i'm not sure if this is a vent or just an effort to regain my sense of nursing compassion, but WHAT HAPPENED to honest patient teaching? some of the RNs on my floor seem scared to address the obvious- being an obese smoker who seems allergic to any type of a healthy lifestyle is the main reason a majority of our patients are here, on our med/surg floor.
The main illnesses I see? uncontrolled Hypertension, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, CHF etc. How can I be more compassionate yet still addressing the truth?
At least in the children, the odds of them being "at fault" for their illness are very, very slim- I'm considering a transfer to Peds.
How can I keep "the hunger" I started with when I see so many chronic diseases that are intrinsicly linked to poor lifestyle choices?
Please help. i dont want to become a RN who is there to clock in and clock out while secretly wanting to smack some common sense into them, lol
One has only to read the posts to understand why many obese people avoid health care and "shut down" when these individuals are attempting "teaching". Believe me when I say that your scorn and disgust for us as individuals DOES come through.
How about recognizing that there is a lot more to me than my percentage of adipose tissue and addressing the person inside?
Even as a health care professional (or perhaps especially so, since I know what goes on "behind the scenes") I have and will hesitate to seek care especially if it would expose me to this sort of attitude.
How would anyone react if, in my area, I told my labor patient "If you hadn't had sex you wouldn't be hurting right now. It's your own fault and you knew the risks"? Sounds ridiculous, right?
I've heard that from nurses in the DR lots of times before...but it was outside the US...
How would anyone react if, in my area, I told my labor patient "If you hadn't had sex you wouldn't be hurting right now. It's your own fault and you knew the risks"? Sounds ridiculous, right?
Nope there are some people that view curved women as attractive,what I mean is the women who have a little meat on their bones but I'm yet to meet a person who would consider 300 lb as attractive.What I mean curved is like maybe 5-10 pounds above their IBM.
Lord have mercy. I pity you to look at the world this way.
I am not one to run around saying "fat people can be healthy" because in truth, no, no we can't. but NO WAY would I ever tell ANYONE they are not physically attractive. Judgemental much? There is someone for everyone, no matter what they look like. If you want to meet a person that considers someone over 300 pounds attractive, then meet my husband. He loves me AND thinks I'm gorgeous. Shame on you for adding to people's lack of self esteem and tell them noone would find them attractive. This is a nice conversation on what, as nurses, we should tell people. Yet you jump in and use it as an opening to put people down because of their looks. Grow up, k?
I didn't really think this discussion was debating the physical attractiveness of being heavy or thin...maybe I'm wrong. ANYWAY, if someone is overweight (OR a drug addict, OR an alcoholic, OR a chronic smoker), they need help with education and possible even recognizing the value of their life; something that may give them incentive (instead of a punch in the face or $100) to change their lifestyle, weight and anything else that is adversely affecting their health. I have to say that I am disturbed by those who say they wouldn't even mention the need for change to their patients because they should already know...???
Additionally, I do sympathize with the overweight, addict (smoking, drugs, drinking). I have direct and close relationships with people who are recovering addicts and I know what it's like to quit smoking. I am not overweight, so I won't pretend to know what it's like first hand, but here's the thing: I don't want to sound mean, even though I will be accused of being so, but will power is our most amazing gift and everyone has it. It can change your habits, thinking, lifestyle, views, etc. EXAMPLE: I really believe there is little to no reason to physically accost, rape, murder, etc., but conversely, if someone laid a hand on my child, God himself couldn't stop me from hunting them down and providing them with a slow and painful death...many on here would agree. No, I am not even close to a violent person, but I say that to say this: patients have to find their means of motivation to change what is killing them.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Nope there are some people that view curved women as attractive,what I mean is the women who have a little meat on their bones but I'm yet to meet a person who would consider 300 lb as attractive.What I mean curved is like maybe 5-10 pounds above their IBM.
It's BMI. Now leaving health issues aside, can overweight women be beautiful? Why, yes they can! I think Mo'nique and Delta Burke are beautiful and more, as Leslie mentioned, your inner spirit makes you beautiful or not. Any sort of rigid standards of beauty are not applicable to all people even a little bit! 5 or 10 extra pounds is "curvy"? Shoot, that sort of fluctuation could happen over the menstrual cycle!
I think we're on to something here; we've touched on child abuse as an underlying cause of unhealthy eating habits.
What about the rest? Smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, anorexia nervosa....far too many of what we see as "bad habits" or "poor lifestyle choices" can be traced back to some or other childhood trauma.
Is it getting worse? and if so, why?
I'll throw in another reason at the root of obesity for some people: pre-existing physical disability. Take me for example: I'm 5'3" and about 180 lbs. I HATE being this heavy. I never was until I blew out two disks in my lumbar region during my early 20s. After two back surgeries, I ended up with a condition called adhesive arachnoiditis. It's extremely painful and irreversible. I "walk" (well, more like stump) with forearm crutches. I used to be a competitive swimmer, a lifeguard, and a cross-country runner. I was never overweight until my back went kablooey on me. Ever since then, my weight has crept inexorably upwards.
