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Ok, I'm sure that title made you want to throw up in your mouth. I don't blame you. I felt the same way when my physician said it to ME.
In January, I decided to take control my life and lose weight. I have lost about 30lbs so far. So, when I went to my doctor last week, he noticed that I was 30lbs lighter. He asked if I was on a diet and I told him yes. I told him I was going to nursing school and want to be a good example if I'm going to lecture on proper diet and exercise.
I guess my statement gave him a green light to be an a-hole.Doctor: that is so refreshing to hear! Nurses are notorious for ignoring their health. Keep up the good work. Remember, THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN A FAT NURSE! ::::doctor laughs::::
I was in shock. I could not believe it. I went numb. I did not find what he said funny or supportive. Yeah... I'm actively searching for a NP to be my primary care provider.... I happen to like NP's better. I find them to be less socially retarded.
What's the general consensus on obese nurses? Are obese nurses not taken seriously? Is what my doctor said a common thought?
I fully agree with the doctor's comment: A primary component of nursing is education/teaching, and someone who is obese has no business in an environment where health is stressed. I remember watching a show on The Learning Channel a few years ago that was a reality show taking place in an inpatient center for eating disorders. Every staff member was overweight. And this was supposed to encourage the women to eat more? It was ridiculous.
And overweight people are incapable of educating/teaching? Since when? I have never in my career had to educate any patient on issues related to losing weight. I work with children most of whom have cancer and end up needing at the very least high calorie diets and nutritional supplements and at the most, G-tubes and/or TPN. If anything, I'm encouraging my patients to eat MORE.
Eating disordered patients have a very distorted perception of reality. Staff members on eating disordered units are not supposed to encourage clients to do anything based on their appearance.
Ok I'm sure that title made you want to throw up in your mouth. I don't blame you. I felt the same way when my physician said it to ME. In January, I decided to take control my life and lose weight. I have lost about 30lbs so far. So, when I went to my doctor last week, he noticed that I was 30lbs lighter. He asked if I was on a diet and I told him yes. I told him I was going to nursing school and want to be a good example if I'm going to lecture on proper diet and exercise. I guess my statement gave him a green light to be an a-hole.Doctor: that is so refreshing to hear! Nurses are notorious for ignoring their health. Keep up the good work. Remember, THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN A FAT NURSE! ::::doctor laughs:::: I was in shock. I could not believe it. I went numb. I did not find what he said funny or supportive. Yeah... I'm actively searching for a NP to be my primary care provider.... I happen to like NP's better. I find them to be less socially retarded. What's the general consensus on obese nurses? Are obese nurses not taken seriously? Is what my doctor said a common thought?[/quote']Did you REALLY just say "retarded"?
I fully agree with the doctor's comment: A primary component of nursing is education/teaching, and someone who is obese has no business in an environment where health is stressed. I remember watching a show on The Learning Channel a few years ago that was a reality show taking place in an inpatient center for eating disorders. Every staff member was overweight. And this was supposed to encourage the women to eat more? It was ridiculous.
Do you have any evidence that draws a link between patients complying with education tailored to their diagnosis and treatment plan and either a) the physical appearance of the nurse or b) other characteristics of the nurse in the role of educator such as knowledge of the subject, ability to build rapport and clear, concise speaking style?
I get that you feel very strongly about this personally...but patients react negatively to cues of intolerance from health professionals as well.
I can't wait until the national obsession with obesity is over! Some are so fixated on it, they don't recognize obesity for what it is: a symptom of an underlying issue that leads to overeating.
Some obesity is secondary to stress, or depression, or boredom, or fear and anxiety or social eating. I hypothesize that the vast majority of obesity has very little to do with poor diet choices.
When the sole focus is eating and food, attempting weight loss will probably fail and lasting results are highly unlikely in most cases. There's a lot of medical evidence that demonstrates that reality. I'm sure many of us have experienced it as well.
Until you address underlying issue that drives THAT person's obesity, long-term success won't happen.
Diet is important but it is NOT usually central to solving individual's obesity. There's a human element that must be acknowledged.
I don't mean to be mean - but after reading the initial post** I TOTALLY agree with the doctor!!!We should set the example. Does it mean we new six packs and live an eat perfect? No. But it means we should at least show the patients we are trying to teach what they should do. Just sayin.
If you follow your logic, then nurses and doctors with medically-based disabilities should not practice because living without illness/disease is what we teach, right?
Obesity is no more 'sinful' than poor sleeping habits and wearing shoes that are bad for your feet. It's all less than optimal.
Statements like yours demonstrate a complete lack of understanding! Obesity has numerous underlying causes. I get the sense you think all fat people love stuffing their faces with unhealthy nibbles and absolutely LOVE being made to feel less-than valuable and less-than beautiful.
Besides, fat people have mortgages to pay. Fat people need jobs like everyone else and are often just as good, and sometimes better, than their peers.
Shame on people who denigrate the value of obese people!
If you follow your logic, then nurses and doctors with medically-based disabilities should not practice because living without illness/disease is what we teach, right?Obesity is no more 'sinful' than poor sleeping habits and wearing shoes that are bad for your feet. It's all less than optimal.
Statements like yours demonstrate a complete lack of understanding! Obesity has numerous underlying causes. I get the sense you think all fat people love stuffing their faces with unhealthy nibbles and absolutely LOVE being made to feel less-than valuable and less-than beautiful.
Besides, fat people have mortgages to pay. Fat people need jobs like everyone else and are often just as good, and sometimes better, than their peers.
Shame on people who denigrate the value of obese people!
I think Josie probably poorly worded her statement. There may be underlying reasons such as uncontrolled hypothyroidism, which is a different story.
Generally speaking, we are supposed to be models for our patients.
Physical cause of obesity is energy input exceeds energy output, poor nutrition choices. (Without any underlying medical condition).
I am one who went from 235-195 in 3 months and then 195-185 in 2 months. I was not going to enter nursing school while I cannot take care of my own health(I have back problems), so I had to lose weight to alleviate the pain.
I can't wait until the national obsession with obesity is over! Some are so fixated on it, they don't recognize obesity for what it is: a symptom of an underlying issue that leads to overeating.Some obesity is secondary to stress, or depression, or boredom, or fear and anxiety or social eating. I hypothesize that the vast majority of obesity has very little to do with poor diet choices.
When the sole focus is eating and food, attempting weight loss will probably fail and lasting results are highly unlikely in most cases. There's a lot of medical evidence that demonstrates that reality. I'm sure many of us have experienced it as well.
Until you address underlying issue that drives THAT person's obesity, long-term success won't happen.
Diet is important but it is NOT usually central to solving individual's obesity. There's a human element that must be acknowledged.
The reason of obesity is satiation of foods that we currently consume. Processed foods(while I still eat plenty of it), has the lowest satiation out of anything you can eat.
Obesity does have to do with a poor diet. People have used foods for comfort especially as stress eaters, that is true. However some people dont lack the proper discipline to know what is good for them.
The cause of it is highly individualized, but food choices is one of the biggest factors.
Butter, cream, lard, oil, sugar, gravy, sauces are all extremely caloric dense products that people add to their food for "flavor" that has extremely low satiation. I come from Texas so I see what people eat and what they request on their plate.
Kandy83
161 Posts
What about the many Physicians that smoke? Should they be fired for encouraging the use of "cancer sticks?":bored: