Is nursing exercise?

Nurses General Nursing

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This may seem to be a silly question, especially to all you you pros! But, my girlfriends and I were discussing this... You are on your feet all day long, and it can be very physical.

I vote that local Y's everywhere should give cardio-nursing classes so I can get my office butt in shape!

What do you all think?

:) Michelle

Yes, in order to initiate the process to burn up fat, you hafta get your heart rate going more than what can be appopriately achieved on the floor. I wig out when I take some PT heart rates at >100, and I;d hafta run in place hard to get up to that. After you burn up all your liver glycogen (>15 min with HR at least 65% of max) then your body usually burns on fat...as long as you keep your heartrate up. Bedside nursing can not achieve burning fat (my opinion) but thats not to say you don't burn up alot of Kcals. I'm sorry :-(

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If it's exercise, why hasn't my cellulite farm heard about it yet????

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Hey, shay, send 'em all a memo.

Hang it in the bathroom.

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Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

sharann--excellent response.

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Originally posted by delirium

Hey, shay, send 'em all a memo.

Hang it in the bathroom.

SWEET!! Does this mean I can get rid of the treadmill and elliptical machine?? WOOHOO!!! OREOS HERE I COME!!! :D ;)

(distant sound of oinking in background...........)

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Originally posted by shay

SWEET!! Does this mean I can get rid of the treadmill and elliptical machine?? WOOHOO!!! OREOS HERE I COME!!! :D ;)

(distant sound of oinking in background...........)

I have a treadmill. I even use it from time to time.

And doublestuf oreos are the ONLY way to go.... I see a lot of them in my near future.

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Clinical nursing is less sedentary than many jobs but probably doesn't replace the need for an exercise regimen of some sort.

When I was doing clinical nursing, I had a exercise assessment and they respectfully told me I had "great upper body strength". Well, that's from those multiple reps of pulling 180# inert bodies up in bed against sheet resistance. But, as Mario reminds us, there's usually not an aerobic component--unless you're on the code team or maybe some days in psych.

The other good news is that an exercise regimen of some sort will help many of us to manage our stress.

Ah, yes! Dilemma. When do I have time to do that? As a PhD friend of mine who became a Physician's Assistant said, "Ever since I got into the health care business, I don't have time to take care of my own health!"

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Before I started nursing two years ago, I worked out at a gym 5 days a week. I was in great shape! After I started working I was too tired to go to the gym, and all the late night eating made me gain 25 lbs. I haven't managed to get rid of it, and I only get to the gym maybe twice a week for short workouts.

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Im sorry Nancy. Nursing can absorb your quality time you spend keeping yourself healthy. I am so fortunate to be within bikeshot of the hospital and Bally's. The club is inbetween my apt and work. I often lose sight of that, and if I had to drive a car everyday and not boogie-woogie for an hour on the bicycle roundtrips, I'd be all wasted too. I remember.

Plus, remember that upper body strength is really blown by bending over/crouching and handling all those sacks of potatoes (180#)

For example, in doing a pull up, on a bar, you use all upper body strength, but do not destroy your spine and lower lumber, as boosting a PT will do to you. Working bedside can destroy you if you do not support your skeleton with your whole heart and mind :-(

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Well, I'm an ER nurse and though I don't work out on the days I work, I try to do 30-40 minutes the other days on the treadmill. However, at my age - you gotta otherwise you can't keep up the pace.

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After I started working I was too tired

I believe this is the crux of my problem right there. After work, my whole BODY throbs in pain (multiple ortho probs, but we won't go there......), and I swear I just cannot get my big blubber butt up off the couch to do ANYTHING. Work is just so damn exhausting.

:rolleyes:

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I also wondered about this question myself. A LOT of times I'm walking for 4 to 5 hours straight with not even a bathroom break. Brisk walking, especially for the 2 hours that it takes to give medications. You would think this would have SOME kind of calorie burning effect. Especially when you get all heated up and have to take your lab jacket off.

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