Nursing makes me hate fat people

[LifeCrisis]

Ok, first off let me say I know this topic will probably generate a lot of strong opinions. I will also state that I am not a perfect person and don't take care of my health 100% so please don't think I am trying to be an elitist or something in posting this.

Disclaimer aside, I want to know if other nurses sympathize with me.

I am going to try and be as brief as possible in my story. First of all we have 2 resident patients on my floor that have been there over a year. They are obese and have suffered strokes. They require total care. These particular patients are about 250lbs and 1 has hemiparesis and the other has use of 1 arm (not sure what to call that).

The patient that really has me over the edge is one that is over 300lbs, vent dependent, unstageable sacral (of course, no one wants to turn this patient which is a whole other issue), lower extremities contracted with knee replacements, on dialysis, PEG feeding, restrained because she pulls any tube in sight, and contact isolation for c diff and acenotibacter. This patient has been on the floor for 3 months so far because no LTC facility will take her (understandably).

Not to mention all the cellulitis patients and other comorbities we deal with on admissions.

I am a 25 year old male and starting to feel back pains. This really has me over the edge as a combination of lazy/uneducated coworkers and heavy (literally) care.

Please share how you deal with these kinds of patients and what I can do to reverse my growing animosity towards these patients.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I said over 150kg not 150lbs, bit of a difference...[/quote'] My response includes 150 kg as well; I said WELL over...my percentage would me MORE HIGHER in percentage, because of the amount of pts I seen that had those co morbidities; and the example I gave, in that 20% that were over 159 KG....then the percentage over co morbidities are 70%...an ONE that has admitted with a hypertensive crisis with NO cormorbidities.

The FACT remains, at least in the community I work in, I've seen FAR more diseases an disorders that have obesity and, bariatric complications due to co morbidity than simply "overeating"; that is TOO simplistic when bodies are FAR more complex that that; and as many posters have indicated, it is a lazy view to justify feelings of people who are FAT; we are far too intelligent with rationales and science and genetics and ALL this HOLISTIC knowledge about what constitutes a pt...

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

well, I guess we shouldn't forget that we are a dime a dozen. So what if we hurt ourselves. They will say that we didnt follow protocol( what, should we grab people off the street to help us move people, , maybe housekeeping? ) We get hurt. dont get paid/disability. Easily replaced with the nursing excess.

That's probably why we don't get any extra help to handle people properly.We are easily replaced.......

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

Not meaning to excuse gluttony, but....high fructose corn syrup......

5 Reasons High Fructose Corn Syrup Will Kill You - Dr. Mark Hyman

[Dragan]

All I see in your response is 150lbs, but that's ok. Obviously you've had more experience on the matter. The fact that I'm working with is that most patients that I've had experience in (mostly general surgical) did not have as interesting combination of whatever you mentioned above, but were morbidly obese due to not looking after themselves. You can write 100's responses of exotic weight gaining conditions the fact is most 150kg+ patients I've looked after were so because they ate too much and continued to do so.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

It doesn't surprise me that there is alot of prejudice against overweight people. It is the one class of people in America where the prevailing attitude is its ok to hate and ridicule! The irony is 2/3 of Americans are overweight and over 1/3 are obese so the majority of us are overweight. But where did this come from. It never was this bad and I believe it has a lot to do with the chemicals in the food we eat. Many of the things like BPA and high fructose corn syrup are banned in Europe and the people there are much thinner than we are. It's ironic that smokers are getting hit with an insurance penalty when there are probably more overweight people than smokers. I expect in the future health insurance will be based by weight. But the truth is if people could lose weight they would. Why would anyone stay fat when there is such profound discrimination against them! It is well known it impacts your whole life from jobs to pay to relationships, not to mention your health which is constantly being harped on. No one in their right mind would stay overweight given the many negative consequences! In most instances diet and exercise don't produce lasting weight loss, even diet pills are a joke! The only real chance a person has of a normal life is a gastric bypass procedure and then you may be simply exchanging one set of health problems for another. Still you will look and feel better and be more accepted and approved by others!

Still a nurse is only human and when faced with obese especially 300-400+ pound patient it is only natural to be fearful. We don't want to end up injured, disabled or in constant pain and these patients are a danger we face daily! I think this is one of the many reasons so many nurses are fleeing the bedside! I've been a nurse for many years and I've seen over the years the increase in obese patients and the now almost regular 400-500 pound patient. It didn't used to be like this and then add to it the foley free mandate where these people are incontinent and can't realistically fit on a bedpan and now you're really breaking your back to care for them. We all know you can't safely move obese patients, yet many facilities under staff and refuse to pay for adequate lift equipment. I think it will take an Act of Congress to get No Lift mandation with such things as ceiling lifts and hover mats in all healthcare facilities. It's sad and ironic that available technology and equipment exists to protect us and the patients, but the hospitals don't want to spend the money because they feel nurses are expendable! Before the safe needle act most facilities wouldn't spend the money for retractable needles! If only private hospitals were like the VA system which has been at the forefront in such things as ceiling lifts and med scanning.

