How important is your 'look' as a nurse

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · May 15, 2014

ROFL! Had the same reaction!

exp626 · May 16, 2014

To answer the original question, I've seen studies about the appearance of people successful in business, politics, the military, etc. For example, men who are taller seem to do better, as well as people of both sexes who are trim, have symmetrical faces, and are considered attractive. My manager offers more opportunities for advancement to my prettier coworkers with a certain look (not to denigrate their skills, but they do all look similar). For myself, I keep my hair up, wear some makeup but keep it natural looking, and no jewelry except for my wedding band and maybe a pair of small earrings on occasion (and no tattoos!).

BusyBee91 · May 16, 2014

To piggy back on the fat/health thing, I just want to point out that a) it's true that you can't tell someone's overall health from looking at them, and b) of course skinnier isn't always healthier/better...but...isn't nursing known for holding providers to high standards? I mean, we mostly seem to agree that nurses shouldn't smoke or use illegal drugs, although some people have genes that allow them to chain smoke without ever developing lung cancer, and some illegal drugs are arguably relatively harmless...we still, collectively, seem to feel that nurses should model good behavior regarding those issues. Why do people get so offended when the same process is extended to body fat? I'm not one to judge someone based on their weight, but it doesn't make sense to me that people get so up-in-arms about claims that nurses should reasonably be expected to maintain a healthy body fat percentage. There seems to be very little debate about whether or not nurses should smoke...certainly a nurse who smokes can still be an excellent provider, and may never develop lung cancer, but people don't seem to get so offended when smokers are heckled as they do when overweight persons are. Do you guys know what I mean? Why is that?

tjtillyjw · May 17, 2014

I disagree, if they're overweight, then their health IS being compromised , and they're not setting a good example for their patients.

Delicate Flower · May 17, 2014

Why do people get so offended when the same process is extended to body fat? I'm not one to judge someone based on their weight, but it doesn't make sense to me that people get so up-in-arms about claims that nurses should reasonably be expected to maintain a healthy body fat percentage. There seems to be very little debate about whether or not nurses should smoke...certainly a nurse who smokes can still be an excellent provider, and may never develop lung cancer, but people don't seem to get so offended when smokers are heckled as they do when overweight persons are. Do you guys know what I mean? Why is that?

Bold emphasis mine...

Because obesity is not a behavior. It is a body size. It is not the same thing as smoking. A fat person has the right to live in their body. It is the body they live in all the time. They cannot be fat outside of work, and then come to work and be thin. They cannot be fat on their breaks only. They cannot put on perfume to cover up their fat.

Be careful about what you are saying here. If nurses should be "reasonably expected to maintain a healthy body fat percentage" who is going to enforce that, and on what grounds?

Should nurses who don't meet the standard be fired, or have to pay higher insurance premiums? Should they just not be allowed to take care of any thin patients? Or wait, maybe they shouldn't take care of fat patients. You know, the hypocrisy thing. Maybe we could just keep the fat nurses out of acute care, and put them in clinics. Or maybe they should just do telephone triage, so they don't have to be seen by any patients.

No one should be heckling anyone, about anything! Some of you are so quick to compromise other people's rights to be who they are! Do you think it is a good idea to have someone dictating HOW PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK in order to do a job which has nothing to do with that?

Delicate Flower · May 17, 2014

I disagree, if they're overweight, then their health IS being compromised , and they're not setting a good example for their patients.

This was your first post? I don't even know where to begin. :facepalm:

Delicate Flower · May 17, 2014

The link between body fat and health is also evidence based. You really need to bone up on your reading. Some consequences of obesity: stress incontinence, joint disease, sleep apnea, GERD. These aren't just things that are "linked" to obesity such as cardiac disease and diabetes. These are things that are direct physiological changes caused by having loads of fat piled on your body and pushing on your organs. Obesity also causes poor ventilation because fat desposits elevate your diaphragm and decrease chest wall compliance. This isn't stuff I'm pulling out of a hat either. It's from the AACN. Doing yoga or whatever other healthy behaviors you have in mind just isn't going to do jack to modify these things, if a given person doesn't lose excess weight.
I understand you not wanting to accept obesity as a problem because no one likes thinking about themselves in those terms, but wishful thinking will not change reality. Citing people you know who are fat and (in your estimation) healthy is great, but it doesn't change the reality that if they weren't fat, they would be in even better health and without the stresses that being fat puts on the human body.

