Hospital Won't Hire Obese Workers

BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN · Apr 16, 2012

People with kids?

:shrug: Whomever they want (obvious exceptions are those protected by law)

bagladyrn, RN · Apr 16, 2012

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.

"Statistically likely to miss more days of work"...lets see, that might include parents (and potential parents), people who engage in risky sports, those who go out partying on their days off, those with elderly parents...who is going to be left to work?

Just for reference, I (as an obese nurse) have taken a total of 3 days sick in the last 15 years - 2 of those days from food poisoning from a hospital cafeteria.

wanderlust99 · Apr 16, 2012

This thread makes me sad and embarrased that some of my fellow nurses are such ******* idiots. Seriously. It's embarrasing.

Nursecathy123ca · Apr 16, 2012

Let's be clear that this is not about a hospital's concern for the health of its employees. It is about appearance, plain and simple. Here is a segment of the story published in The Texas Tribune:

"The Citizens Medical Center policy, instituted a little more than a year ago, requires potential employees to have a body mass index of less than 35-which is 210 pounds for someone who is 5-foot-5, and 245 pounds for someone who is 5-foot-10. It states that an employee's physique "should fit with a representational image or specific mental projection of the job of a healthcare professional," including an appearance "free from distraction" for hospital patients.

"The majority of our patients are over 65, and they have expectations that cannot be ignored in terms of personal appearance," hospital chief executive David Brown said in an interview. "We have the ability as an employer to characterize our process and to have a policy that says what's best for our business and for our patients."

Sounds like the boys in charge want good lookin' ladies around. But they can't say that, so they blame it on the 'expectations' of over-65 year old patients! I predict a 'clarification' of policy coming from the Citizens Medical Center folks soon. Stay tuned.

Vespertinas · Apr 16, 2012

I wonder if there is a survey of the over-65 adults in their area which makes this conclusion.

kcmylorn · Apr 17, 2012

Makes you wonder what a healthcare facility (like the one mentioned in that Texas article) has in store for it's "less than perfect patient's"- do they reuse needles and syringes, do they get served less quality meals, be told to wait, that they are at the back of the line behind those more "deserving". After all- those people who are less than perfect are less than human, not entitled to the same dignity and quality care that the "perfect beautiful" people are. I believe I posted some months ago about a "Medically Deserving Unity" set up at the entrance of the hosptial/ED- only those deemed/triaged deserving of care were allow to be treated- as that farce continued I believe it had managed to exclude almost every on from COPD-er, to heart patient's, HIV and even atheletes who frequently showed up with broken bones. If we continue to exclude people from employment- whose going to be left to work, If we continue to exclude patient's based on their disease or condition- who will be patient's? That's kind of a farce in itself. People don't come to a hospital because they are in good health and want a rest- that's a Spa not a Hospital.

This used to be America where life, liberty and justice was for all- not those most deserving, the criteria of which came from some maniac's screwed up head. That sounds alot like Hitler and the 3 that were just shot or killed in this past year- Bin Lauden, Sadam Hussain and Goddafi- maybe it's their relatives running our health systems- because this exclusion wave sure is not American.

8mpg · Apr 17, 2012

Makes you wonder what a healthcare facility (like the one mentioned in that Texas article) has in store for it's "less than perfect patient's"- do they reuse needles and syringes, do they get served less quality meals, be told to wait, that they are at the back of the line behind those more "deserving". After all- those people who are less than perfect are less than human, not entitled to the same dignity and quality care that the "perfect beautiful" people are. I believe I posted some months ago about a "Medically Deserving Unity" set up at the entrance of the hosptial/ED- only those deemed/triaged deserving of care were allow to be treated- as that farce continued I believe it had managed to exclude almost every on from COPD-er, to heart patient's, HIV and even atheletes who frequently showed up with broken bones. If we continue to exclude people from employment- whose going to be left to work, If we continue to exclude patient's based on their disease or condition- who will be patient's? That's kind of a farce in itself. People don't come to a hospital because they are in good health and want a rest- that's a Spa not a Hospital.
This used to be America where life, liberty and justice was for all- not those most deserving, the criteria of which came from some maniac's screwed up head. That sounds alot like Hitler and the 3 that were just shot or killed in this past year- Bin Lauden, Sadam Hussain and Goddafi- maybe it's their relatives running our health systems- because this exclusion wave sure is not American.

