Plus size nursing students

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I hope to be attending nursing school in the fall. Those nursing students out there who are plus sized: did you have any problems getting the uniforms in the larger sizes? My biggest fear is getting there and the largest size they have would not fit me.

Thanks

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Tracy,

I have that same fear!! I am looking forward to the replies on this one!

Angelica

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I buy my uniforms from Mark's Work Wearhouse. The material is good quality and I find the sizes are on the generous size instead of the other way around like in many stores now. I wear about a size 18 (and XL or larger, depending on the store!) and the size L in those particular scrubs fits me just great; they have larger sizes too but I haven't investigated much further .. we need white for school .. I just haven't looked too much around. Anyway, I see so many female and male nurses and health workers that are larger than I am so I know there must be a lot of places that sell them.

GL in your search and I hope you are pleasantly surprised!! HUGS I am pretty sure there are some other post re uniforms in the forum so you could do a search and maybe find some more info.

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Specializes in Critical Care: Cardiac, VAD, Transplant.

That was also a big fear of mine (no pun intended). I start clinicals in the fall and just got the supply list. We have to order our uniforms from the school and they go all the way up to 5x.

The next problem I have to tackle: We have to practice assessments on each other and the 'patient' can only be in their bra and panties....:o

I have been working hard on my weight for more than a year and haven't lost much.

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Specializes in acute care.

The next problem I have to tackle: We have to practice assessments on each other and the 'patient' can only be in their bra and panties....:o

Say what? Uh uh! no can do...they can't really make you strip down, can they? That is horrible! :madface:

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The next problem I have to tackle: We have to practice assessments on each other and the 'patient' can only be in their bra and panties....

I would ask if it's ok if you also wear a tank top and shorts or a hospital gown. I know I was worried about that last year too but it was a lot more flexible than I had feared. Plus you will be in a private cubicle with the curtain pulled and an understanding lab partner. Don't stress about it .. remember everyone will be nervous as well and I am optimistic that the teachers will be compassionate and professional.

P.S. We were allowed to wear the above mentioned extra items!

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I start official classes in the fall, but I'm taking an assessment class this summer. We are practicing physical assessments on each other, system by system--but it's pretty tame--there's no stripping down to panties involved. Our instructor said that when she was in school to become a NP they did pelvic exams on each other... :stone But yeah, the uniform thing. I'm not only freaked out about the sizes, but just wearing all white is going to be hard for me. I'm the artsy type, and I like my all black outfits!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Call Center RN.

I am a plus size nurse. I was a plus size student and pregnant to boot. By plus size I mean BIG I wear 24 to 26 depending on what it is. I also like things baggy and roomy. I don't want to feel bound while having to do CPR or other things where I'm moving a lot. For school I got the 5x and both top and pants. I had to wear a tshirt under the top because it was BIG and had to hem up the pants. Worked great though. Good luck.

BTW- in our assessment class we could bring our patient, so I brought my husband. I did not have to get undressed.

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Specializes in OB, NP, Nurse Educator.

Bookworm - I would not expect a patient to lay there in their bra and panties during an exam - I would expect them to have an exam gown on. And for your modesty the school should allow you to wear one also. If you are afraid that they would not have one to fit you purchase your own now and take it with you.

Nursing uniforms go up to 5X. And on some specialty sites you can get them up to 8X. It should not be a problem to get a uniform for school. If you go to clinical and you have to change into facility provided scrubs some places only carry them up to a 3X so if you wear a larger size that may be a problem.

If that is going to be the case talk to your instructor in private. I have scrubs that belong to the school for students at clinical who wear XS, XXS, 4X, 5X. I also have a few scrub dresses for students who do not wear pants but want to go to the nursery or labor hall. These are kept locked in my locker on the unit, I give them out if I have to, and the school has an agreement with the facility to launder them and return them to me. Your instructor will work with you (I hope).

Good luck with school & your weight loss - of the two - weight loss was/is 100 times harder for me.

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Specializes in Critical Care: Cardiac, VAD, Transplant.

I already have my shorts and tank top picked out! I am guessing that the instructors may allow this (please oh please):bowingpur

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Specializes in OBGYN, Neonatal.

I am a plus sized student too. When I started we had to order our uniforms from a special company, Nightingale I think, anyway I got a 4x. Then we changed uniforms so we ordered from Dove and I think I got 3 or 4X in that. I lost a lot of weight so I went and had the vest taken in and then bought a pair of white scrub pants in a smaller size.

I am now wearing a size 2x most of the time, but sometimes 1x. I have a hard time finding cute well fitted scrubs the other day but I was in a hurry...so I think long term I will be ordering online probably for a bigger selection.

Also...for our assessments we were supposed to get down to bra's and undies or tanks and shorts...I was very uncomfortable then but now I'd probably strip it all off b/c we all know each other so well now LOL Plus I'm a mommy now and it seems my body is always being exposed LOL when my toddler pulls on my shirt LOL!

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Specializes in OBGYN, Neonatal.

A side note...if you can, go and check out the classrooms. I know this sounds odd but I wanted to give you a heads up. Our school was in an old building for a long time so when I first started I didn't think about it but chairs...

I was only a size 26/28 which to me isn't all that big...but chairs are chairs. I ended up having armless chairs which was great but then we had to move classrooms and ended up with the attached desk chairs...UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH NO WAY was I comfy. I squeezed in but couldn't concentrate so I had to ask the course facilities person or someone and I was upset...never had I been in that kind of situation...

So heads up - if you can see the chairs that will ease your mind a bit!

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