'Unhealthy' nurses...bad examples?

rn/writer, RN · Sep 18, 2006

I'm sorry to have caused controversy..I was just curious since I will be going in to nursing and I am overweight,and I was wondering what peoples experiences were.I tend to be a worrier,and was concerned how it would be for me. Of course it is not right to discriminate,and being heavy or a smoker doesn't make a bad nurse or bad person. How you care for someone is most important. Everyone is human and are allowed their vices.I also think we are all here for the same reason and we shouldn't attack one another..just my two cents. Anyway, my post was meant an innocent question and I'm sorry if it was taken as anything else.

A little controversy is good for the soul.

Don't worry about people giving you flak because you're overweight. They can think bad thoughts or even make inappropriate comments, but you don't have to accept their negativity. You are wise to think this through ahead of time. That way you can get yourself so emotionally healthy that you won't take their judgment to heart.

Lose weight because you want to, not because other people might give you a hard time.

jnrsmommy · Sep 18, 2006

The last time I had to go to my docs office, I was 317 lbs, and by far, the heaviest employee at the hospital. My bp is always low, my good and bad cholesterol is low, I don't have diabetes, I don't eat junk food (my worst eating habit is that I eat once, maybe twice a day) and I just recently quit smoking (which, by the way, I only did when I was at work). If I did get a chance to take a smoke break (or any break for that matter), I made sure to brush my teeth after, pop a breath mint, and febreeze myself before I went back on the floor. Never had a pt complain. Actually even saw a few pts in the smoking area who were surprised that I smoked. I am a competent nurse. I show up on time, every time, I give 100% to my calling, I admit my mistakes, I always ask questions (hmmmm, now I see where my kids get it from), and I know that I am not perfect. You know, the biggest flak I would get from my pts is that I would never wear my hair down. Ewww, my hair is past the bum, and I've had to get into some pretty nasty situations before, I don't think so. Anyway, I digress. When I made the decision to become a nurse, I was in the hospital after having my first daughter (emergency c-section). I don't remember what any of the nurses looked like. What I do remember is that for the four days I was there, I rarely saw a nurse, when one did come in, I might have been a piece of furninture for all the attention I got. The shift before dc, this nurse came in and made me feel like a person again. She talked w/ me (not to me), answered all my questions or found someone who could if she couldn't, and even though she was busy, came by frequently to just check on me and the baby (rooming-in). I wish I could remember her name. She made what was supposed to be one of the happiest moments for me, that turned into the worst, that much better again. That is what mattered to me, as a patient, and as a nurse, she is the goal I attempt to achieve every day when I go to work.

grace90, LPN, LVN · Sep 18, 2006

I hope this post doesn't offend anyone,but I have noticed a lot of the nurses I know are overweight,smokers or both. Obviously people become nurses because they completed school,and are qualified to do their jobs,which has nothing to do with physical appearance or vices.
Its common knowledge that smoking and/or obesity can kill you,but I would think those in the healthcare field would have a more acute idea of how health is jeopardized by these things. I am asking one out of curiousity,and secondly because I myself am overweight. I was just wondering if anybody has ever gotten any flak from patients or higher-ups? Or do you feel you aren't taken as seriously because of how you look,or because you need a cigarette break? I hope this hasn't happened,since its discriminatory and wrong,but we all know that doesn't mean much!

:deadhorse :deadhorse Not this again...

texas_lvn · Sep 18, 2006

In life, there are:
1. Accountants who don't balance their own checkbooks
2. Preachers who commit adultery
3. Beauticians who have bad hairdos
4. Millionaires who drive 1968 orange pick-up trucks
5. Chefs who eat fast food
6. Mary Kay ladies who wear Clinque
Humans are full of contradictions.