To those working in the field you must protect your back because your livelihood is at risk! Make sure you have adequate help before moving a patient. Also don't let the patient grab onto your arm to pull themselves up. When I was younger I let them do that and now pay the price with upper back and neck/shoulder problems. Make sure they turn on their side and use their own shoulder to help get them up! I used to volunteer to turn people and help out, but I don't do that anymore. Its the chronic wear and tear on your body that leads to chronic back pain! Honestly the way working conditions are in most places I would advocate nurses to plan to work bedside for only a short time, working toward transitioning to safer jobs so they don't end up in chronic pain! The hospitals are happy to replace you with newbies so why risk your health for a job! Just something to think about! I think you need an escape or contingency plan and should stockpile money in both retirement and non-retirement accounts when you are young in case the unthinkable happens! Also make sure you have long term disability insurance with an occupation clause if the hospital doesn't provide it. If you are unable to work as a nurse and unable to find a non-bedside job you will probably be faced with a lower paying job such as a secretary. It might be best to do all the above and plan on staying bedside only temporarily and have enough money saved to transition to another job when you are able. If you wait till your back is shot it will be harder to find another job. There is also discrimination against workers with back problems and you don't get a gold star for having back pain!

[OCNRN63, RN]

All I see in your response is 150lbs, but that's ok. Obviously you've had more experience on the matter. The fact that I'm working with is that most patients that I've had experience in (mostly general surgical) did not have as interesting combination of whatever you mentioned above, but were morbidly obese due to not looking after themselves. You can write 100's responses of exotic weight gaining conditions the fact is most 150kg+ patients I've looked after were so because they ate too much and continued to do so.

Perhaps LadyFree has taken the time to know her patients more thoroughly, rather than, as I previously said, "The fat chick in 243 with cellulitis."

I have to have major surgery in a few weeks, and some of these replies terrify me. Are my nurses going to be hating on me because I'm fat? Will they assume I'm constantly eating McDonalds, Cheetos, Ben and Jerry's, etc? I keep track of what I eat and drink, and my daily cal. are ~1300-1500, but when you are bed/chair bound like me, you aren't burning much up. Sure, I could starve myself, but that's going to compromise me for healing, something I already have a problem with.

So go ahead and judge your patients. Meanwhile, I'll be praying none of you work at the hospital I'll be going to, and that I'll have nurses who see me for me, not my weight.

[Dragan]

For the last time; I'm referring exclusively to people who are morbidly obese and not simply 'overweight' people. You've labelled me as some sort of shallow,biased ,hating, judgemental, fat-hater and completely taken out of context what I've said to demonstrate your point. If you want to keep defending yourself and these patients against non-existent attacks, go right ahead, but don't put words into my mouth that I never said. Read posts carefully rather then jumping to conclusions. Ill say it again: no, MOST morbidly obese patients I've encountered didn't have any deeper medical issue, I was well familiar with their medical history and YES it was because they ate too much.

[OCNRN63, RN]

For the last time; I'm referring exclusively to people who are morbidly obese and not simply 'overweight' people. You've labelled me as some sort of shallow,biased ,hating, judgemental, fat-hater and completely taken out of context what I've said to demonstrate your point. If you want to keep defending yourself and these patients against non-existent attacks, go right ahead, but don't put words into my mouth that I never said. Read posts carefully rather then jumping to conclusions. Ill say it again: no, MOST morbidly obese patients I've encountered didn't have any deeper medical issue, I was well familiar with their medical history and YES it was because they ate too much.

They aren't that way because they want to be. Even if--big if--there is no underlying reason for them to be that way, there are plenty of psych. issues that can contribute to morbid obesity. The patient may not look depressed on the outside, but inside you'd better believe depression is there. It takes someone with patience and kindness to help draw these patients out.

The title of your thread is, "Nursing Makes Me Hate Fat People." How much clearer could you possibly have been about your attitude toward people who are obese? You can't conceal that kind of contempt.

I have read your posts, and everything you've said, from the OP to your most recent post, simply reinforces your bias.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

It doesn't surprise me that there is alot of prejudice against overweight people. It is the one class of people in America where the prevailing attitude is its ok to hate and ridicule! The irony is 2/3 of Americans are overweight and over 1/3 are obese so the majority of us are overweight. But where did this come from. It never was this bad and I believe it has a lot to do with the chemicals in the food we eat. Many of the things like BPA and high fructose corn syrup are banned in Europe and the people there are much thinner than we are.

I am GLAD you bought this up

MOST places outside the US have banned BPA; their food is with natural sugars; once I returned to the US from my first trip, I began scrutinize my food MORE; I have been modifying and eating less added salt and sugars since the age of sixteen; I am 32.

I agree with most of our posts as well; we have to e more conscientious with having a future in nursing in terms out bodies, mind an spirit; As advocates, we have a right to demand the proper support in our business; we can't just think of "escape plan"; we can are there are agents of change in this business and in our history; without the previous nurses, we would still be "handmaidens".

[Dragan]

I didn't start the post, just commenting on it, like you are.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I didn't start the post, just commenting on it, like you are.

My apologies for confusing you with the OP; you sound so much like him/her.

[Nola009]

I really don't know what you can do. Just wanted to say that even as a new nurse I sympathize with you. So many co-morbidities go along with morbid obesity that these patients become what a coworker of mine discribed as real "projects". You know, when you go into the room for am med pass and the litany of things they need done FOR them bc they have become essentially helpless d/t the extreme obesity and its accompanying health problems takes a good 30 min. And this is in LTC!

The only advice I can give is to please realize that no one in their right mind wants to get that bad and once they are that far gone, it's certain that they have an element of hopelesssness and helplessness going on.

We don't know where they have been and WHY they let themselves go so far... Just use your back saving maneuverabilities the best you can. Oh, and tell your mgr. that he/she'd better get you a mechanical lift and more help w/ these biggons!