Hospital Won't Hire Obese Workers

DogWmn · Apr 14, 2012

For decades I was young skinny and strong...then dumm dummm dummm dummm...MENOPAUSE hit like a ton of bricks and at the same time I became extremely hypothyroid...then I contracted Epstein-Barr now chronic and get hit with Lymes 3-5 times during our long hot drippy summers. So that young strong skinny person has disapeared. I can gain weight by just walking by a piece of pie. But...I can still do my job.

My doctors and I struggle to keep my weight down, I eat healthy, I exercise when I can but not enough otherwise my EB will flair. I hope none of you ever have to go through what I do on a daily basis - it sucks.

Sooo be careful what you wish for. Not hiring someone because they are obese is a very very slippery slope and one day all you skinny ones could end up like me, you'll never know how your body will do as you age until your there.

What's next????? First it was smoking - I get not smoking while at work, but when you are on your own personal time it should be yours. Now it's obesity, we are all given physicals before we are hired and even if we pass and if we are obese...nope no job. By indicators in the article they want not only skinny people but "good looking" people...so will nurses be required to get plastic surgery? Stylists? Makeovers? When does it end?

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2012

Those over weight cost the employer more for heath insurance. Maybe an option would be for the employee to pay the difference between what a healthy person cost in medical bills and what a obese person costs in medical bills. I see the discrimination factor, but why should the hospital, and healthy people paying into premiums, have to pay because of someone else's choice of life style?

Being overweight in and of itself does not mean that a person is unhealthy. Any cardiac nurse can tell you that they see many patients who are THIN but who have heart disease. These thin people may have a strong family history of heart disease, or make lifestyle choices (diet, sedentary lifestyle, lifestyle related type II diabetes, etc.) which have caused their heart disease. Yet in one marker (weight), they would be able to skate by in this instance simply because they are thin, while their heavier counterpart with NO health problems will not be hired because of their BMI.

kcmylorn · Apr 14, 2012

Overweight and lazy is also a stereotype. And apparantely one stereotype that is being acted on by these so called employers in a very destructive and yes, 'prejudice' way.

If the healthcare industry was turned over to the government to run and salaries were increased to a level where people could buy their own healthcare plans, and the healthcare plans were more realistically taylored to the person doing the purchasing, then these problems of 'discrimination' wouldn't exist. The smoking and obesity issues are issues that should be attacked by the EEOC.

Just throwing this out there- how do all you fine nursing candidates and specimens feel about working with and having as patients- people of other races and religions??

I don't see how you can be good at any job with those feelings and view points, much less the nursing profession.

Here's a real life example of the skinny beautiful perfectly coff'd RN BSN- I have for a nurse manager, I might add she is in her 30's. and a 41yr old tall All American girl looking provider. 1 week ago we had a 30 something female post gastric bypass come into the clinic because she "had been vomiting" A pregnancy test was done and was positive. The baby was not her hubby's, she had been to a party and blacked out. When she told the circumstance to the provider the 41 yr old skinny tall 'all american looking' provider began to admonish her. I heard the interaction. The patient came to me crying and told me the provider made her feel like an "alcholic ****". I went to my nurse manager whose reply was 'You do know how she got that way, don't you" Is this the quality of healthcare "professionals' these hiring practices are encouraging or is this a sign of the generation it come from. Give me an overweight old nurse any day- they know how to do and do their job. These barbie dolls are the dumbest things on 2 legs. i might add neither the nurse manager nor the provider felt that said or did anything wrong- they felt they were perfectly justified.

Vespertinas · Apr 14, 2012

Being overweight in and of itself does not mean that a person is unhealthy. Any cardiac nurse can tell you that they see many patients who are THIN but who have heart disease. These thin people may have a strong family history of heart disease, or make lifestyle choices (diet, sedentary lifestyle, lifestyle related type II diabetes, etc.) which have caused their heart disease. Yet in one marker (weight), they would be able to skate by in this instance simply because they are thin, while their heavier counterpart with NO health problems will not be hired because of their BMI.

To illustrate your point, I am 108lb and had a total cholesterol of 222 when I was 22 years old. (It's better now)

Vespertinas · Apr 14, 2012

Here's a real life example of the skinny beautiful perfectly coff'd RN BSN- I have for a nurse manager, I might add she is in her 30's. and a 41yr old tall All American girl looking provider. 1 week ago we had a 30 something female post gastric bypass come into the clinic because she "had been vomiting" A pregnancy test was done and was positive. The baby was not her hubby's, she had been to a party and blacked out. When she told the circumstance to the provider the 41 yr old skinny tall 'all american looking' provider began to admonish her. I heard the interaction. The patient came to me crying and told me the provider made her feel like an "alcholic ****". I went to my nurse manager whose reply was 'You do know how she got that way, don't you" Is this the quality of healthcare "professionals' these hiring practices are encouraging or is this a sign of the generation it come from. Give me an overweight old nurse any day- they know how to do and do their job. These barbie dolls are the dumbest things on 2 legs. i might add neither the nurse manager nor the provider felt that said or did anything wrong- they felt they were perfectly justified.

