In serious need of advice

supportingh · Sep 26, 2015

Try a different career before you make a big mistake. The market is over supplied with nurses. It may take you months or years to work in a hospital if your lucky. See this report from CNN Where's this so-called shortage? - I can't find a nursing job! - CNNMoney

Julius Seizure · Sep 26, 2015

Ive worked with RNs who are under 5 feet tall and absolutely tiny. The biggest issue was having to special order size XS gloves just for them because nobody else wore that size. She was a great coworker.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Sep 26, 2015

It sounds to me like you are defensive. And that you are relating everything to your height/weight.

Encounters of this sort lack any real insight. My greatest advice would be to stop internalizing and putting emotional energy into your work. You shouldn't get yourself into a position that you are having to come out kicking and screaming over every little encounter. Sometimes it really IS what it is.

With all that being said, is their a mentor in your life that can show you specifically how to keep yourself professional? And not to quote book authors or television personalities, but sometimes when you know better, you do better. The mother in me says mind your manners, you know better, get it together and act correctly. You want to be known for the content of your character, which has nothing to do with stature/size.

Do you currently have a college degree? Any courses under your belt? In these times, jobs are difficult to find anywhere. There is no one magic course of study that will guarantee you a job. But, one thing I can suggest is perhaps an EMT? Then if you enjoy that on to a paramedic? But again, you need to look at your surroundings and do some research on exactly where they are hiring.

Wishing you nothing but the best!

odaat · Sep 26, 2015

I am 5'1" and my weight has ranged from 90-110lbs during my career. My size has never been an issue anywhere so I also think your problems are probably unrelated to that. Having said that, my first job was in LTC and the attitudes at that particular facility were so nasty and unbearable that I got out of there after only a couple of months so I do believe that facilities like you're describing exist. Perhaps try a different facility and see how that works out for you. If the problems persist then it's time to look at what your part in them may be.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Sep 26, 2015

Your height and weight will not keep you from being able to become a good nurse. Like others have said, you will most likely have to be able to lift 50 pounds if you decide to work at the bedside, which I've seen many short and thin nurses do every day.

The circumstances at your former job may have been horrible but I don't think any of it had to do with the fact that you have a small frame. Sometimes the inner circle in some facilities can be a bit cliquey and there will most likely be a few people that you won't want to share your lunch break with but it's not like you have to take them home with you or anything. They're your co-workers. You're both there to perform a service and at the end of the day go your separate ways. Now, I'm not condoning bullying and cornering someone in the break room, that is wrong and I have actually seen a few CNAs fired and escorted off the premise by the police immediately after their termination meeting (since they the reason they were being terminated was due to hostility toward other coworkers). If someone says something to you that you do not like, at the appropriate time (away from resident/patients) have a conversation with this individual and find out where the comment was coming from. It may be something that you are doing that you do not even realize, they may have misunderstood something that you had said, or yeah, they may just be behaving like a jerk.

You will have plenty of residents/patients that may not be pleasant or outright rude or combative. When people are sick it doesn't tend to bring out the best in them. To survive in nursing you will need to grow a thicker skin and not let what everyone says get to you. It takes time but most of us have learned how to do this if we hadn't already figured it out prior to nursing school.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2015

I have to echo what the others are saying. I went to school years ago with a gal that was 4'9" and most likely under a 100 lbs. She did just fine. If I needed help and she was available I called her. You are obviously hung up on your size and need to get past that.

Secondly, you seem like you are trying to find a career and have chosen nursing. I don't recommend going into this profession unless you really want to be a nurse. It never ends well. You suffer burn out and your co-workers have to work with Miss Godzilla.

bathrobemom, LPN · Sep 26, 2015

I'm 5'2 and weigh about 125 pounds. I worked as a home health aide for four years before becoming a nurse just a few months ago. I've had people take one look at me and say that I'm too thin, too small, etc. I do struggle with some transfers. At my new job I've met several CNA's that are about my size and they do as well as everyone else.

If you love your job and you know you're good at it, then brush off what other people say. After you transfer someone and it's successful, you do a good job, people will notice that you're good at what you do. If a nurse is asking you to complete more work it's probably because she knows that you will do what she asks and do it well. She could thank you for staying after your shift and getting extra work done though.

If you do your job well, offer to help others when you can, keep a positive attitude, people should notice that. There will always be negativity no matter where you go and whatever do, don't let it get you down.

