How good of shape (physically) do you need to be in to be a nurse?

[ohcomeon]

This may seem like a silly question, but I keep thinking about how out of shape I am and will this affect me being a nurse. (basically I could stand to lose about 30-40lbs) How physically demanding is being a nurse? Thanks for your responses!

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the replies. I am a bit overweight, as I said, and I also have moderately severe scoliosis which does cause me some pain. It seems to be occuring more often now that I have gained weight, so maybe weight loss will help with that. I do work in retail now so I am on my feet 8-9 hours at a time there and can manage that. I'm just dead tired when I get home though, lol. Thanks again!

You should be alright. The majority of nursing is being on your feet all day. Most people get used to that after a few weeks. I am overweight, although there is a few nurses at my hospital bigger than me,, I have problems with my feet sometimes. But that is my own fault, I tried to fix my shoe problem when I didn't have a problem, so now my feet hurt again. Gotta go back to the old shoes, or find some just like them.

Like I said, your body will get used to it, and since you've already been working on your feet then it shouldn't be a bad transition. Be careful about your back and turning patients!

[Music in My Heart]

While nurses are on their feet a lot, I challenge that "all day" assertions. At the several hospitals I've been to, large and small, nurses generally sit to chart as well as to review patient records, pull labs, etc.

You probably spend more time on your feet doing the retail hustle than you will as a nurse.

That said, nurses do spend a lot of time on their feet and their generally moving throughout the day.

You scoliosis and back pain raise more of a red flag than your BMI. Many areas of nursing require lifting or assisting patients and that can tweak even strong backs with good body mechanics. Of course, there are areas with much less lifting.

You may find that some areas don't work for you as well as others do. Such limitations might present some challenges in getting hired out of school, though, because the experienced nurses tend to move out of the more physically demanding roles as they age.