First of all, what makes you assume that I am obese? Because I advocate for the rights of fat people? Be careful about your assumptions. Here is the reality: I have recovered from an eating disorder (which I had in full swing WHILE in nursing school) where I starved myself down to 82 lbs.

Do thin people get stress incontinence, joint disease, sleep apnea, and GERD? What is the treatment for those things? Are thin people told to lose weight to cure those issues? If they don't have "loads of fat pressing on their organs," then what causes those problems for thin people?

Why do you assume when I advocate for exercise and movement for health, not weight loss, that I am talking about yoga? Which, based on your context, seems like you are implying that fat people cannot do any "real" exercise. And if they did "real" exercise, then surely they would lose weight. Both of those assumptions, to be plain, are wrong.

I never cited a person who is fat and I know to be healthy. All I said was you cannot tell from looking at a person, thin or fat. YOU CANNOT TELL!!! Body size and health are two different things.

This is wrong, too: "isn't going to do jack to modify these things, if a given person doesn't lose excess weight." Healthy Lifestyle Habits and Mortality in Overweight and Obese Individuals

Brekka, ADN, RN · May 17, 2014

Overweight nurses giving education on a healthy lifestyle is always ironic. Look matters.

This is not about the health care professional, it's about the patient. I could afford to lose about 20 lbs, but at the same time I'm well aware of the risks and how to reduce them, I just don't. The same can be said for most other overweight health care professionals educating a patient on a healthy lifestyle.

Patients come in to the healthcare system because problems arise that they want to learn about and have treated. If I get a patient who is overweight and they ask me what they can do to manage or improve their DM, aching joints or shortness of breath, I'm going to educate them on a healthy lifestyle. My life choices have nothing to do with why they came in, and the education would be the same whether I was a supermodel or obese.

Yes, it is best to lead by example, but I'd also rather talk about weight issues and options with a healthcare provider that I can identify with. This may just be me, but being able to identify with and be willing to work with your provider is more beneficial than working with the image of perfect health. Healthcare education isn't sterile. Patients and doctors will need to connect to ensure optimum results. Being overweight and receiving healthy lifestyle education from a toned, healthy person may seem more like criticism than actual concern, and it places the patient on the defensive, leaving them less likely to hear what is being said, and possibly unwilling to seek help for other issues.

Not following your providers professional advice because "he's fat too" is simply an excuse for your own faults.

bradons · May 17, 2014

I thought it was about the care given not if the nurse looks like a model.

kungpoopanda · May 17, 2014

How difficult would it be to type out "you," "your" or "are"? Because the text speak makes you look darned ignorant!

Why didn't you simply point out that text/chat speak is against the terms of service? Why must you always get a nasty dig in?

OCNRN63, RN · May 17, 2014

First of all, what makes you assume that I am obese? Because I advocate for the rights of fat people? Be careful about your assumptions. Here is the reality: I have recovered from an eating disorder (which I had in full swing WHILE in nursing school) where I starved myself down to 82 lbs.
Do thin people get stress incontinence, joint disease, sleep apnea, and GERD? What is the treatment for those things? Are thin people told to lose weight to cure those issues? If they don't have "loads of fat pressing on their organs," then what causes those problems for thin people?
Why do you assume when I advocate for exercise and movement for health, not weight loss, that I am talking about yoga? Which, based on your context, seems like you are implying that fat people cannot do any "real" exercise. And if they did "real" exercise, then surely they would lose weight. Both of those assumptions, to be plain, are wrong.
I never cited a person who is fat and I know to be healthy. All I said was you cannot tell from looking at a person, thin or fat. YOU CANNOT TELL!!! Body size and health are two different things.
This is wrong, too: "isn't going to do jack to modify these things, if a given person doesn't lose excess weight." Healthy Lifestyle Habits and Mortality in Overweight and Obese Individuals

Anyone who says yoga isn't "real" exercise never did "real" yoga.

giraffe4 · May 17, 2014

Beauty does matter and it also doesn't matter. If you are good looking, you have more friends, more romantic relationships. Generally, people like good looking people. But that doesn't hinder anybody else. Its your work ethic that is important. How big you are doesn't equal how much education or work ethic you have.