Hospital Won't Hire Obese Workers

Published

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-health-resources/health-reform-and-texas/victoria-hospital-wont-hire-very-obese-workers/

I'm not sure this link will take you to the article, but I read it this morning and couldn't believe my eyes! Seems a few lawsuits will be coming their way along with the race discrimination one in place already. What do you all think about it?

Nurse card- I'm really sorry that is happening. No way to know for sure if that's the reason or if it's just the economy. In nursing it will never be said- the discrimination is there, you just have to be around it for a while to see it. And believe me, what goes around does come around. I can only imagine how you feel. I don't think over weight people are lazy, stupid or unmotivated. I worked in ICU/CCU- most of the CCU nurses were obese- they were the smartest nurses I ever had the privlidge to work with. There were quite afew the doctors wouldn't dare argue with- because the doctors knew those nurses were always right on target. They usually became obese due to babies, family predisposition, age and working in CCU especially CVICU and SICU- those nurse do not move from those bedsides- they can't. I mean their job is to sit at that patient's beside for the full shift- intra-aortic balloon pumps, the 15 + vaso active drips that they joked about wishing they had TV remote controls to turn up and down because that is all they do for 12 hr- titrate constantly. The vents were the easy part. Those patients were so unstable. Post open hearts. Their flow sheets were so large and extensive they had to have special desk tops made to accomadate the size of the patient's flowsheet. - the desks individual and were at each individual patients beside- when I say they didn't move, they did not move- it is a very intense work environment.

I can't see this prejudice toward obese candidates having any kind of positive impact. If people are not employed, they don't have the economic means for healthy foods- we buy at Wallmart- lots of fillers and carbs, it's cheap food. Saving/stretching the money to pay utilities, rent/mortgage and car payments on a second hand car. That's if the source of income is unemployment, then there's food stamps and the food pantry. The healthcare comes from free clinics and god forbid there is a catastropic illness- the hospital reports the unpaid bill to the credit companies. So what do these companies have to really gain by not hiring people based on weight- adding to the unemployment rateand the un- insured not to mention the patient acuity level getting admitted to the hospitals which will bring a need for more staffing numbers. Seems to me, we have enough of that.

Stay on your WW and good luck to you, chin up and keep motivated. Like Wildcat said- some on this thread well that's a whole nother issue- I don't even know why they would ever chose nursing as a career- one of the traits a nurse has to display is non judgement- and not only about obesity, can you imagine what their reaction is to a patient with an STD.Seems like nursing would be just torture for them.

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I think discrimination against anyone is wrong, unless what you are doing is illegal of course. I'm not overweight, but I am a smoker who is trying to quit. Haven't smoked in 2 weeks. I agree that smoking and being overweight is unhealthy, but to deny employment for these reasons is discrimination and I hope the laws are changed to include these and other issues.

I recently was looking for a new job and 2 out of 3 hospitals systems in my area do not hire smokers, even if it's nicotine replacement therapy you are using. So, I did get employment at the hospital system that is non smoking on there grounds, but smoking doesn't prevent you from getting the job. However, they do test you for nicotine and if you test positive you pay a higher premium for insurance. So, perhaps someone who is obese should pay a bit higher insurance premium, but not be excluded from employment. I really don't agree with anyone paying higher premiums, but it's better then not getting the job at all.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
Can someone explain why Texas is always on the "cutting edge" of discrimination? I'm so glad I live in NY. So all you sknnies out there watch out, they'll think of a way to get at you too. As has been said many, many times, it's a slippery slope. I hope Texas runs out of nurses to hire. Just because you are skinny, it doesn't make you a good nurse, not for one minute! I forgot, this is the state that allows you to be out hunting, shoot someone in the face, and get away with it. Wonder what the next thing will be?

Nah, I live in Texas and they hire and are hiring every new grad from the country. Surplus of skinnies to go around ;)

Guess us fatties need to start looking to move instead.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

I had gastric bypass and no longer obese; however, I would never want to work for a place like that. I would rather leave nursing in all honesty and go scrub toilets or scrape gum if push came to shove. How incredibly insulting, hurtful and painful working there that would be.