It is worth it to keep moving forward in nursing, I do fewer transfers now and it's easier on my body to be an LPN (although I do a ton of walking).

allnurses Guide · Sep 26, 2015

I am contemplating on and off on whether I should re enroll in school for ADN or BSN.
I am only 23 yrs old. I worked as a new CNA for 6 months in a nursing home. They took me in easily because of the low pay and constant quitting and no call no shows at that place. I never wanted to quit.. but the ignorant, ghetto coworkers and ignorant nurses forced me out.
EDIT* I meant that Im trying to get a 4 yr RN degree not RN to BSN
I am petite, only 5'1 and weigh 100-105 lbs..if you ever see me, you would think I look like I weigh 90 but I am not 90. when I started at the nursing home, some CNAS told me I am too small to lift anybody, they said Im too short. A nurse told me Im too small for this job too. I developed my own routine over time and finished on time without asking for constant help after 2 weeks. All of a sudden, the psycho jealousy started to arise in some of the CNAS and nurses because I was able to do the work. I was minding my own damn business... its always a CNA on the wing I worked with that is nitpicking my actions, paying attention to me, and talking out loud like I dont know how to do anything so the nurse can hear. One CNA was all up in my ass, I reported her, she stalked me in the break room and threatened me. I ended up crying in the bathroom that day. As for the nurses, I was about to push the dirty linen cart into this nurse that was harassing me for weeks but I didnt. The one nurse that bullied me like crazy is about 5'11-6'0. She kept calling my name 100 times like Im her dog, snapping at me over stupid matters. Whenever I am about to finish my work on time, she starts calling my name and trying to give me other side work so that I will be behind in my work. When I tried out 3-11 shift, I asked this nurse for soap. She said "Im busy, come around and get it" in a rude disgusting tone like Im her maid. the other nurse next to her was laughing under her breath.
I have been on two interviews for a CNA position at two hospitals, I got rejected at all of them. I noticed the majority of nurses are all taller and bigger than me. Im usually the only small skinny one. They called me the "little one" when I worked at the nursing home. Some residents called me the "little girl" as well.
I am questioning my emotional mental state if it is a good idea to go into nursing with my height and weight. I tried to consider dental hygiene but I heard the job rate is low. I dont know what else to consider

I have known many "petite" nurses and they do just fine in the workplace. As another poster said most jobs and even some schools will send you for a physical abilities test to make sure you are strong enough to do the work but that's mostly done as a requirement form their Workman's Comp Carrier. The fact is you will get hired on the basis of how you present at interview. If you present as someone who can fit in with the unit culture and are qualified you get the job. When you interview and are asked why you left your last job. It's always best to say the job was not a good fit for your current goals. When going from LTC to Acute care says something like "I'm planning on attending Nursing school and I want to work here because I hope to work in med-surge (oh the horror) someday. Never complain about you old job (and I'm not saying you did) to a potential new employer. Never say you had trouble (and Again not saying you did) that you had problems with co-workers bullying you. These two thing may be seen by potential employer's that you may not be a team player. Since you are small but mighty, remember to take care of your back when it comes to lifting - back injury is the number 1 career ending job for nursing professionals.

Good luck to you

hppy

AlwaysLearning247, BSN · Sep 26, 2015

You need to stop talking about your height and weight. I know MANY nurses and CNA's who are little as well but don't go around talking about it all day (it doesn't affect their job). If you really want to be a nurse then yes go to school to become a nurse. If you can get into a bachelors program then go for that, as they're in demand and you'll need a BSN for most jobs anyways. If you can only get into an ADN program when the time comes then there is nothing wrong with that either. I went that route and now I am in an RN-BSN program. As for the nursing home you work at, it sounds toxic and if you're still there you need to leave. Apply at other places similar because they're not all like that. Good luck!

rainln86 · Sep 27, 2015

I read most of the replies on here. Perhaps it IS my attitude, perhaps I AM being defensive. I will take in deep consideration about whether or not I will pursue the nursing field. I appreciate the advice. I do want to say that I am surprised by the majority of the reactions on here. Especially how most of the comments speak no ill towards the hostility that I have experienced from the CNAS and nurses. For the comments that did addressed that it isnt right, I appreciate it. I quit that nursing home last month and is on the look for another CNA job. I dont regret any ounce of it. Im surprised at some of the comments because I know full well from what I experienced.. I was TOLD to my face by other CNAS and Nurses that I am too small and skinny to do the job. I proved them wrong, that is when they got worse. They didnt praise me for proving them wrong, they got nasty. Maybe its time I move to a different state and try to pursue a degree in nursing somewhere else or go for dental. Thanks for the insights!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 27, 2015

I am 5'1" and my weight has ranged from 90-110lbs during my career. My size has never been an issue anywhere so I also think your problems are probably unrelated to that. Having said that, my first job was in LTC and the attitudes at that particular facility were so nasty and unbearable that I got out of there after only a couple of months so I do believe that facilities like you're describing exist. Perhaps try a different facility and see how that works out for you. If the problems persist then it's time to look at what your part in them may be.

I agree that the height and weight aren't the issue. Although the OP may be in a "nasty facility", I'm wondering if perhaps some work on her own attitude wouldn't be in order before starting to job hop. If, as I suspect, the problem is in the OP's attitude and her own interactions with others, changing jobs won't help and will only hurt her down the road. Changing her attitude and the way she interacts with others will help her in this job, in her nursing program (or whatever she chooses) and in every job down the road.

springchick1, ADN, RN · Sep 27, 2015

I work with a girl who is an even 5 feet (I'm 5'3 so she isn't that much shorter) and she uses her height as an excuse for everything! It gets kind of old listening to people talk about their height/weight all the time. Your height won't hinder you unless you let it.