lifestyle of cardiac nurses

sandgroper · Sep 11, 2003

When I worked in CCU there was a cardiologist who smoked through handover even when there was a smoking ban on hospital grounds. He used to sit near the open window.

Why should it make any difference to the way you educate your patients?

I'm sure there are many of us who partake in other legal activities that are also detrimental to health.

I like to eat hamburgers therefore I can't tell my patients it is bad for them?

live4today, RN · Sep 11, 2003

Originally posted by helix
Hello to all,
I am just curious as to how everyone feels about cardiac nurses that are overweight or that smoke. Our CCU has developed quite a weight issue and it was mentioned to me by one of the senior physicians recently. I am skinny, and there are only two or three thin women on our unit left anymore. Everyone else is moderately to significantly overweight and many of the nurses smoke. I kind of have to agree with the physician that it is hard to do effective teaching with a post-MI on lifestyle changes when it obviously either isn't important or isn't working for the nurse her/himself. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

Helix

Hi Helix! :)

Let's allow you to wear the shoe of the people you are referring to by letting me turn your post around in this way, and then tell me how it hits you, and what you would do to correct the "issue" you speak of. Here goes:

"I am just curious as to how everyone feels about cardiac nurses that are underweight or that smoke? Our CCU has developed quite an underweight issue and it was mentioned to me by one of the senior physicians recently. I am average to large size, and there are only two or three of us left on our unit..... Everyone else is moderately to significantly underweight and many of the nurses smoke. I kind of have to agree with the physician that it is hard to do effective teaching with a post-MI on lifestyle changes when it obviously either isn't important or isn't working for the nurse her/himself. Does anyone have an opinion on this?"

It's easy to "perceive" how we think "the other person" should desire change to fit a certain "walk", yet difficult to grasp the effect it would have on us if we were ourselves in that persons shoes that we wonder about in regards to "WHY" they are this or that or do this or that.

I say to each his/her own. If skinny is as skinny does, then fat is as fat does, or average is as average does, or large build is as large build does.....................get my drift? :)

I know many people who are NOT skinny, yet are healthier than the skinny people I know. Why does the "outside" of the body have to reflect "skinny" in order for you to believe they are a picture of health? It's not a person's weight necessarily that makes them unhealthy...it's what we build our bodies with on the inside that makes a difference. Keep in mind, MANY people you perceive as "overweight" are simply genetically inclined that way, but it doesn't mean they couldn't do cartwheels or jumping jacks better than the skinny people.

Also, smokers tend to be "skinny". Me myself......I prefer MEAT on my bones. Cushions the falls better, and other things I can't mention on this "family rated" nursing forum.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2003

There has recently been a glut of threads on this very topic. If you would like to do a search you will find plenty of answers to your question. Most were posted in the general nursing forum. :)

Gator,SN · Sep 12, 2003

I don't think anything at all about this issue. If a nurse is trained and knowledgable, thats enough for me.

I didn't take a survey when I was screaming in pain during labor to ensure that my only nurses were those that had also had all natural childbirth, nor did I refuse a male nurse at that time. ( and actullay he was one of the best OB nurses ever!)

I find it hard to believe that my patients in CCU are looking at me at all in the context of my lifestyle choices when they are comparing it to their own mortality. In fact, they are all a bit self centered when in my care, and I encourage that.

Its not about me or my choices, or my lungs its about them and sadly, if they look at any nurse and doubt the real truth that is staring them in the face because the person telling them how to make changes is overweight, or smokes etc.. then I'm sure I'll see them again, very soon. Usually a trip to CCU opens up a lot of eyes.

Gator

And for the record, I do post MI teaching and it is effective. I see the results every Tuesday over in Cardiac Rehab.

Brownms46 · Sep 12, 2003

Gator,SN, What a wise comment that was! I agree CCU usually makes strong advocates out of folks who survive being there! I'm amazed sometimes after I talk with former CCU pts, about their condition, as to their knowledge level, and not one of them told me about who or what the nurse was, who educated them:cool:

gwenith, BSN, RN · Sep 12, 2003

Thank-you all I know I am a bit oversensitive on theis issue but I AM overweight I AM aware that it is not ideal and I AM trying to do something about it each and everyday and failing or at least not succeeding well each and every day. For me for a long long time success was not gaining more wieght - it is that hard.

