eat it because it will make me fat. I was fat, and didn't like it. I just got off 4 12s. I am away from the house for 14-15 hours per shift. I get time constraints, but make choices.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I disagree; your health status is very pertinent if a code is called and you are too big to move fast enough to assist in the life saving measures.
No no one is saying being overweight makes you a bad or ineffective nurse. The point I think people are trying to make is the obvious one. Your weight becomes a problem when it starts to affect your ability to do your job. It's not about not being smart enough. Stephen Hawkins has one of the most brilliant minds but you do not see him trying to run a marathon? That's because his body isn't capable. The fact is; if you can no longer work on a fast paced unit, and your patients lives are at risk because of that, then you probably need to have a conversation with yourself. No one sees a Dentist with bad teeth, or goes to a Dietician who is morbidly obese, that is just a fact.
I love how when people are replying to a post they take out only a piece of it to quote, and totally disregard the rest of it. Funny how that changes the whole point of the message one is trying to get across.
Anything that prevents you doing your job properly is a problem. No one is going to argue with that. If you can't do your job for any reason, it creates a problem for your employer and your coworkers. But to assume you're not doing a good job because of the way you look - that is a different story. Let's keep the two straight.
This topic has taken on a meanness that I do not like in the same way that the recent topic about older nurses angered me. There's room for all of us in nursing whether we are older or younger, overweight or skinny. What's important is how we do our jobs. I am getting sick of the implication that overweight nurses can't participate in codes because they can't get to the bedside or that all older nurses have dementia and don't have a clue about how to computer chart. Let's support each as nurses and not tear each other down.
While there has been some interesting discussion on this thread, my observation is that certain individuals have been extremely judgmental. Please keep in mind that your particular experiences are not necessarily the norm for everyone.
Furthermore, you have no idea the knowledge level or personal experiences of your co-workers or your patients. Saying overweight people may/ may not be able to handle their duties.....well that is a generalization.
I agree, the tone of this thread is rather mean-spirited.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I haven't read this entire thread, but I'd like to mention the fact that unlike other addictions, food "addicts" cannot get away from the source of their problems. We all have to eat to live. We don't have to eat burgers and fries, but we do have to nourish ourselves somehow.
It should also be noted that certain types of medications, such as psychiatric drugs, can cause serious weight gain. Four years ago I gained 25 lbs. in my first six weeks on Zyprexa, and even though my weight leveled off after a few months, I haven't been able to lose it. I eat clean most of the time and watch my portions. I admit I don't exercise because every single joint hurts and I get short of breath with minimal activity, but I would if I could lose a few pounds. I miss being able to work in the garden, which was my primary form of exercise before arthritis took over. Even walking hurts. It's a Catch-22 situation: I'm 300 lbs. in part because I don't work out, but I can't do much activity because I'm 300 lbs.
But all that is beside the point, which is you can't tell how healthy someone is merely by how they look. That person who weighs 250 may have lost 100 lbs. and works out daily. The person who weighs 100 lbs. may have an eating disorder. Or, appearances may be just what they seem. Who knows? Personally, I'd rather hear advice from the nurse who is at least a little bit overweight because she/he knows what it's like to struggle with weight, regardless of the source.
Written by a young woman who struggled for several years with dyspnea, cough, exercise intolerance and, eventually, hemoptysis:
When my surgeon told me a diagnosis five years prior could've saved my lung, I remember a feeling of complete and utter rage. Because I remembered the five years I spent looking for some kind of reason why I was always coughing, always sick. Most of all, I remembered being consistently told that the reason I was sick was because I was fat.
I think all that matters is that a nurse is capable of doing the job required. There is no need to worry about someone else's weight or why they are that weight or how they can change that, etc. If you have enough time to do that while you're at a busy job, I think you need to work a little harder and gossip a little less.
As far as personal experience, when I was underweight I found it much harder physically to perform the needed aspects of my job (being able to lift as much as needed, being as mentally focused as I should have been, being able to get through a shift without feeling lightheaded, just to name a few), compared to my normal weight or overweight colleagues. Once I gained weight, I might not have "looked" healthier in some people's eyes, but I could feel the difference in my strength and my physical and mental ability to get through a shift and take better care of my patients.
Judgment of anyone else's body, in my opinion, is invasive and unnecessary. As long as someone can do their job effectively, I don't care what they weigh or look like in any way. Moreover, nurses need to look out for each other, not judge each other on stupid issues like weight. There is enough inherent stress in nursing without us judging each other on such a personal topic.
Phoenix16, RN, MSN
107 Posts
I disagree; your health status is very pertinent if a code is called and you are too big to move fast enough to assist in the life saving measures.
No no one is saying being overweight makes you a bad or ineffective nurse. The point I think people are trying to make is the obvious one. Your weight becomes a problem when it starts to affect your ability to do your job. It's not about not being smart enough. Stephen Hawkins has one of the most brilliant minds but you do not see him trying to run a marathon? That's because his body isn't capable. The fact is; if you can no longer work on a fast paced unit, and your patients lives are at risk because of that, then you probably need to have a conversation with yourself. No one sees a Dentist with bad teeth, or goes to a Dietician who is morbidly obese, that is just a fact.
I love how when people are replying to a post they take out only a piece of it to quote, and totally disregard the rest of it. Funny how that changes the whole point of the message one is trying to get across.