I don't think what you described had anything to do with the individuals' appearances. You're starting to get offensive.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2012

I don't see too many overweight staffers calling out.
I see the young skinny ones who have been out partying all night and too hung over to drag their bums into to work. I have seen one of skinny young partyers crawl up on the conference room table in the nursing break room and tell every one during report how hung over she was.- the monday morning after Superbowl Sunday.
I see the young skinny ones texting their boyfriends and bff's all day, ongoing converstions, during the shift so much so, that the nurse manager had to call a "special" staff meeting instructing them to stop and stay off the cellphones.
I have seen these young skinny nurses leaving their credit cards at the desk computer when they have been on-line shopping- I found her Visa and went looking for her to give it to her- I needed the computer to do my notes, such a drudge I am. She would disappear often through out the shift leaving the rest of us to answer her lights- she was running around with a surgical resident. Skinny little blue eyed blonde(bleached).
I also work with a younger thinner nurse ( goes to the onsite gym during her lunch time) who calls out every time she has a "sick relative or a funeral Her relatives are ill and die alot. Maybe she is related to all of the city. She claims she has to travel 50 miles away. Then there are her"vacation days" and dentist appts. Three of us older 50yr and older overweight nurses comment to ourselves- "Boy, she treats herself well."
Us overweight older post menopausal nurses manage to drag our fat old butts into work with colds and flu, and we don't crawl all over the conference table during report when we do.

A fat nurse is no more likely to be a better nurse than a skinny nurse and vice versa. Unless their weight impacts their ability to physically perform their duties (and this could be true also of a skinny nurse who is malnourished and weak), their weight is NOT a factor in whether or not they know their stuff, can think on their feet, have common sense, display appropriate ethics and the appropriate level of compassion.

What most of us are saying is that in most cases, weight (whether high or low) has nothing to do with a nurse's knowledge base and fitness to practice nursing.

kcmylorn · Apr 14, 2012

Aparently, appearance has 'everything' to do with one's ability to do their job. Isn't that what the discussion and hiring practices are all about. Offensive?- it 's just as offensive to not hire a candidate because of their physical appearance-overweight or does it all depend on who is being offensive- It's called discrimination. Basing ones ability to perform their work duties on physical appearance is pre judging someone. Or do we now believe that overweight people have no feelings? and not entitled to any after all they are just fat lazy slobs that don't deserve to work or the same privilidges of human decency, respect and a chance for employment as the barbie dolls of this world.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2012

Aparently, appearance has 'everything' to do with one's ability to do their job. Isn't that what the discussion and hiring practices are all about. Offensive?- it 's just as offensive to not hire a candidate because of their physical appearance-overweight or does it all depend on who is being offensive- It's called discrimination. Basing ones ability to perform their work duties on physical appearance is pre judging someone. Or do we now believe that overweight people have no feelings? and not entitled to any after all they are just fat lazy slobs that don't deserve to work or the same privilidges of human decency, respect and a chance for employment as the barbie dolls of this world.

I think in this particular case, "appearance," NOT health or fitness for the job is at play.

Let's not exaggerate, however. There is a lot of ground between "less than BMI of 35" and "barbie doll."

In any case, I think this hospital's hiring policy is indefensible and I hope we don't see this become a trend. I'm neither overweight nor barbie doll, but I am against this hiring philosophy even though it doesn't affect me.

Nursecathy123ca · Apr 14, 2012

FLmomof5, you speak the truth. My med/surg unit shifts were brutish. Heavy patient assignments, a couple of coworkers with attitudes, and rare breaks, so I came home exhausted, upset and starving. Mostly due to the stress of nursing school and that first hospital job, I gained 50 lbs. Still trying to lose it. Thankfully, there are many employment options for nurses and I have found a good place.

My thought about that hospital that might not accept me as an employee? Your Loss.

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2012

It's neither here or there. But if recently is last couple of years then yes. Not so I wouldn't have to work though...but because I couldn't work. And it wasn't related to being fat LOL[/quote']
Sigh. I guess I have to spell it out. My point is that it's not a matter of "just" going on welfare, as if it is that easy to do; and it ain't no gravy train, either.

allnurses Guide · Apr 15, 2012

I'm starting to really wonder if this is part of why I've been having trouble finding a job. I'm very, very overweight. =( Makes me just want to put off the job hunt until I lose this weight; I'm on WW right now and doing well.

Even if there is no actual stated policy in place, you know that a lot of employers look at obese applicants and think "lazy" "stupid" "unmotivated".

WildcatFanRN, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2012

I'm starting to really wonder if this is part of why I've been having trouble finding a job. I'm very, very overweight. =( Makes me just want to put off the job hunt until I lose this weight; I'm on WW right now and doing well.
Even if there is no actual stated policy in place, you know that a lot of employers look at obese applicants and think "lazy" "stupid" "unmotivated".

Which is part of the problem with some people in this country. They go by looks only, not ability. I'm overweight also, and have never had a problem physically performing my duties as a CNA, or an LPN. Now I can't find a job as an RN. I know it's not my weight because I can't get the darn interview for them to even make that determination with.

I read this thread with trepidation know from a previous thread just how many nurses on this site feel about overweight or obese nurses. Most you will never be able to convince that we can do the job, all they see us as is fat and unhealthful/lazy people. All they see is "you can't be a good role model". Guess what, I'm not a role model I'm a nurse. No where in the job description does it say "must be a good role model for your patients".

I'm about to finish my BSN and despite years of trying to lose weight I'm still rather on the obese side of things. I guess though I shouldn't even bother trying to get a job as a nurse though since considering the words of some of this thread and others I'm not healthy enough nor good enough. I'm a lazy individual with poor self control who is a poor role model for my patients, so I can't do patient teaching effectively or anything else regarding patient care.

If it was purely about the insurance costs, maybe. But let's be real, this policy is all about how a person looks or is perceived to look. It's just sad that most who will never be affected by a policy such as this can't see it for what it is.

Unfortunately though, this thread seems to have become a fat vs. skinny debate just like previous ones have in my opinion.