My weight has never interfered with my job. Not all obese people are lazy slugs. How sad.

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Personally, I am for it. I think an employer has the right to screen employees and applicants in regards to weight. Just like employers screen their employees for drugs, alcohol, nicotine and what have you. Hospitals want their employees healthy and sober. Nurses are in the business of health. And, as such, nurses themselves should be healthy and at a healthy BMI. So many issues are related to being obese and not to mention being at a higher risk for disease.

It only makes sense to me that if one is going to be preaching health that he/she should be practicing it too. One would be a hypocrit to say so otherwise. Not only would one look and feel better about him/herself, he or she would be able to give their best care to patients. Obesity not only affects the physical side of things but also the emotional and mental. We often read how many nurses are unhappy on the job and maybe their issues are strictly just work related. But, often may be the case that it is something more personal which may affect their work-related morale. Alot of people tend to bring their personal issues in with them to work which then affects their quality of work and experiences. If being overweight/obese is a personal issue one would like to think that he/she would work on that issue just as an addict is in trying to become sober.

I only find this discriminatory in the sense that it would be only based on looks, and not one's health. If that were the case, then yes, it would be discrimination. Hiring or not hiring someone just because one looks "fat", is not right. But, I think hospitals should screen people in regards to their BMI, among other things too. People know when they are at an unhealthy weight. Obesity can cause work-related injuries on the job. Obesity does affect one's self-esteem and attitude. Obesity most definitely affects one's health too. We know this. But, how often do people really do something about it or just push it aside? If hospitals enforce this type of thing it will require us to take a serious look at our own health and do something about it.

Now, I am not saying that obese nurses are bad nurses or work poorly at their jobs. Many are great nurses and do well at their jobs. Would they be better nurses on all levels (physical, mental, emotional) if they lost weight? Maybe. The answer is a personal one.

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Specializes in FNP, ONP.

I am empathetic to everyone who struggles with weight. I do support the right of employers to make prudent decisions about whom they hire, and that includes excluding candidates statistically likely to miss more days of work and add to the health insurance burden. I do not support the current structure of insurance and for profit health care, but it is what it is, and so long as we are trying to operate within this framework tough and unpopular decisions will have to be made.

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While we're at it, I think employers should start screening for caffeine use. Nurses that use any mind altering substance are just hypocrites when they talk to their patients about healthy lifestyles. Caffeine increases GER, causes hypertension, and leads to headaches, amongst many other things. And let's not forget the irritability that caffeine withdrawal causes. We'd probably cure all the lateral violence and customer service problems if we just stopped allowing nurses to have caffeine.

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I am empathetic to everyone who struggles with weight. I do support the right of employers to make prudent decisions about whom they hire, and that includes excluding candidates statistically likely to miss more days of work and add to the health insurance burden.

People with kids?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I am empathetic to everyone who struggles with weight. I do support the right of employers to make prudent decisions about whom they hire, and that includes excluding candidates statistically likely to miss more days of work and add to the health insurance burden. I do not support the current structure of insurance and for profit health care, but it is what it is, and so long as we are trying to operate within this framework tough and unpopular decisions will have to be made.

Women of childbearing age?

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I just don't buy this argument. I don't look at the medical assistants at my doctor's office as role models of proper health any more than I look at bank tellers as role models of proper financial management. They are employees. They are there to do their jobs, no more and no less. My doctor is my "health coach" for lack of a better term. I don't need for him to be healthy and fit - I need him to help ME stay healthy and fit. Our doctor-patient relationship is about me and my health. If he has unhealthy habits, that is between him and his own doctor.

@ paddlelady

The school I went to didn't admit obese people either.

Why do you applaud the doctor for hiring these 2 obese women into an office where they are looked at as role models and educators of proper health?

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I don't look at the medical assistants at my doctor's office as role models of proper health any more than I look at bank tellers as role models of proper financial management. They are employees. They are there to do their jobs, no more and no less.

Wish I could like it twice!

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And now that that post has been brought up again I want to say I REALLY hope that school is not state-funded. First deny employment, now education?? Sick. What next- Housing? Political office? Public transportation?

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