I exercise to the best of my ability, but it's hard to find many exercises I can do, even through physical therapy, which I no longer have access to because of the expense involved. I like to cook, and I make a point of cooking healthy meals. I don't smoke. My primary vice is sugar, although I depend a bit more than I'd like on convenience foods with 19 hours this semester and primary charge of a preschooler. I have cut back on sugar and tried to find natural substitutes (i.e., dried cranberries instead of starbursts) for the items I like most. I never drink juice or full-sugar soda, and I use skim milk and part-skim low-fat mozzarella for my dairy. I've never liked sour cream or mayo, so I'm lucky there.
My point isn't to throw myself a pity-party or to pat myself on the back; I'm trying to say that there are a lot of people like me out there. We started out healthy and had an accident or an injury that eliminated many of our exercise options. I'd kill to be able to get in a pool and swim 50 laps or go out for a long run to clear my head the way I used to do! But trying to manage the gap between my exercise opportunities and a diet that isn't basically grass and leaves is pretty tough. I'm obese, but not because I sit on the couch and eat bon-bons and hamburgers all day!
If obesity is such a costly condition (and a lot of research says it is), then wouldn't it make sense to support people who honestly want to lose weight with fully funded nutritional counseling, physical therapy, and/or gym memberships? My husband and I pay wild amounts of money for our health insurance, but I still can't afford the physical therapy that could help to hold my weight gain at bay on a regular, continuous basis. Even a gym membership is out of our league, and the staff there couldn't responsibly advise me on the types of exercises I could safely attempt. Wouldn't it be worth the increase in premiums to pay for full coverage of PT and gym memberships in order to lessen the major cost increases coming from people developing costly obesity-related conditions like diabetes or hypertension down the line?
Lord have mercy. I pity you to look at the world this way.
I am not one to run around saying "fat people can be healthy" because in truth, no, no we can't. but NO WAY would I ever tell ANYONE they are not physically attractive. Judgemental much? There is someone for everyone, no matter what they look like. If you want to meet a person that considers someone over 300 pounds attractive, then meet my husband. He loves me AND thinks I'm gorgeous. Shame on you for adding to people's lack of self esteem and tell them noone would find them attractive. This is a nice conversation on what, as nurses, we should tell people. Yet you jump in and use it as an opening to put people down because of their looks. Grow up, k?
I'm sorry but I just can imagine someone being 300 pounds and attractive but I'm sure there are some people who will considered being that extremely overweight an attractive trait.
I'm not trying to put anybody down I just think that I would not be happy if I had this kind of body and would try to do everything in my power to loose those pounds and I realize that it is hard for obese women out there to loose weight but it is doable,I know because my best friend is 180 pounds and just recently started going to gym every day for one hour even though she has a small daughter,works and goes to school full time to become RN,you see she developed hypertension due to her weight and she is young,also had huge complications with her pregnancy due to being overweight and she was so healthy before the weight gain.She cant even fit in into "regular" clothes anymore,so all she wears is sweat pants,she is not happy about that,she used to be such an attractive girl.Also,trust me there is a discrimination against skinny women as well.
It's BMI. Now leaving health issues aside, can overweight women be beautiful? Why, yes they can! I think Mo'nique and Delta Burke are beautiful and more, as Leslie mentioned, your inner spirit makes you beautiful or not. Any sort of rigid standards of beauty are not applicable to all people even a little bit! 5 or 10 extra pounds is "curvy"? Shoot, that sort of fluctuation could happen over the menstrual cycle!
I'm sorry you are completely right BMI (I dont use this word too much but I know what it means).Anyway yes they are beautiful but I still think compared to other skinny black women they are less attractive/
I'm sorry you are completely right BMI (I dont use this word too much but I know what it means).Anyway yes they are beautiful but I still think compared to other skinny black women they are less attractive/
For your patients sake I honestly hope you don't talk to them like you have been on this thread, making such generalized assumptions and being so judgemental.
For your patients sake I honestly hope you don't talk to them like you have been on this thread, making such generalized assumptions and being so judgemental.
I have ben reading everyone's posts, with interest. It is funny that no one has mentioned the roll that genetics plays in Type 2. And it does play a very major role. One of the nice thing's about retirement is I have a great deal more time to read journal articles. And hey deal with not only the causes of noncompliance but offer valuable suggestions. And they deal with how to address successfully diet teaching, exercise, helping to set a attainable goals, helping to deal with back sliding.
One of things I always enjoyed about nursing was the role we play in helping patients deal with heal problems. And I learn that I can't deal with every patient and every problem. I had to learn to accept this idea. But some of the things I have never learn to deal with, is the judgemental, negative attitudes
of other nurses towards patients. And their patients failure to listento their directions. If someone wants to be corect all the time, nursing is not for you. And if you expect everypatient to listen to you every direction, think back think back to you own children (I am not suggesting patients are children).
I've heard that from nurses in the DR lots of times before...but it was outside the US...
wishiwereanurse, BSN, RN
265 Posts
pertaining to the title, i dont think its hateful.. it sounds like my mother...