Obese Nurses

SleeepyRN · May 2, 2016

That's why you don't drink in the 24-48 hours prior to a clock in/weigh in. Also helps with not needing to pee during the shift.

Don't eat, don't drink, take hydrochlorothiazide, and give yourself an enema before your weigh in. Oh, and push out all the air in your lungs when you step on the scale.

I'm having way too much fun with this.

SleeepyRN · May 2, 2016

In our hospital, our mandatory "BMI" card takes priority over ACLS and BLS certification.

Ughhh. Thanks for the reminder. It's almost time to renew my BMI card. I've gotta get to working on that.

Meanwhile I'm currently eating a croissantwhich from Burger King. Hee hee

JerseyTomatoMDCrab, BSN · May 2, 2016

The good thing about "regular" hours - I am going to find a gym or fitness class or something external to my garage gym.

I hear ya! When I began my SN position, I definitely noticed a difference in how I felt with a desk job versus running all over the place as a floor nurse. I was really bummed at first because I hated the idea of being sedentary BUT the benefit of 5 8 hour shifts is I wasn't totally exhausted all the time from the grueling work, rotating schedule, etc. I was able to actually use my gym membership once I started as a SN and now I workout 6 days a week with Insanity (I love Shaun T!)

I never would have had the energy to keep up with 5-6 workouts a week when I was at the bedside. Plus I don't shove 3 cupcakes down my face after work anymore because of stress! Win win!

CapeCodMermaid, RN · May 2, 2016

Years ago while doing home care, I was told by the patient's wife that I was "way too skinny" to take care of her hulking brute of a husband. She said it was because I was a Yankee because Southern girls had more meat on their bones. She called the agency and demanded a 'bigger nurse'. I was thrilled- she was a stuck up witch and he tried to strangle me... Of course she said I had done something to annoy him. Sure, I said Hello Mr Smith. My name is Mermaid.

So you can be fat or thin and someone won't like you for it. As long as you do the job and pull your own weight ( pun intended ), I have no problems working with you.

DeeAngel · May 2, 2016

I do know one nurse who had to quit when our old hospital moved to their new hospital building because the walk from the staff parking lot into the hospital was too long for her to handle. She just could not do it more than the first couple of days and quit without coming back on the third day

NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN · May 2, 2016

Years ago while doing home care, I was told by the patient's wife that I was "way too skinny" to take care of her hulking brute of a husband. She said it was because I was a Yankee because Southern girls had more meat on their bones. She called the agency and demanded a 'bigger nurse'. I was thrilled- she was a stuck up witch and he tried to strangle me... Of course she said I had done something to annoy him. Sure, I said Hello Mr Smith. My name is Mermaid.
So you can be fat or thin and someone won't like you for it. As long as you do the job and pull your own weight ( pun intended ), I have no problems working with you.

That's true. Employers may discriminate (whether deliberately or because of subconscious bias), and patients may have the same stigma about heavier nurses being alleged hypocrites, yet they will often scoff at the assistance of a smaller nurse based on the idea they can't possibly be strong, too.

Though I have to say, having been nursing at a wide weight range, that when I'm heavier people think I can't be strong because I'm short, and when I'm lighter people think I can't be strong because I'm small. It's a no-win situation :yawn:

I also don't believe my weight has factored into whether I get hired; I feel like it's been about the strength of my interview and whether the interviewer clicked with me. So some people might discriminate against potential hires, but I haven't personally experienced it.

NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN · May 2, 2016

Don't eat, don't drink, take hydrochlorothiazide, and give yourself an enema before your weigh in. Oh, and push out all the air in your lungs when you step on the scale.
I'm having way too much fun with this.

Don't forget the nail trim and hair cut.

NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN · May 2, 2016

Yes, I completely disagree with the BMI calculation based solely on height and weight. At 5'5 155, I'm muscular and in great shape. I would be SICK at 130-140.

BMI is an objective metric. It's a height-to-weight ratio. The problem is that we assign value to that without accounting for body fat percentage, weight stability, BP, insulin resistance, level of activity, etc. BMI alone is a useless number unless it is an extreme number. Even that website assumes that if you are heavier, it must be excess body fat.

The human body comes in a variety of natural sizes, shapes, musculatures, and body fat levels. We have an extremely distorted idea of what a healthy weight is, and we're usually judging other people by appearance, not weight, anyway.

Why Dieting Doesn't Usually Work

@7:30 When produce intake, smoking, activity level, and alcohol consumption are accounted for, mortality doesn't significantly change based on weight.

I'm pretty passionate about how weight stigma is bollocks. The failure of diets (and link with dieting at a young age to ending up heavier due to loss of natural hunger regulation) is also a reason I strongly oppose restricting intake and forcing exercise on "overweight" kids.

Farawyn · May 2, 2016

I hear ya! When I began my SN position, I definitely noticed a difference in how I felt with a desk job versus running all over the place as a floor nurse. I was really bummed at first because I hated the idea of being sedentary BUT the benefit of 5 8 hour shifts is I wasn't totally exhausted all the time from the grueling work, rotating schedule, etc. I was able to actually use my gym membership once I started as a SN and now I workout 6 days a week with Insanity (I love Shaun T!)
I never would have had the energy to keep up with 5-6 workouts a week when I was at the bedside. Plus I don't shove 3 cupcakes down my face after work anymore because of stress! Win win!

I feel the same way. This is the most I've sat since... Ever.

I do have more time, but the more time I have the less I seem to get done. I work best when I am Ã¼ber busy.

Luckily I have friends that kick my ass and will not let me waste away the day as a couch potato.

If there is a BMI to work in a school, I am definitely on the low end of the spectrum here.

Teachers eat more cake than nurses!

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · May 2, 2016

Although my weight and BMI are not so bad (and I've lost about 10 pounds), I would still be considered overweight according to the BMI chart. I am very thankful my workplace does not have a BMI limit. I am not okay with discrimination based on anything, including weight and smoking status. Although I do not like to see nurses and other health care professional smoke, and I don't like the fact that so many nurses are quite overweight, even obese. Many nurses became obese because of this damn career, and some nurses probably took up smoking also because of nursing. In a career with crappy hours and crappy working conditions, it's almost a given you'll gain weight. I put on 20 pounds from working as a nurse for 2 years, and now it's been almost 4 years. I knew I had to do something about it.

ScrappytheCoco · May 2, 2016

I don't work in IL...but in a neighboring state. Technically I'm obese (even though I'm not anywhere close to 200lbs.) Fortunately I was able

to obtain employment, but my employer did specify that I, like all RNs (except those within 5 years of retirement) would be required to achieve a normal BMI by 2020 or face termination.

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 2, 2016

The shoe pod is optional for indoors runs too. You have to wear your phone when running and the app uses data from the accelerometer. Another way is to manually enter the distance ran and the time on the app after you're done. I love to be able to quantify my efforts, helps motivate me :)

Oh yep, you're right! I typically use the fitness app on my iPod nano, then I sync it through iTunes. So funny â€” the whole time I was deployed I had no idea my iPod would measure my run. I just used it to listen to music while running! Lol.