Obesity

[Redial]

I'm a charge nurse at night, plus the house supervisor, plus the ER nurse. I have a major problem. The RN traveler that takes patients on the med/surg floor is extremely obese and simply cannot perform the tasks required to take care of her patients. She's wonderful to her patients, has great skills, but just cannot move around to get her work done. Thus, I end up doing most of her work. Any suggestions?

[BarbPick]

Be careful calling her problem obesity. It is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act which makes it actionable.

All you can do is document what is not being done.

I posted about a nurse who was accused to be Practicing Nursing while being fat. The case was in South Carolina. The South Carolina BON ruled on the side of the Nurse.

[kastas, BSN, RN]

I also doubt that her size has anything to do with her not pulling her share. We have a couple of nurses over 300# and they are great. They pull their share and no one ever has to cover for them. I would bet it was a laziness issue or she is really a lot bigger than we are imagining.

[BarbPick]

I just had a thought. Travel nurses are hired sight unseen, They must have a physical from their doctor, as well as references from other employers.

They double check that people are have been able to perform their jobs in the past.

Their agency can be informed that the nurse is not finishing all of her patient assignments and can deal with the situation.