Please understand when I post this I need brutal honesty.
I would rather be told something is a bad idea than be encouraged and fail and be in a worse place than I now am. I am 33 years old, obese likely close to 360-380 lbs. Despite the obvious "you should diet etc.. (which is clearly apparent) I need to know what to do
I was recently laid off of my job, the business closed and laid off 100 workers with virtually overnight notice. A WARN notice was not even filed with the state. I have been looking for a job and the ONLY thing that comes up in my job search are CNA jobs. I have an opportunity as a displaced worker to get a CNA class paid for by the state through unemployment but I am scared to death I will fail the physical or PASS and be unable to do the lifting and other stuff the job requires. Can anyone who knows more about this than I do give me some honest advice. Please let me know if this is worth the effort or not. Thanks.
i am obese.(280) when i was an na i was able to do the work but my body paid for it.. my back and my feet hurt so bad that it drove me to tears. i would eat ibuprofen like candy just to get through my shift. i was able to lose a little bit of weight and am still working on it. thankfully i have a job as a nurse that does not require a lot of physical labor. i am very lucky.
nurses aides work very hard, there are times you have to be able to get into small spaces and move, you will need to be able to be on your feet many hours at a time without a decent break. your feet and legs will swell, your back will ache and your feet will feel like you are walking on nails all day.
my suggestion is to start walking daily to begin to get into shape and to see how your body reacts. if you find yourself wanting to sit down after an hour .. you will not be able to do the work. you will hate your job and unfortunately your patients will be the ones who pay the price.
if she has support stockings, a back brace, and proper shoes, she might not have all the troubles you did.
if walking on the ground is too hard at the start, she can try walking in a swimming pool. her local ymca or ywca or jcc might have scholarships. if she has no insurance or is low or no income, she might not have to pay for a membership. she should let them know of her hardship situation and get any help they might offer.
I was thinking about the same thing actually. That doing the work would hurt like hell at first but if I was able to stick it out it is the chance to start a job that really HELPS people and I could always take classes and move up later on. I would be more active and would likely loose weight.
You won't loose wt, but you might very well lose some.
I worked at a CNA in home health and the hospital. I think you can do it! You seem to understand that you will be at a disadvantage, and you seem to be willing to work through it!
Your first few weeks will be AWFUL, but if you stick through it, you can do it! You'll loose weight at work (I lost 10 pounds my first month) and you'll get stronger. I agree with a previous poster, the job is REALLY hard on your body. I had to take ibuprofen every night to get to sleep. I used proper body mechanics, and it was still very hard on my back.
I work in a LTC setting in Delaware (not sure where youre located), and some of the girls I work and have worked with are obese. The good thing about LTC (the one I work in, anyway) is that if you are struggling with a specific patient, you can ask one of the other CNAs to help you. Even some of the CNAs that are not obese and are pretty slender ask other CNAs for help. Not sure if its like this everywhere, but where I work we all help each other.
It is not so much what you weigh as how fit you are. Some skinny people don't move worth beans and would have a very tough time doing the job and some very heavy people are remarkably fit in terms of strength, muscle tone, and breath. So, I agree with the person who suggested start walking and see how it goes. You may want to add some strength training also. Start mild and build up slowly, go for flexibility and muscle tone: stretching, and more repititions (and/or more sets) at lower weights.
I hope you do well which ever way you choose.
Edit to add: I probably should say I'm not a nurse since this is the general nursing section.
I know someone in the same position. She looked at psych facilities, blood banks, per diems in jails, fertility clinics, phlebotomy positions, flu clinics and medical office assistant. Hope this helps.
I'm a CNA-there certainly are obese CNA's at work. But at our facility, you do need to pass a physical exam-a physical therapist administers it. They want to see that you are strong and flexible enough to do the job. See if your area requires this. If not, then go for it.
Specializes in Family Practice, Urgent Care, Cardiac Ca.
I just want to commend the poster for having the courage to inquire, it's not an easy question to ask nor a fun one for others to consider. CNA could be a great bet, and it's a tough, bottom-of-the-ladder job. I often literally ran between patients to get my work done, but you could do it! I support ya in picking a compassionate option for yourself, losing that weight, and finding a role that is fulfilling! Good luck!
I've never heard of a CNA being denied work because of weight. I only know of ladies that didn't pass the physical because their BP or blood sugar was off the charts/ undiagnosed ( like my stupid friend who refuses to manage her blood sugar). Once they went to a doc and got on some meds they where allowed a 2nd physical and passed.
PS: Get some GOOD shoes. Not those cute plastic crocs. Nike shox, addias bounce, Air Max...those Reboks with the big rubber zigzag bottom. You don't want to be on your feet all day in some busted shoes.
First off, kudos to you for being brave and talking about this. In our society, simply admitting one is overweight can feel like hanging a target on your back.
To the people who tell you not to do it - ignore them! Only YOU know if you're physically up to it. As Americans, in our culture we have been so conditioned to deeply hate obesity. Yet at the same time adult Americans are one of the largest and most overweight people worldwide. Go figure.
I am about 300 lbs myself. And before anyone gasps and goes "omg she is killing herself", I will say it doesn't slow me down in the least. I'm still in nursing school but I have no problem at clinicals. I had no problem passing the physical exam. I have excellent bp, triglycerides/cholesterol, glucose, and other stats. I am fat AND healthy.
When I'm not in school, I have a small farm I take care of. I can stack 50lb hay bales with the men. I hand-walk horses. I shovel snow. I am active and happy. And I know this is shocking but: I am big AND beautiful. Who cares if I don't look like a model. I am me. I enjoy my life. And I hope when you read this you'llnot let social pressure discourage you. You can do this! And if you walk into the interview radiating the can-do attitude, people will believe in you, too.
We are so conditioned to believe what we should or should not look like. And those people creating that image are doing it with such unrealistic expectations. (Have you seen this great Dove video? )
I'll give you the advice any nurse should follow: Find shoes that fit well. Take care of yourself, eg. get a good night's sleep. Do take breaks from standing in place, when possible.
And please, never let others make you feel bad if you're not a superwoman -- even the very thin, the young, & the athletic may have sore feet or fatigue sometimes.
I agree with the above poster - when I went back to work after raising my child, even eight hour shifts were exhausting and I am 130lb - feet hurt, legs hurt, back hurt, arms ached... etc. etc. After a few weeks, I got used to it. So will the OP.
The nursing homes and long-term care facilities in my city of residence generally do not require pre-employment physical testing before hiring CNAs. And, yes, some of the CNAs are morbidly obese and still manage to get the job done. However, I live in Texas, which is a state where overweight and obesity are at epidemic proportions in local communities.
I'm going to be blunt with you. Many of the employers around here do not give a rat's ass about your weight or appearance because the CNA position is a high-turnover job with low pay and minimal prestige. Many hiring managers in my area are simply seeking a warm body to replace the last CNA who abruptly quit or got fired.
OMG Commuter, you actually said "rat's ass". Too funny. Not bad, but just seems out of line compared to your usual style.
Kooky Korky, BSN, RN
5,216 Posts
if she has support stockings, a back brace, and proper shoes, she might not have all the troubles you did.
if walking on the ground is too hard at the start, she can try walking in a swimming pool. her local ymca or ywca or jcc might have scholarships. if she has no insurance or is low or no income, she might not have to pay for a membership. she should let them know of her hardship situation and get any help they might offer.