Nursing Application Photos: Discrimination or Not

[DREAMSDOCOMETRUE0610]

During my recent job hunt in the nursing field, I decided to contact a recruiter to help me with my application and "getting my name out there," so to speak. I worked with her for a few months trying to find jobs in clinics and doctor's offices across the Atlanta area, when after a few weeks she asked if I could send her a picture of myself to attach to my resume because the hiring agencies wanted to see what I looked like before an interview or further evaluation. My questions:

Is this a form of discrimination?

Is this about the company's image and the company wanting to make sure only attractive nurses are hired?

Is this a new way to judge nurses and keep nurses of certain appearances in certain areas of nursing (only clinics and offices were contacted by the recruiter and they were the only agencies to request a photo)?

What do you think?

[IMOKAY, BSN]

I have often wondered if adding things to my resume like "physically fit" or "able to lift 50 pounds over my head" or "able to run 5k in 20 minutes" would be a positive way to overcome the age discrimination and snap judgment that is inevitable at my age.

[FLmomof5]

Like another poster, I am up there in age....49. I look mid-30s so in my case a pic would be advantageous. I am fit (128 lbs at 5'4").

IMHO, I think it could be any number of reasons....age *could* be one. Although some may think race....I didn't see that in the nurses hired out of my graduating class....and we are in the south! I would think weight. Too thin and you aren't strong enough to move morbidly obese patients and most ultra-thins are more succeptible to minor illnesses. Too fat and you won't keep up and you will cost the facility in either workers comp claims or you will have obesity related illnesses. (This, IMHO, would be the perception, as inaccurate as it could be!)

Also, age discrimination has been around for quite some time. My mother was a floor supervisor...Nursing Diploma, BS and MS in hospital administration. Her hospital "re-engineered", so "everyone" was "terminated" and had to re-apply for their positions (that had a different naming convention). My mother was told that she didn't qualify for her current position. The nurse they hired was a young ADN who was given so much time to get her BSN then MSN to keep it. That nurse was obviously cheaper. 35 yrs down the tubes. My mom was lucky in that she still qualified for her retirement. Two years later, they were begging her to come back. She laughed at them!

[BigButtNurse]

The next time you're asked to submit a photo (if they haven't seen you in person), just send in a picture of Cindy Crawford when she was in her late 20's. That will get the job done!!!!