Feel like a hippocrit when doing health teaching

[desire1684]

I am not a thin nurse, my cholesterol isn't perfect, I don't exercise everyday, and although I try to eat healthy, I don't avoid sugar as much as I should. So when I have a patient that I am supposed to educate on healthy diet and lifestyle, I feel uncomfortable telling them they should do all the things I myself haven't committed to. I've tried but gotten so frustrated I've given in to complacency. It may be in my head but I get the feeling patients are thinking I shouldn't be giving health advice. Does anyone else ever feel this way? What do you do about it? (aside from the obvious: lose weight and live the perfectly healthy lifestyle).

[Novo]

Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black? Just remember you are there to perform a service and it's not really about you but instead the client they are ones in the hospital not you. But I totally understand what you're saying.

[eatmysoxRN, ASN, RN]

Just reach them. Put the "I know it's difficult, but...." spin on it. Patients are going to listen or not. They may actually be more receptive to someone who doesn't look perfect. I've had very few patients comment on my appearance while teaching them, and I've been hitting more skittles then treadmills lately.

[runforfun]

Put yourself in their shoes. Some people will honestly listen if you say something like "obviously, it's not easy, even I have a hard time with X,Y,Z". Some people are going to call you a hypocrite or question why they should be trying to change if the person taking care of them isn't following their own example. Recognize that there might be something else in the way, if they want to be healthier, they don't care where the tips are coming from, they just need them.

[nik415]

There are several ways a patient could respond to you educating them about healthier choices.

"Why should I listen to you? You're just as overweight as me?"

But even if you were at the ideal weight, the patient could say: "What do you know about it? You're skinny! You don't know what it's like to be fat!"

So either way you're in a difficult situation, but ultimately it's part of your job to educate patients about healthier lifestyle choices. They'll either listen or they won't so just do it and move on.

On a personal note, if you are looking to lose weight and change your lifestyle I recommend checking out the book Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch.

I've found it to be very helpful. Good luck!

[Kikikins]

At the time of this post I am still in the obese range. I have found that working on how I see myself is just as important as eating better and moving more. I work on my self-image like it's another necessary task to my day (I use SuperBetter). If you speak from the heart, convey that everyone's on their own journey and impress upon your patients that taking care of themselves is genuinely life-saving -- people will take notice. You need to see yourself as an inspiration -always.