I too work in CCU and it has NEVER been a problem in fact it has often brought me closer to my patients as they realise that I am huyman too and it is alright to fail as long as you pick yourself up dust yourself off and try again.

All too often I see health professionals turn weight loss/life style change into a control measure.

An example: A middle aged woman moderately overwieght had been diagnosed as a NIDDM by her local GP who rather than refer to to a diabetic clinic insists that the woman has monthly check ups. Now no matter what the level her BSL is or how rigidly she adhers to her diet she gets it in the neck from the doctor about how she is not doing the right thing. Unfortunately she is also one of those who has complete and utter faith in her doctor and you cannot convince her that this is in fact the wrong management.

We had an endocrinologist when I was training who used to get his residents to fast for 24 hours so they could learn how difficult it was to stay on a diet.

It is about empathy and understanding that the road ahead is bumpy and rocky and will be difficult and I personnally would rather hear that from someone who knows first hand what it is like than someone who has never had the problem.

helix · Sep 12, 2003

All of your responses were wonderful and welcome. I found the tone of some of the answers to be as if I had said something hurtful and I certainly apologize if I came across in a bad way. I tend to agree with gwenith about the whole human thing making it easier to teach and give support. I guess the perspective I had was that many of the nurses with whom I work have very low self-esteem and they don't project the attitude that cheerfuldoer does. We have one nurse who is very unhealthy, she can barely walk. I love this woman dearly, think she is doing her best (our insurance coverage won't pay for gastric bypass, they would rather pay for knee surgeries?), and see her as a great nurse. I just wondered where everyone else was on this, as I hadn't thought much about it until the physician brought it up.

I didn't realize there were other discussions elsewhere, gwenith, thank you I will look into them.

Helix

pinkfloydfreak · Sep 14, 2003

The issue of weight is a very touchy subject indeed. I think Helix meant "overweight" in the context of having an unhealthy lifestyle that is,wether one is under or overweight. A nurse's job is to educate the patient regarding the bad or good effect of a certain behavior . It is the patient that has the final word on the issue. How effective would he be? His credibility depends much on his own lifestyle.

New CCU RN · Sep 14, 2003

Not too long ago, I had a patient tell me "you CCU nurses and docs are the only skinny ones in the hospital. The rest of the people here are hypocrites. I go to my kidney doctor for diaylsis, and everyone who works in the office is huge and not in any sort of shape, my diabetes doc and everyone is huge and out of breath when they talk . But all the people that have to deal with the heart are skinny." It was kinda the opposite of what your doc said to you...

Weight is definitely a sensitive topic, I am not debating that. Nor does having the ideal body weight truly predict your healthiness. When I was in college, I ran division one cross country and track. I ran an upwards of 60-70 miles per week, was in the best shape of my life. I also lifted close to everyday and did some other sort of cross training like swimming. However, I was also the heaviest I have ever been (because of muscle). My body fat percentage at the time was 10.9% (I'm a girl, that is very low). If you were to map out my weight vs height though, I was borderline overweight...

My point of that is that weight really isn't the only thing that determines whether or not you are healthy or your cardiovascular condition. Everyone's body is different and age pays a hard toll on some people.

However, there is some part of what that doc said that ought to be taken to heart... it is sad to see nurses that know "better" still abuse their bodies.... not just in the weight sense, but by smoking, abusing alcohol, not eating "right", high stress levels, not exercising.

But a clinician not doing everything right in their own lives probably doesn't correlate to a patient being compliant with what is recommended to them. I am sure that MI or stent plays the bigger part and we as nurses are their to tell them what will help them based on current recommendations, not what we do.

helix · Sep 14, 2003

Yes, PinkFloydFreak, I did refer to unhealthiness in whatever form it takes...the "overweight" one was just what was brought to my attn by the physician. I agree that the patient is the one that chooses and has the final word. I also agree that how heavy you are does not determine how heart healthy you are. All of which is part of what we teach as nurses. Again, thank you to everyone for helping me "talk through" this sensitive subject.

Helix

healingtouchRN · Oct 4, 2003

for the longest I was the skinny one, I worked with some "big chicks" & I am a size 14!!! Now with the young gals working with me, I am in between really tiny size 2's & a few plus gals. I think I just don't care to compare my self to anyone anymore, too much to think about!!! :chuckle