Are you freaking kidding me? Lets not ever blow crap out of perspective. Having a healthy workforce and lower insurance costs is a far stretch from intentionally endangering patients. People like you just dont want to understand logic.

Whether you like it or not, companies have the right to hire who they want. If they want to say no fat people, they dont hire fat people. While at work, the only people who seemed to care about this hospital were fat people. Who'd of thunk it.

Im all for not hiring fat people. Not only do most of the fat people at my work appear to be lazier, they work slower, and ask for help more often. While Im not in perfect health and Im young, I work hard and can keep up. Are the people who scout for sports discriminating when they dont take short people? Is it wrong for the olympics only to take skinny runners? If fat people dont like it, lose weight. Fat people have higher incidence of all sorts of disease which raises insurance premiums. Im sick of fat patients at work who get offended by needing extra help to roll them when they cant do it themselves or pull them up in a bed. I need to hurt my back because of someone elses weight problem?

If you cannot realize that fat people lecturing people about being fat is ironic, fat people often cost our health system more money, make higher insurance premiums, often work slower, etc then you will always keep this attitude.

To have a disclaimer, I have an overweight/obese family and I choose not to be like that. I help myself by exercise and diet.

For the people who think nursing is all about education and using your brain, you are wrong. Its a physical job. If you want something to use your mind, become a teacher where you can be fat and lecture.

Vespertinas · Apr 17, 2012

People like you just dont want to understand logic. You need to sit back and think before you post as you look like blabbering fool.
Are the people who scout for sports discriminating when they dont take short people? Is it wrong for the olympics only to take skinny runners? If fat people dont like it, lose weight.

Well one argument is that nursing isn't as physical as major league sports. But for the record, if an athlete was overweight but performed well in the scouting combines they get drafted nonetheless. It's the end result that athletic managers are interested in.

Logically speaking, if a fat person could outrun Olympians you best believe he/she would be on the team, logically.

And to use your words, you need to sit back and think before you shoot off insults at forum members because it doesn't look good on you either.

WildcatFanRN, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

I'm so glad I don't have to work with you 8mpg since in your opinion I'm lazier than you and can't work as a nurse because I too slow and can't physically do the job. What a load of malarky. Since you think insults are the best way to get your point across, point taken.

It's not logic, it's discrimination plain and simple whether you care to see it or not. You show a lot about your true self in your attitude towards your perceptions of your overweight coworkers and patients.

Personally, I think this thread had run its course. It's sad that fellow nurses are "fine" with discrimination of any kind. It doesn't matter if the hospital can hire whomever they want, wrong is wrong. I guess the next thing will be to let go any of their employees over 50 because "the customer expects a certain look". And guess what, they can do it without crossing into age discrimination.

NocturneNrse · Apr 17, 2012

I think it's such a touchy subject because there has always been an accepted fat discrimination. When a child is fat, he/she is teased in school and by his/her family etc.. all through life fat people are looked at as frumpy, lazy, dirty, pigs, etc. It's "OK" to call someone "fat pig" etc.

It HURTS!!!!

I believe that's where the passion comes from. And now to hear that fat people won't be permitted to work as well d/t their weight, DESPITE being a very good nurse and as competent as the next person, they are not judged by their individuality - but by their appearance. That's a GENERALIZATION! And we shouldn't generalize a population. Think of those nasty stereotypes.. I won't mention them out of respect.. but they're rampant, and they shouldn't be. Many MANY people do not represent that stereotype.

SO.. now is it going to be.. "You're so fat you can't even GET A JOB!!!" ha ha ha... ???

I can see the health issues long term.. but the cruelty doesn't help, it hinders!

Call it whatever you want.. it still boils down to D I S C R I M I N A T I O N ! ! !

MattNurse, MSN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

The policy doesn't make much sense to me. If I were in the hospital as a patient and of the mind set that I will not take advice about a diet from an obese nurse; why would they consider hiring someone with a BMI of 34? What is the difference in the mindset of the patient between a BMI of 34 versus 35. It seems like a strange cut off.

And some people are just nasty on these forums and it always seems to be the same people spewing their hate into the world. I read the forums and see the same usernames over and over again with negativity. I wish allnurses could put an ignore feature so I can skip right over it.

NocturneNrse · Apr 17, 2012

I wish allnurses could put an ignore feature so I can skip right over it.

That is a great idea!!! A.N. can you make that option please!?