The most humiliating weight related experience in nursing school:
Nutrition Care Plan Assignment
Stations were set up and maned by clinical staff who took my measurements, took my height and weight, measured my % of body fat, BMI and BMR. Then, I had the previlage of sharing the info with classmates who wrote a nutrition care plan for me!
That is the most horrible thing I have heard. I truly hope you were not singled out and that the rest of the class also had to endure this !! We also had to do a nutrition care plan assignment, but our "patients" were volunteer students, family or friends, as yours should have been.
I too am a nursing student that is overweight. I'm 5'5" and 184, but I'm really huge up top. So my scrub pants are like a medium, and my scrub top is an XL. It makes me look really awkward. I've gained about 60 lbs. in the last year or so (due to a lot of stress, etc). In the last month or two, my BP has been staying up. So my teachers are always getting on to me about it and telling me to walk. It was embarrassing to have my class mates weigh me and all that. Everyone had to weigh each other, and most EVERYone in my class is skinny. That was no fun.
Our instructors are so strict on us. Our nursing program is located inside a medical school, so we have to go up to the third floor for class. There are elevators, b/c the building is huge, but our instructors told us our first day, "We better not see you all taking that elevator. It's for disabled people, and none of you are. And if you DO have a disability, you better be telling us. We want you up those stairs every day, and we don't want you winded when you get to the top." I was like, sheesh.
We are going over nutrition right now. Imagine my horror! lol
Specializes in pediatric vent,adult quad vent,ltc.
your instructors sound like very unhappy people. they need to realize not everyone is in peak performance health. my husband is thin walks alot but if he had to do 3flights a stairs he would be winded and he is only 40yr.not everyone has the same lung capacity.I'll be praying for you.
your instructors sound like very unhappy people. they need to realize not everyone is in peak performance health. my husband is thin walks alot but if he had to do 3flights a stairs he would be winded and he is only 40yr.not everyone has the same lung capacity.I'll be praying for you.
Thank you very much! :)
I think it's kinda ridiculous, b/c our instructor is very overweight. How weird is that? And the medical students take the elevators when they want. What's wrong with the Nursing students riding it? lol I am trying to find the time to walk or exercise, but NS just takes up all my time! lol
Specializes in pediatric vent,adult quad vent,ltc.
I know what ya mean,when I was in ns I worked full time,while in the program and when I got out of school was the 1st time in 3yrs that I got more than 3 hrs sleep. when you finish school you'll have more time to exercise and more money to do it.
I am so glad you posted. I too am not on the skinny side yet I have several classmates that are. And they love to eat healthy, always talking about how many calories are in this and that. Whatever! Love your body, its the only one you've got.
You are both so right! I barely have time to breathe, let alone worry myself about exercising. I am taking a full load (which at my school is 17 hours). I have Anatomy with that as well. It seems like I have homework due every second.
This one girl in our program was talking about how she ran 13 miles the other day with a guy from our class. I was like, "Seriously? How do you have time to do this?!" Until I have time, I'll just have to be satisfied with taking stairs as exercise, lol.
puppielove: are you an RN now? if so, do you work 12-hour shifts? i bet you have more time in your life, right?
I'm also a very plus-size student (46 BMI, if that tells you anything...), and while this is something you CAN do being bigger and it definitely won't interfere with your schoolwork, allow me to give you some advice.
Unless you're about 7 feet tall, you're probably not "healthy" if you're wearing a 2x or even a 1x. I'm not bashing, but this is true. I am certainly not healthy and am right there in the same boat along with you.
Because you are not healthy, your body WILL have problems.
I am currently suffering a herniated intervertebral disc and a fractured vertebra in large part due to my being overweight and unhealthy. Lifting patients has NOT improved this situation, and I'm currently out of a job while going to PT and trying to lose weight so I can go back to work.
If you are overweight, I strongly encourage you to build up your core strength and religiously utilize back mechanics so you don't suffer the same fate. Losing weight is also the healthiest thing you can do. WeightWatchers, Curves, Jenny Craig, all these offer acceptable, healthy alternatives to lose weight. Trust me, you'll be able to work a LOT longer if you just do it.
I'm also a very plus-size student (46 BMI, if that tells you anything...), and while this is something you CAN do being bigger and it definitely won't interfere with your schoolwork, allow me to give you some advice.
Unless you're about 7 feet tall, you're probably not "healthy" if you're wearing a 2x or even a 1x. I'm not bashing, but this is true. I am certainly not healthy and am right there in the same boat along with you.
Because you are not healthy, your body WILL have problems.
I am currently suffering a herniated intervertebral disc and a fractured vertebra in large part due to my being overweight and unhealthy. Lifting patients has NOT improved this situation, and I'm currently out of a job while going to PT and trying to lose weight so I can go back to work.
If you are overweight, I strongly encourage you to build up your core strength and religiously utilize back mechanics so you don't suffer the same fate. Losing weight is also the healthiest thing you can do. WeightWatchers, Curves, Jenny Craig, all these offer acceptable, healthy alternatives to lose weight. Trust me, you'll be able to work a LOT longer if you just do it.
Oh, wow. I am sorry to hear about your back. I hope you start feeling better!! :)
Oh, wow. I am sorry to hear about your back. I hope you start feeling better!! :)
Thank you, already I have gone from constant 8/10 pain to virtually pain-free, but it has been a long road and I don't wish it on anyone!
I don't mean to be preachy, but back mechanics are sort of my soapbox issue now because of all this. I'm sure my clinical partners are sick of me yelling "BEND YOUR KNEES!!" at them when they lift :chuckle
It makes me look really awkward. I've gained about 60 lbs. in the last year or so (due to a lot of stress, etc). In the last month or two, my BP has been staying up. So my teachers are always getting on to me about it and telling me to walk. It was embarrassing to have my class mates weigh me and all that. Everyone had to weigh each other, and most EVERYone in my class is skinny. That was no fun.
It seems like I have homework due every second.
CapNurse09
109 Posts
That is the most horrible thing I have heard. I truly hope you were not singled out and that the rest of the class also had to endure this !! We also had to do a nutrition care plan assignment, but our "patients" were volunteer students, family or friends, as yours should have been.