Extremely Overweight Nurses

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I've been seeing a lot of obese nurses lately. In my opinion it's not setting the right example,not is it SAFE. If someone codes or there's a fire a nurses who is huge can't run to get to/from the emergency. Another example ... CPR ! It's exhausting,if you're not fit to do it...should that patient pay the price? It's so hypocritical. I understand with long shifts and not much sleep... Gaining weight is extremely easy to do. However,choosing healthy food options ( not vending machines and pepsis) and staying active even on your days off is important.

The end

Saying fat/unfit = incompetent/incapable does not = UBERMENSCH?

I think if I just called 3/4 of the nursing population incompetent/incapable, I'd be darn glad that's all I was called.

Hi Imintrouble,

I said physically unfit not fat unfit, I even defined unfit as incompetent or incapable, not by body type, so please do not twist my words to fit your agenda.

The point(s) I was trying to make with my post are this. 1.The OP had some valid points in her post. 2. That if you’re physically unfit (incapable) to properly care for your patients, whether it be from lack of sleep, poor eating habits, drinking too much, and yes being overweight or obese,then patient care suffers. To think otherwise just because it’s a sensitive subject is nonproductive.

Never did I state that being overweight makes you unfit to be a nurse. Heck, my BMI is close to 30 and I’d like to think I do an okay job.

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I am not a nurse yet, just a student but I have been a patient before and I can tell you from that perspective I didn't care if my nurses were overweight or not. I just wanted to be treated and to get better. Most patients do not look at health care professionals as role models. If you tell an overweight patient that they need to lose weight to avoid more medical issues, guess what? They KNOW that already. Most overweight people in this day and age have that knowledge. Losing weight is hard for people to do! However, that being said I do believe that health care professionals should set a good example for people. Just like other professionals, lawyers, cops, judges and teaches. But people are only human no one is perfect. You only need to watch the news to see that.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.
Hi Imintrouble,

I said physically unfit not fat unfit, I even defined unfit as incompetent or incapable, not by body type, so please do not twist my words to fit your agenda.

The point(s) I was trying to make with my post are this. 1.The OP had some valid points in her post. 2. That if you’re physically unfit (incapable) to properly care for your patients, whether it be from lack of sleep, poor eating habits, drinking too much, and yes being overweight or obese,then patient care suffers. To think otherwise just because it’s a sensitive subject is nonproductive.

Never did I state that being overweight makes you unfit to be a nurse. Heck, my BMI is close to 30 and I’d like to think I do an okay job.

This is the overweight nurse thread, so naturally I though we were discussing overweight nurses.

If you didn't say being overweight makes you unfit, what ARE you saying?

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Specializes in APRN, ACNP-BC, CNOR, RNFA.

Let's just start another thread about how "unfit" it is for nurses who smoke to educate on smoking cessation, coffee and Red Bull drinkers to educate on the perils of too much caffeine, nurses who go to their GYN every 5 years, but educate on the importance of a Pap every 2-3, nurses who get an average of 6 hrs of sleep per day, but educate on the importance of 7-8, this list could go on and on. The point is that unless you're "perfect", there will be a day that you're educating someone about something, that you're guilty of doing or having. Next time you go to the doctor, take a good look at your labs, and see how you fare up against the normals. In the meantime, get off of your soapbox.

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This is the overweight nurse thread, so naturally I though we were discussing overweight nurses.

If you didn't say being overweight makes you unfit, what ARE you saying?

We are discussing overweight nurses, some of which their weight effects their ability to do a proper job, and, others that are overweight who suffer no loss in job performance at all. In fact, some of the best nurses I know are overweight. As stated in my last post, my purpose inposting to this thread was to support/agree with the OP who got flamed for stating what I believe to be mostly correct. At no time did I think the OP was implying that every nurse that is overweight/obese can't do their job. However,when I started to read post after post that flamed her by stating that they knew of an obese nurse or CNA that rocked, therefore implying that she was wrong, or, attacked her personally for her opinions, I continued to post in support, and, got lit up as well.

The CDC considers obesity the #1 health issue in the U.S.because of its negative effects on us both physically and emotionally. As you know, floor nursing is both a physical and emotional job, and to somehow believe that obesity spares only us nurses from its effects, as many on this thread would like to believe is just mind boggling.

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Short people have trouble with compressions too. Not to mention I'm always having to adjust the televisions in the patient rooms for short staff members. And get supplies from the backs of top shelves. If the short nurses can't do their jobs properly, the patients suffer. They sometimes have to watch the wrong channel for MINUTES until I can get in the room and fix whatever is making the tv not work correctly. That could give them a heart attack. And until someone hunts down a stool, that short nurse is giving crappy compressions. STOP PATIENT SUFFERING! BAN SHORT NURSES!!! Everyone under 5'7" needs to get out of nursing now before a patient dies due to their shortness.[/quote']

Since I'm 5'3 can I wear heels? That's safe right? :)

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Let's just start another thread about how "unfit" it is for nurses who smoke to educate on smoking cessation, coffee and Red Bull drinkers to educate on the perils of too much caffeine, nurses who go to their GYN every 5 years, but educate on the importance of a Pap every 2-3, nurses who get an average of 6 hrs of sleep per day, but educate on the importance of 7-8, this list could go on and on. The point is that unless you're "perfect", there will be a day that you're educating someone about something, that you're guilty of doing or having. Next time you go to the doctor, take a good look at your labs, and see how you fare up against the normals. In the meantime, get off of your soapbox.

How about we hold hands and jump off our soapboxes together.:roflmao:

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Let's just start another thread about how "unfit" it is for nurses who smoke to educate on smoking cessation coffee and Red Bull drinkers to educate on the perils of too much caffeine, nurses who go to their GYN every 5 years, but educate on the importance of a Pap every 2-3, nurses who get an average of 6 hrs of sleep per day, but educate on the importance of 7-8, this list could go on and on. The point is that unless you're "perfect", there will be a day that you're educating someone about something, that you're guilty of doing or having. Next time you go to the doctor, take a good look at your labs, and see how you fare up against the normals. In the meantime, get off of your soapbox.[/quote']

THIS!!!

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Specializes in Spinal cord, geriatrics.

I think the fact that you're a nurse and posted something like this shows that you have no compassion and that in itself is hypocrisy.

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Last I checked, this is America, where we are FREE TO CHOOSE. Maybe I don't like nurses who have long hair....in other words....as long as they do the job.......mind your own business.

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Oh you shouldn't go there. I am an overweight nurse and I can tell you that I outwork most of the nurses that I work with. I can make it up and down those halls as many times as needed, do CPR, help turn patients and reposition them, help them to the bathroom, do whatever is needed without difficulty. I can probably get down on the floor and back up faster than you can.

I am a human being just like everyone else. I show my patients compassion, empathy, sympathy, tough love, educate them, and am one hell of a patient advocate. I started as a CNA and have done everything in between that and Health Administrator in multiple settings.

If you are stupid enough to think being overweight is all about the food choices you make, or lack of exercise, then you need to go back to school. I also suggest that you find out what is lacking in your own life that you feel it is right to criticize others that you do not even know, based on such superficial criteria.

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I agree with wyogypsy... I am an overweight nurse and I am a critical care nurse. I work with deathly ill patients immediately after heart bypass surgery.... I have absolutely ZERO difficulty with CPR or ACLS tasks... Are you even a nurse??? If you are do you shun your patients for being overweight too??? Shame on you...

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