Unhealthy Habits of Nurses

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What are your thoughts on nurses participating in unhealthy habits. Does it bother you if a fellow nurse smokes or if they are overweight? Do you feel any different as a patient if your nurse walks in and is overweight or smells like smoke? If you were/are a nurse who smoked/smokes or who had/has a weight problem, did everything you learned in school about health prompt you to make any changes? If so did the changes stick?

Specializes in hospice.

*sigh* You didn't say that exercise is impossible for you because of a health condition, you said eating better and exercising daily seems impossible as a rule. Maybe if you expressed yourself more clearly, you'd get more appropriate responses.

Read what you wrote and tell me what your response would be to a patient who said exactly the same thing.

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If someone said it was impossible for them than it sounds like they have tried before to me. I certainly wouldn't so negative to them, because that certainly isn't going to help them or "make them see the light"

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Specializes in Pedi.

"Being overweight" is not a habit. There are many factors which influence one's weight and, no, I don't have any concerns about the weight of my health care providers.

Smoking is another story but it bothers me more because every smoker I've ever worked with took numerous smoke breaks throughout the course of the shift while I was lucky if I had time to pee. I don't see why I should have to cover your patients so you can smoke. When I worked in the hospital, I started saying "no" to covering for smokers when I knew they were going outside to smoke.

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I want to know why we're so quick to cast judgment and throw stones at our fellow nurses.

I just don't see this type of culture among other healthcare professionals...so disheartening. Never heard anyone say a doctor can't practice or teach because he's overweight.

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"Being overweight" is not a habit. There are many factors which influence one's weight and, no, I don't have any concerns about the weight of my health care providers.

Smoking is another story but it bothers me more because every smoker I've ever worked with took numerous smoke breaks throughout the course of the shift while I was lucky if I had time to pee. I don't see why I should have to cover your patients so you can smoke. When I worked in the hospital, I started saying "no" to covering for smokers when I knew they were going outside to smoke.

Amen to that! If it keeps you from doing your job, it is a problem. Plus disrespectful to your coworkers and dangerous for your patients!:yes:

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Specializes in OB.
"Being overweight" is not a habit. There are many factors which influence one's weight and, no, I don't have any concerns about the weight of my health care providers.

Smoking is another story but it bothers me more because every smoker I've ever worked with took numerous smoke breaks throughout the course of the shift while I was lucky if I had time to pee. I don't see why I should have to cover your patients so you can smoke. When I worked in the hospital, I started saying "no" to covering for smokers when I knew they were going outside to smoke.

Slightly off topic, but I remember being shocked when I started visiting this site, seeing nurses post about having to cover others' smoke breaks. No place I have ever worked allows people to take sanctioned smoke breaks (although I knew a coworker here and there would smoke on their regular lunch break, but it was rare). I would never, EVER, agree to watch someone's patients for them to go smoke! I should have to work extra hard because you have a filthy habit!? I can't believe there are nurses who agree to it.

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I want to know why we're so quick to cast judgment and throw stones at our fellow nurses.

I just don't see this type of culture among other healthcare professionals...so disheartening. Never heard anyone say a doctor can't practice or teach because he's overweight.

Spot on Richard. Physicians are not held to this ridiculous standard... why should nurses?

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I think I can see how the student's paper is going to look....

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Darn! I need to go make popcorn!

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Specializes in Maternity.

Many patients with these issues may relate better to someone who has weight issues or even health issues. In fact who better to understand patients that struggle with weight or smoking issues. That nurse can empathize while discussing the health risks the patient is facing. They know what it's like to be that person.

I honestly don't think an obese patient wants to hear that from some thin "Barbie" nurse

Maybe I'm crazy but I have seen for myself nurses counseling patients that have similar health issues and patients responding.

This is a potentially a slippery slope when we start demanding that all nurses have a similar body type and must look a certain way in order to be an acceptable nurse role model.

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Specializes in ER/Emergency Behavioral Health....
I guess that to be a nurse you should be:

a non- smoker

The perfect weight

a vegetarian, maybe even a vegan

a non- drinker

exercise every day, even those days you work a 12 hour shift

I am not a nurse (yet) but I consider my 12 hour ER tech shifts to be a workout in and of itself.

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Much more than a "slippery slope"..

Just another area we need to be a " Stepford Nurse".

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