Question...what's your HONEST opinion?

[scrublifenurse10, LPN]

Ok...my question is this, with the economy being what it is, and jobs being hard to obtain...do you feel that a thin nurse would have a better chance at a job than an overweight nurse...even if the overweight nurse is great at what she does, and graduated top of her class.

Please give me your opinions. Thanks!

[Ms. Nurse Assistant, LPN]

depends on what is your idea of what is thin and overweight. there are some ppl who I would classify as thin that others would view as overweight vice versa.

do you mean an obese person? because frankly, I do think obese nurses set a bad example

[2BSure]

I would hope not but who is to say it wouldn't happen? It shouldn't happen. However, I have read studies about this happening outside of healthcare. Apparently it is not always a conscious thing (so they say). Then again people also say that about not even interviewing people with foreign sounding names.

[2BSure]

depends on what is your idea of what is thin and overweight. there are some ppl who I would classify as thin that others would view as overweight vice versa.

do you mean an obese person? because frankly, I do think obese nurses set a bad example

Hmmm...Even though I am not obese/overweight but I confess that your remark makes me wince.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Honest opionion? ... only if the person were significantly overweight and it appeared to interfere with her agility and physical stamina. I don't think "slightly" or even "moderately" overweight would make much difference.

However ... if it were seen as interfering with her movement and stamina ... and likely of having health problems or injuries ... yes.

[madnurse2b]

Obese person here - with normal BP, low overall cholesterol, high HDL, no diabetes or insulin resistance and a lovely attitude about life :loveya:

I know that sometimes fat folks are discriminated against, even in jobs, but I am who I am and I'm health as a horse (even while being the same size).

I also exercise everyday - okay well most days - sometimes school gets in the way. Maybe we need to realize we don't have all the answers, and accept people as they are.

I've worked with diabetic patients who are seriously overweight/obese and helped them make better food choices for their diabetes. Did they lose a ton of weight - no, were they healthier and had more diabetic control - absolutely.

I'd love to have the regimen of Biggest Loser, but I don't, oh well.

Am I still going to be a great nurse - of course.

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

I honestly think that a manager is going to pick whomever they think is best suited for the position. If the position requires someone with a strong academic background, then the one with the better transcript will probably be chosen. If the position requires someone who is agile and quick on his or her feet, then the person who appears to fit that bill will be chosen. If the position doesn't strongly require one over the other, than I think a lot more will go into the process than size and grades.

Nobody wants to believe that weight will keep someone from being hired for a particular position. Nobody wants to believe that the "A" student will always be accepted over the "C" student either. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes it's not even a factor. Like so many other things in life: it depends.

[CrunchyMama, ASN, RN]

I don't think and hope that never happens. Kind of a weird thought, IMO...lol.

[9livesRN, BSN, RN]

To tell you the truth, i have seen the the "chubby" ones walking faster, and doing a lot for their pts. and most of them are just as if not more than agile then the others.

lol on a side note, i find chubby nurses to be funnier, to have more patients with students, and to kinda show you extra on clinicals!!!

lol it is funny to say but the skinny ones that came across my way maybe 50% were kinda nasty (attitude).

nothing against no body... it is just funny when i got to think about it!!!

well i think that knowlege, experience, will and care, does not matter on one's weight!

so... i dont quite think it matters, its a blend!

i have seen "skinny turtles" and "fat bunnies" out there!

[CiCigirl]

I was once told that with qualifications being equal between applicants that the decision of who got the job and who didn't was based on the rapport with the interviewer. So I guess if the interviewer has a prejudice against chubby/full-figured/large/obese/whatever nurses then the interviewer might want to go with the thinner/slimmer/whatever nurse and vice versa.

But I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I think a lot more goes into the decision (experience/work ethic/job requirements) than just someone's weight.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

I would HOPE that this would not happen any more than someone being not offerred a job because of their skin color, or country of origin, or gender, or sexual orientation, or age. However, weight discrimination seems to be one of the last accepted biases.

[ssullyorthoRN]

If you can pass a pre-employment physical than your weight should not be an issue.