Overweight RN talked about

[VegGal]

I work in LTC and we had a pretty overweight RN who applied for a position. I noticed that when she was shown around the building (only because one manager started the interview and another joined in halfway through and had to review the notes the first manager made, and asked her to show the RN around). As they stepped out of the interview room, they stopped to say hello to me at my med cart, and I wished her luck and happened to look at the nurses' station and saw several RNs and LVNs trying hard stifle their laughter!! I was horrified for this woman.

We all know that those of us who care for others should be healthy and fit, but what happens when a nurse is overweight or even obese? Does she automatically become unworthy of working as a nurse? Not sure what I'm expecting from writing this post, just that I thought it was a rather sad way to treat a human being. Needless to say, she didn't get the position, and although I'd like to think it was for some other reason, I can't help but wonder if it was because of her weight.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Same here. Where I live, people wear hoodies and sweats for nine months out of the year so no one really notices fat people, of whom there are a LOT. Gotta have some insulation, you know, so there's always some chili and hearty soups and meats around to keep us warm. Haha!

[Psychtrish39, BSN, RN]

I would tell someone like that to well you know for saying that. I would let them have it. Yes I am obese. Got RAI for Graves disease gained 25 lbs. That is utter BS.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Got RAI for Graves disease gained 25 lbs.

I also received radioiodine ablation (RAI) for Graves disease nearly 12 years ago. However, even after the ablation and subsequent hypothyroid state, I was always able to lose weight with diet and exercise.

Here's the caveat: I was never able to keep it off. It felt as if my body fought me every step of the way in weight maintenance. Once my weight dropped below a certain number I became increasingly tired, cold, ravenous and too fatigued to do anything.

[djh123]

From my perspective in my late 50's, having lost some very smart relatives to various addictions, having had my own weight go up and down again a few times, having watched a cousin go through the same thing (but she ended up being quite successful with her weight & diabetes control), is this: no one is perfect, we all (or at least most of us) have some kind of problem or problems, and it's difficult to 'fix' everything in our lives.

[missdeevah, NP]

Sounds like not being hired there was probably the best outcome for her.