:yeahthat:

That is sooooo the truth. I am an obese person, but I love my patients. I work out 4-5 times a week, watch what I eat, and dont drink anything but water!

op, Anywhere you go, if you are self consious of yourself, then you will believe that everyone is "judging" you. Kinda like wearing a blue sock and a black sock. you are concious about it, but others around you may not even notice. And if they do notice, or you talk about it first, everyone tends to agree that it has happened to them. If you are unhappy with yourself, fix it. I do not in any way to sound mean, just trying to help. You are you, and I am sure that you are/will be a great nurse! Dont sweat the small stuff. I think the biggest thing to remember is that if you are unable to do CPR for lets say 10-15 minutes, then you need to work out. If you are unable to do that, then you are putting a full code pt at risk. Good luck, and PM me if needed.

Heartfully said, Texas.

TazziRN, RN · Sep 18, 2006

There are two schools of nursing in my county. One had a waiting list, the other did not. I went to the second. There were three people in my class who had been flunked from the first program. The school had an idea of what the perfect nurse should look like, and those three people did not fit that image: young, pretty, and female. Two were older and heavy, the other male. All three said that they felt they were targeted. There was a pattern of this over the years.

That, among other reasons, was why the program failed after several more years and was closed down by the state to get their act together. They are open again but are on probationary status with the state. There is new blood so the attitudes will change.

shazbo · Sep 18, 2006

try nursing for 31 years and tell me how healthy you are!

shazbo · Sep 18, 2006

i think anymore my pts look at me and say "if she can do it i can do it". one survivor to another!

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2006

I don't think that a nurse's weight has anything to do with his or her competence.

However, I do wonder what our patients and their family member think when they see the pizza delivery guy bringing deep dish pepperonis up to the cardiac floor while they're on a restricted diet.....

scribblerpnp · Sep 18, 2006

In my experience as a peds nurse practitioner, the family/pt seems to accept/receive nutition/obesity information better from me than from the over-weight MD. Especially if the parents are overweight, or the child is overweight (if they are pre-teen, teenager especially.) This has been apparant both to the MD and myself. So much so that I now deal with nearly all the eduction for nutrition and obesity. It could be our teaching strategies, however, we have worked with each other for a long time now, and I personally never saw a difference when we would co-teach this info.

There are exceptions to every rule. Every once in a while, the MD does better than I for the simple reason that the family/pt feels the MD is more empathetic than I can be because I "don't have a weight problem."

That said, when I need care, I could care less what my nurse looks like or does during his/her off hours. So long as they know what they are doing with me! I want who ever is competent and has the necessary knowledge with my problem to teach/take care of me.

nuangel1, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2006

I take offense at this. I am overweight. I am a good nurse. I also love myself. Just because I am overweight and, in your eyes, don't "take care" of myself does not mean I am unloveable or an imcompetent nurse. I feel good about myself because my husband and my children love me for me, not because or in spite of what I look like. I did not have good self esteem with my ex husband because he was always making comments, like (pointing to a girl whose clothes looked painted on) "Why can't you look like that?" Perhaps people who are overweight or have other bad habits and have low self esteem have that because others point at them and ask "How can you do this to yourself?"

i like your style .i am overweight i know that but i have been a nurse 20 yrs i am funny intelligent a damn good nurse and have family friends and a boyfriend that treat me with respect and love me for WHO I AM NOT WHAT I LOOK LIKE .

nuangel1, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2006

I've worked with nurses who can barely walk they've neglected themselves so long. I hate to see it, and I hate seeing them as patients because I know how embarassing it is for them.
I personally take offense to the comment that a skinny nurse would be incompetent. One can have beauty and brains.

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER SO TOO CAN THE NURSE BE THOUGHT OF AS UGLY BUT HAVE BRAINS TOO.

LydiaNN · Sep 18, 2006

I don't think that a nurse's weight has anything to do with his or her competence.
However, I do wonder what our patients and their family member think when they see the pizza delivery guy bringing deep dish pepperonis up to the cardiac floor while they're on a restricted diet.....

My husband was hospitalized for cardiac s/s and I couldn't believe what they brought him for dinner. Well, actually I have no idea what it was, but it was covered in gelatinous glop and could not possibly have part of a heart healthy diet. At least he would have enjoyed the pepperoni pizza.