how many calories do you think nursing burns up?

[SNB1014]

After a long and very physically demanding 12hrs yesterday, I finally sank into my couch and thought, "Damn! My muscles hurt!". My hallway is long, my patients are often totals ( and to my luck, never tiny!), etc. I move and grove all day long!!

When I don't work out on my days off, shifts like these help me justify it.

Does your work feel like a workout?

[IdianaCNA1993]

I think if I wouldnt have eatin tripple whoppers each shift and drank 5 gallons of mountain dew Id be able to pull off being a skeloton for halloween

[itsnowornever, BSN, RN]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unless you're consistently getting your heart rate up to exercise levels at work - and then keeping them there for 20 mins or a half hour - all the walking, boosting, turning and lifting doesn't count for a whole lot as far as calories burned go.

Then consider that the extra 200-300 cals you might burn in a shift gets put right back in one small frappucino, a couple of cookies or glasses of wine.

It sucks.

Actually, it doesn't sky rocket the burn, however the constant muscle use I similar to a weights workout. The calorie counter I use directly measures the sweat and whatever else comes out when your burning

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

Lost 25 pounds first year of nursing!!

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unless you're consistently getting your heart rate up to exercise levels at work - and then keeping them there for 20 mins or a half hour - all the walking, boosting, turning and lifting doesn't count for a whole lot as far as calories burned go.

Then consider that the extra 200-300 cals you might burn in a shift gets put right back in one small frappucino, a couple of cookies or glasses of wine.

It sucks.

Calories burned are calories burned. You may be referring to cardio health here.

[tri-rn]

nope. Higher heartrate = more calories burned, although there are some caveats to this.

Wear a heartrate monitor to work, then wear it to the gym. IF you're doing your workout at a proper intensity, your heartrate at the gym should be higher than it is at work (unless you're actually coding someone, doing compressions or whatnot. Or actually RUNNING...really RUNNING...up and down the halls).

If we actually burned all those calories at work, we'd all be better off. *sigh*

ETA: you are correct as far as working in different heart rate "zones" strengthening aerobic vs. anaerobic systems, etc.

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

Well no kidding, if your heart rate is higher you burn more calories, I got that. However, if someone's burning calories they're burning calories! If they burn more calories than they eat they lose weight, it's a simple equation. Your post read as if high intensity activity is the only activity that makes any difference.

[Rosa_G]

Hmmm you could use a pedometer and see? I know I essentially walk all night. I think 12 hours on your feet moving at a fairly brisk pace = a few good calories!! Just say no to the snacks that seem to be ever present.. or bring healthy ones.

[Despareux]

Not quite sure of the validity of the information. If it were accurate, this would be a good guide.

Jobs -- The steps we take and the calories we burn | Active.com

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

I'm burning almost zero calories at my job. I'm a night shift psych nurse, and I sit on my behind most of the night. This is truth.

[champagnesupeRNova]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unless you're consistently getting your heart rate up to exercise levels at work - and then keeping them there for 20 mins or a half hour - all the walking, boosting, turning and lifting doesn't count for a whole lot as far as calories burned go.

Then consider that the extra 200-300 cals you might burn in a shift gets put right back in one small frappucino, a couple of cookies or glasses of wine.

It sucks.

I agree. Sure, you are burning some calories while walking around all night but it's nowhere near what you would burn in an actual "workout." Exercise that doesn't raise your heart rate for an extended period of time isn't doing as much for you as you may think. Walking doesn't burn many calories unfortunately. And as for all the lifting we do, we would need to do many reps in succession to get the benefits of weight-lifting exercise. I have lost weight after I started working but it's because I only eat one meal in 12 hours. If I was at home I'd be pigging out half that time.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I sometimes clip a pedometer on me as I go through my work day to see how many steps I take. My record is 14,000+ in an 8 hour shift, and that was just at work.

As others have said, the variable is how often you eat during the shift.