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
Errr-a few years ago I weighed 233lbs. I can assure you I wasn't healthy. I couldn't walk, the best I could manage was a slow waddle. My cholesterol was way over the limit and my blood sugar was elevated.
In fact, I was starting to look like a bath plug with legs, but then I'm short.
I daresay you're fairly tall, so you can get away with being a bit buxom....
Maybe you were not,but I am healthy,and obese healthy people do exist. I'm 5 ft 6 in. My weight is distributed on my lower half more than the top.
When people start to decribe the obese as disgusting that's when I get offensive. An obese person could be just as beautiful as a thin person.
As an obese person I will give you my opinion. I didn't allow myself to become this large. I always thought large women were prettier than skinny women and in my own family it seems to be true. What happens is that society places so much emphasis on being skinny I say to myself"I d never look like that" and I don't care to look like that,so I'm going to show them you can be big and beautiful".
I'm a nurse but I don't see why someone can't be 240 pounds and healthy? I am.
Maybe if the media put out images of healthy bodies versus rail thin bodies people would be more receptive.
Someone needs to show real people who are about 200 pounds and healthy.
Are you kidding? Most obese people are sick,just look at the statistics.You are still young but you are more likely than a skinny person to run into health problems later in the future.
In my opinion skinny women are more beautiful than obese women.Imagine there are two women standing next to each other both with pretty faces but one is in shape and the other weights 300 pounds.Which one will be more attractive to the viewer,I guarantee you that the one with a good shape.Just look at the beauty pagents, actors and singers most are skinny and in shape.
Are you kidding? Most obese people are sick,just look at the statistics.You are still young but you are more likely than a skinny person to run into health problems later in the future.
In my opinion skinny women are more beautiful than obese women.Imagine there are two women standing next to each other both with pretty faces but one is in shape and the other weights 300 pounds.Which one will be more attractive to the viewer,I guarantee you that the one with a good shape.Just look at the beauty pagents, actors and singers most are skinny and in shape.
Are you kidding? Most obese people are sick,just look at the statistics.You are still young but you are more likely than a skinny person to run into health problems later in the future.
In my opinion skinny women are more beautiful than obese women.Imagine there are two women standing next to each other both with pretty faces but one is in shape and the other weights 300 pounds.Which one will be more attractive to the viewer,I guarantee you that the one with a good shape.Just look at the beauty pagents, actors and singers most are skinny and in shape.
Depends on where the viewer is from and their culture.
So they may have health problems. Why does the media feel the need to say they look digusting and are unattractive? Lowering their self esteem and they will not be motivated to lose weight. Shame motivates no one.
There are many people who view fat as attractive.
Every obese person doesn't look like a round,shapeless,unattractive ball.
Actually, I know some stunningly attractive overweight women, but as the point has been made, they are still young. I, however, am not, and for the sake of my life I had to lose weight.
I'm still a little overweight, but I'm now more "slightly plump" rather than fat.
I can walk distances, even steep hills, which I couldn't do before.
I no longer have to look for escalators and lifts-I can take the stairs.
And my cholesterol and blood sugar are both in healthy ranges.
My blood pressure has dropped-it was in the 150/100-160/110 range; it's now between 120/80-130/90.
I try my best to be non-judgmental towards pts whatever their addiction. I've been on the other side of the fence in too many instances and I know how it feels. I do try and work on my imperfections and share with my pts I can connect with some of my personal struggles and how I overcame them.
I don't know how each pt comes to the place they are now but I cannot judge them for I have not walked in their shoes. Each person has their own story to tell and sometimes it's best to listen.
heck, i am so sick and tired of us all having to tiptoe around a very serious issue...
which ANY addiction is.
and when a person cannot stop eating to extent that it impairs their function and health, i consider that worrisome.
when it's said that the truth will set you free, they're not kidding.
we ALL need to face our demons, no matter what they may be.
this enabling mentality, gets old, really quick.
leslie
Disturbing, yes, but frightening is a strong word. But, you know, I have a hard time buying that obesity has not been addressed. I remember the President's Council on Physical Fitness as far back as my childhood. Enabling? Who's enabling? My physician and I discussed my weight and smoking early in our relationship and agreed that doing both at once didn't seem promissing. His thinking, and mine, was that my weight was our more immediate concern, and that the discipline I would need to lose weight might help me quit smoking. I have lost weight, but not nearly enough. I've reduced my smoking a bit, but wonder whether I'll ever quit.
I'm not remotely suggesting these aren't problems. I'm stupid, but I'm not that stupid. I consider the title to this thread a bit judgemental, but I'm not saying it's untrue. I'm not advocating tiptoeing. I'm not big-boned. Well, I am, because I've been hauling all this lard around for so many years (and lumber, cinder blocks, power tools, etc for a lot of them).
I am saying that educating, reinforcing, and nagging are not synonymous. People need to know that obesity has serious implications for their health and longevity. Are we saying that message hasn't gotten out? Or are we saying that repeating that message 10 million times hasn't worked, but 10,000,001 might?
The OP didn't use the term "accountable." I believe that was in the second post in the thread. I don't think the poster who used it meant to be evil. I don't think she was evil. But, again, I ask, accountable to whom? To which authority must I apologize for my weight, or other bad habits. If you can tell me whose life I am living in such a poor fashion, I am prepared to be accountable to that person. But if you believe I owe you an apology or an explanation, tough. Your disapproval is very far down the list of many detrimental effects of obesity.
