views on overweight nurses

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 20, 2014

Quite a few threads have been posted on this topic, and they can get rather contentious at times. Here's a few for you to read:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-career-advice/extremely-overweight-nurses-843632.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/theres-nothing-worse-717602.html

https://allnurses.com/pre-nursing-student/overweight-nurse-496271.html

https://allnurses.com/nurse-colleague-patient/number-over-weight-847876.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/overweight-nurse-43007.html

I am of the opinion that looks do not necessarily correlate with health and ability to do a job. Yes, a nurse may be overweight, but as long as he or she is physically capable of doing the job, so what? Some patients may be able to better related to a nurse who is experiencing/had experienced the same struggles; others may see a "not practicing what you preach" type of hypocrisy. There is no one single answer as humans are so varied- and I think that's what some people seem to forget. Nurses are humans; they have human flaws just like everyone else.

msmit108 · Jul 20, 2014

awesome ! thank you for the links.

mhy12784 · Jul 20, 2014

All I'll say is if you are currently morbidly obese, and aren't used to having a job where you are used to being on your feet for exceedingly long periods of time, better start preparing yourself now

I was a little overweight towards the beginning of nursing school, and my my legs/back/feet would be absolutely killing me after 12 hour clinicals.

I'd imagine that would be significantly compounded if you're closer to morbidly obese than overweight.

Not to mention musculoskeletal injuries are extremely common in nursing, so it's very likely an excellent time to get in shape

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Jul 20, 2014

I'll also add you should think about the type of floor you work on when you graduate. Can you climb up on a bed to do suprapubic pressure? If no...don't go to L&D. Will you be able to provide chest compressions (very tiring) for an extended period of time? If no stay out of the ICU and ED.

Here's the deal...you need to be able to physically do the job. Some people with extreme weight issues do fine...others don't.

If you can run and climb and move...you put yourself and your patient at risk. This goes for overweight people, people with disabilities, people who are underweight, people who are normal weight but can barely move. You need to make sure you work a position that you can physically do...no matter who you are or what you look like.

laKrugRN · Jul 20, 2014

As long as your weight doesn't prevent you from doing your job or takes a toll on your health to where you are a missing a ton of work or school, no worries. Honestly though, I know people who lost weight in nursing school due to clinicals and being more active. Exercise is also a great way to relieve the stress of nursing school! No one should mind your weight, but there will always be jerks who will point out anything. Ignore people! Do what makes you happy and healthy!

msmit108 · Jul 20, 2014

thank you all for your support an answers. I come from a background in EMS and have always been able to complete every task the job requires. I also worked primary 911,so there was a lot of carrying patients up and down stairs. nursing is a whole different animal and I will enjoy as much activity as possible before school starts on a month.

VampyrSlayer, CNA · Jul 20, 2014

I'm not a nurse but I just completed an LNA course. I am also considered morbidly obese. When it came time for clinicals I was the fastest one in my class. I ran to call lights and none of my classmates could beat me. I plan on being the same way once I get a job (well, I won't have to beat anyone to get there first lol). If you did well with ems I'll bet you do fine with nursing. Just my two cents.

RunBabyRN · Jul 21, 2014

I don't judge a nurse by his/her weight, but I have seen it interfere with her care. There's a nurse I work with now, and she has a very difficult time doing the simplest tasks on her feet, leaving the more physical work for the rest of us. Then when she's working with patients (we do health screenings), I can hear her JUSTIFYING for EVERY.SINGLE.PATIENT why their numbers are high (weight, cholesterol, body fat, etc). You can see what her mentality is, and it clearly impacts her care. Why would a patient be motivated to make healthy changes if the nurse is telling them not to worry about it?? I've debated telling the people at the agency where we work...

I was morbidly obese and working in healthcare for awhile (my weight has fluctuated a lot over the years), and I never really felt judged by my patients for it. I think as long as I provided quality care, they weren't concerned with my weight. I've worked with some amazing nurses who were overweight or obese.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jul 21, 2014

I find morbidly obese to be subjective. If one's weight interferes with their ability to move well, then it is an issue. But that also goes for tiny, thin people who do not move well. It is a fitness thing as opposed to a weight thing, in my opinion.

Thin doesn't always equate healthy--neither does not so thin. There is such a focus on weight in this country. There are tons of risk factors that contribute to health or lack thereof.

Mr. Murse · Jul 21, 2014

I don't think it has much to do with looks, but patient care. Granted, the way you look will affect how your patients respond to you to a certain degree, but it's not of utmost importance. I work on a surgical floor where the majority of our patients are there for reasons directly due to obesity and/or have many co-morbidities because of it. So in some ways would be like a smoker trying to tell another smoker to quit smoking because it's bad for their health.

The real problem I have with my out of shape coworkers (even the ones that aren't necessarily obese) is actually doing the job. I can think of one nurse I work in particular with who is a little overweight, but more so she's just out of shape and it shows in her work. Sure, she gets what she has to done, but I see her sitting around and trying to get other people to do her favors all the time or putting off patient needs because it's so much trouble to get up and do it herself. Her whole attitude is just......slow and tired. I've heard other people comment on it too, so it's not just her problem, it affects the whole team.

Being out of shape not only affects your physical capabilities and motivation, but also your mentality. Other coworkers I know are constantly fishing for sympathy, complaining about how tired they are or how much such and such hurts and I'm just thinking, "well, if you took better care of yourself you wouldn't have that problem."

So basically, if you're happy with yourself, you feel good at work, and are able to do your job thoroughly and effectively then more power to you. Be happy and do it to it. But if you find yourself dragging, hurting, not feeling like doing anything all the time, and just over all not being the best you can be, then I suggest you focus on losing some weight.

Honestly, you will be better off for it regardless. You probably don't even realize how good you can feel. I've had friends lose significant amounts of weight and tell me they didn't know they could actually feel as good as they do. I try to stay in shape because I like to feel good. I like to feel like I'm experiencing everything in my life to the best of my ability, and making the most of what I have.

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 21, 2014

I find morbidly obese to be subjective..

It's not at all subjective, though. It's a specifically defined medical term.

Although some experts and facilities are moving away from "morbid obesity" as a definition and are instead calling it "Class 3 Obesity"