'Unhealthy' nurses...bad examples?

[fifi2323]

I hope this post doesn't offend anyone,but I have noticed a lot of the nurses I know are overweight,smokers or both. Obviously people become nurses because they completed school,and are qualified to do their jobs,which has nothing to do with physical appearance or vices.

Its common knowledge that smoking and/or obesity can kill you,but I would think those in the healthcare field would have a more acute idea of how health is jeopardized by these things. I am asking one out of curiousity,and secondly because I myself am overweight. I was just wondering if anybody has ever gotten any flak from patients or higher-ups? Or do you feel you aren't taken as seriously because of how you look,or because you need a cigarette break? I hope this hasn't happened,since its discriminatory and wrong,but we all know that doesn't mean much!

[BsnRnShiftSuper]

I Am A Nurse And A Smoker. But I Am A Good Nurse, And Can Still Educate Patients On The Effects. I Consider That My Personal Life. As Far As It Being A Bad Example, If I Quit Does That Mean All Of My Patients Would? I Think Not. Competence And Professionalism Is Way More Important, I Think Pt's Would Agree.

[jojotoo, RN]

The only flak that I have ever received about being fat (yes I'm fat), has been from psych patients or drunks. But that "flak" is usually accompanied with remarks about my gender, sexual orientation, the marital status of my parents at my birth, and my race. And sometimes for good measure they'll say something about my lazy eye or hair style/color.

I still remember the first time I was called a "fat b***h"' and it made me cry. That was a LONG time and many insults ago. I've come to terms with myself and I'm not letting other people's problems become mine.

[OB_or_NICU_hopeful]

jojotoo ~ I've seen first hand how aggressive and "mouthy" some psych patients can be to staff That comment would have made me cry too. I'm impressed that you persevered!

[blueheaven]

At one facility I worked at, a fully qualified, well-loved and respected collegue was rejected for a supervisory position because, "she didn't project the image of the hospital in a positive way." Just another way of saying she was too fat! Sad

[annamonkiewicz]

I am not overweight, don't smoke and try to live a very healthy life. But unfortunately for my patients, I look younger than I am. I get the comments from them like, "Have you ever done this before?" or "How long have you been a nurse?" One evening I had to put an NG tube down a patient and took two hours just to convince her that I could do the job. What I didn't tell her was that I had checked around on the floor to see if there was anyone more qualified to do this since I could sense her anxiety, but even though I had less years experience I had done the procedure more times than most.

I have heard comments from patients about other nurses in regards to their sex, race and competence but interestingly enough, never weight or lifestyle habits. It seems to me that people can be cruel or unkind about anyone.

You may be overweight or not be very healthy, but even if this were not the case, a negative, critical person will simply find the most obvious thing to pick on someone about. And unfortunately, physical things are the most obvious. Just be healthy, mentally and physically. If you're not at present, than work on it so you can continue the "practice of caring" for many years to come.

[english_nurse]

Im very overweight, it doesnt make me a bad nurse

many of my patients open up to me as they see me as approachable and normal they have to adhere to a strict renal diet i can acknowledge to them how hard it can be, without appearing to be preaching to them.

[nurse4theplanet, RN]

Usually, when a person feels the urge to be critical of another's appearance/habits/mannerisms, etc...it is because they themselves have the REAL insecurity issues.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Usually, when a person feels the urge to be critical of another's appearance/habits/mannerisms, etc...it is because they themselves have the REAL insecurity issues.

I tend to agree. A person truly comfortable in their own skin, that loves and accepts themselves as they are (even if they aren't happy with that space and are working to improve it) tend to be much less critical of others.

I confess that when I seem to be critical of others, say in traffic, the grocery store, work, it's when I'm in a bad space. When I'm in a good space, traffic doesn't bother me, I'm patient and accepting of others - which mericifully is most of the time, but I'm human too and have my bad days. :)

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Oh, come on, you know all traffic slows down when you're in a hurry.

[CHATSDALE]

old saying

be kind, no one else is perfect

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Oh, come on, you know all traffic slows down when you're in a hurry.

But of course! :roll :roll

[mellomom]

A persons nationality and a persons unhealthy habits are not paralleled. Heck, I'm nearly 5'7", which means on a cold day I probably look like a Smurf. If someone wants to complain about my height, race , or gender [i.e. male nurse] for that matter, that is their problem. If, someone has an unhealthy habit they can with help modify such habits.

I am not making the two (race and weight) equivalent. I am saying that our attempts at teaching are received through the biases everyone has. Since we cannot control others' biases, I say we do the best we can and move on.

I'd like to point out that from the outside, you are being judgemental when you assume facts about someone's habits based on their current appearance. There have been several comments from people who are still overweight/obese but who have lost a significant amount of weight. Your assumptions about their habits are based on their current appearance, but since you do not have the facts of their life (previous weight, eating and exercise log) you should not make judgements about them, IMHO.

Put another way, the image of a person at a set point in time is just information, like a picture - its should be the context you're interested in. Since often people are private, you may not know the context, which is why, IMHO, you should keep your judgements to yourself and not knowingly let them color your attitudes.