This began as a discussion about education. I think what I'm trying to say is, instead of looking at someone's most obvious attribute, deciding what their goal should be, and preaching about that, it might be more useful to look at the whole person, find out what their goals are, and teach them one thing, however small, that they might not already know.
Depends on where the viewer is from and their culture.
So they may have health problems. Why does the media feel the need to say they look digusting and are unattractive? Lowering their self esteem and they will not be motivated to lose weight. Shame motivates no one.
There are many people who view fat as attractive.
Every obese person doesn't look like a round,shapeless,unattractive ball.
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.
Maybe us obese are confused as to what is healthy. A baked potato is no longer considered healthy. Neither is fruit juice. Heck neither is a salad. Imagine my surprise when I found out a mcdonalds salad isn't a healthier choice than the cheeseburgers.I have even heard just eating healthy isn't enogh to make the body lose weight. I was told even my hour long walks a day weren't enough,I had to do brisk walking. The media sends mixed messages.
Usually what is considered unhealthy about a baked potato or salad is all the junk that's put on top of it - sour cream, buttery croutons, oily cheese, heavy dressing, etc. All those additives really, really add up.
While McD's doesn't have the option to add/subtract additives to see the calorie difference, burger king does.
190 calories of the 490 calorie tendergrill salad is from the dressing alone, for example. If you decide to have your chicken crispy instead of grilled, that's another 180 calories too. I'd encourage everyone to peruse BK's nutrition site and add/subtract items to see what they cost you in terms of fat and calories - it was very eye opening for me, and its kind of a fun way to see how it all adds up (though slightly depressing too!).
While exercise is important, food intake is just as important, if not moreso. You'd have to "brisk walk" at 240 lbs for 30 minutes just to get rid of those calories from that bit of salad dressing, for example. For many people, simply changing their eating habits (diet pop, decreasing those unhealthy food additives, healthy snacks instead of chips/etc) IS the key to losing weight. 1 pound = approximately 3500 calories.
Most fruit juice is simply water and sugar and is almost as many calories as pop. Switch to water or diet and it will make a tremendous difference. Juice is one of the bigger health 'myths' out there.
What is considered beautiful should not be measured or frankly cared about by health care personnel, but the health of the person should be, and it is fact that the more weight you have on you the harder your heart has to work, and the more stress that is put on your knees, among many other issues. I'd really caution you about thinking that 240 pounds can still be considered (completely) healthy. Your body is put through more stress with more weight, and over time the effects will become more apparent. While you may have OK blood pressure right now as a young overweight person, please don't take your current health for granted. Every one of us, myself included, regardless of our weight, should be trying to set goals to improve or at least maintain our current health. Two changes I've made for the last year was to cut out mayo on sandwiches (very calorie heavy) and to cut out salad dressing. Once your health is gone it is not something easy to get back!!
I can't take most obese people seriously because they'll blame everything else around them but themselves OR they won't make a proactive attempt to change anything.
Yes, I realize you've been eating like this your whole life, but you can change. I don't think anyone, especially obese nurses are that mentally weak that they can't make a simple change in their life such as eating a salad and water vs going to McDonalds.
I don't get how people try all this fancy stuff to lose weight when the FUNDAMENTAL and easiest way to lose weight is this:
And people fail to realize that diet is one of the, if not the most important thing in determining your weight gain or loss.
It's not that hard to replace certain activities with the gym. Instead of watching the soaps, reality shows or dramas, I replace that with a nice hard lifting or cardio session.
As of right now, I am out of the gym and I feel like I'm doing myself a disservice (this is due to the school taking up most of my time and lack of a job lol). I also would take a non obese nurse more seriously than an obese one because of that simple fact. You, a healthcare provider, a person that is supposed to epitomize or if not at least proactively advocate good health is unhealthy by a VERY treatable and manageable condition.
Only in American can people afford the luxury of allowing silly excuses to hide their laziness and lack of willpower to make a change in their lives.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I can't take most obese people seriously because they'll blame everything else around them but themselves OR they won't make a proactive attempt to change anything.
Yes, I realize you've been eating like this your whole life, but you can change. I don't think anyone, especially obese nurses are that mentally weak that they can't make a simple change in their life such as eating a salad and water vs going to McDonalds.
I don't get how people try all this fancy stuff to lose weight when the FUNDAMENTAL and easiest way to lose weight is this:
And people fail to realize that diet is one of the, if not the most important thing in determining your weight gain or loss.
It's not that hard to replace certain activities with the gym. Instead of watching the soaps, reality shows or dramas, I replace that with a nice hard lifting or cardio session.
As of right now, I am out of the gym and I feel like I'm doing myself a disservice (this is due to the school taking up most of my time and lack of a job lol). I also would take a non obese nurse more seriously than an obese one because of that simple fact. You, a healthcare provider, a person that is supposed to epitomize or if not at least proactively advocate good health is unhealthy by a VERY treatable and manageable condition.
Only in American can people afford the luxury of allowing silly excuses to hide their laziness and lack of willpower to make a change in their lives.
Wow. I hope by the time you graduate you've learned how to be a little more compassionate and less judgemental. Making sweeping generalizations about groups of people won't serve you well in your career.
I find it ironic that you used excuses to explain why you aren't working out in the gym. Or is "different" in your case?
smartnurse1982
1,775 Posts
Maybe you were not,but I am healthy,and obese healthy people do exist. I'm 5 ft 6 in. My weight is distributed on my lower half more than the top.
When people start to decribe the obese as disgusting that's when I get offensive. An obese person could be just as beautiful as a thin person.