Your opinion on nurses being role models of good health

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Let me preface this thread by stating that I am a nursing student working on a BSN. One of my class assignments is to post to a nursing forum on a topic we have discussed in our Foundations class. I appreciate y'all taking the time to answer and discuss with me your thoughts on the following:

I have only been in the hospital for about 6 weeks for my Middle family clinical rotation. I have spent these beginning weeks doing observations in various departments, including the OR, Endoscopy lab, Cath lab and others. I have come in contact with a lot of nurses whom I would not say are role models of good health.

One of the things we have discussed in class is that the best way to teach your patients about good health is to be a good role model. In my opinion that would mean maintaining a healthy weight, eating well, exercising and most definitely NOT smoking.

I realize that being a nurse can be very stressful and that sometimes our outlets aren't always the most appropriate. I guess my question is two fold. First, do you believe that we as nurses (or nurses to be :)) should be role models for our patients? Second, what can be done to promote better health in our own profession?

Once again, thank you for your time and assistance.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

Sure, in a fantasy world nurses would be the epitome of example setting. But in the real world we are real people with real problems, life stresses,financial difficulties etc...

We work in a stressful environment. First problem with "setting a good example". Nurse go without lunch,work long shifts, don't pee frequently enough ;), and yes, god forbid, smoke. We are human beings. I do my job well, but can't say that I'm a role model 24 hours a day, neither are doctors, or lawyers or accountants.

To expect your lifestyle to be the perfect example of your profession is unrealistic.

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lsyorke,

My post was not meant as a knock on nurses and I hope that you did not take offense. The reason I posted the question is because it seemed unrealistic to expect nurses to be the perfect role models of health they try and teach us to be in nursing school. I wanted to know if y'all felt is was fair or even feasible to be such a role model. In addition, do you think it is important for your patients. Thanks again.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Wound Care.

LOL, NO offense taken!! It actually amuses me that nurses should be held to a standard that no other profession is. Ah, in that fantasy world!! We try and do the right thing, but life sometimes interrupts.

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In my opinion, the hospital setting is a very unhealthy, stressful environment for both pts & healthcare workers. The majority of both are sleep deprived. Night shift is especially damaging, and nurses & residents tend to eat lots of fatty/sugary foods & drink gallons of coffee. Studies show that night shift employees, evidenced in the nursing population in particular, are more overweight than day shift. Finally, it is so fast-paced and stressful -- the communication is highly dysfunctional within & between departments, pts are unstable & many have acute confusion on top of their primary diagnoses, medicine has a brutal hierarchy where attendings often abuse residents, and nurses can be (excuse me for saying this) extremely catty & hard on one another, too. Last of all, our feet/joints pound on those hard floors for 8-12 hrs without hardly a break, the neon lights induce depression (no sunlight in many hospitals), the air smells like bleach, and we have to constantly worry about a million things at one time. How can we be role models when the establishment within which we practice is so darned unhealthy???

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

My general thought process about this subject would be...I am a Nurse as a career, and choose to be healthier as a lifestyle...NOT the other way around!

If I was to be the current idea of what the majority of folks consider "healthy looking" person coming up to a patient and telling them to follow my lead as an example...well, my goodness how belittled most my patients would feel! A little of the old "that nurse must have a God complex going on, and thinks she is all that and the bag of carrot sticks!".

I mean, come on...have you noticed what the general public considers as "healthy looking" or even what us healthcare professionals think? My goodness...if I was to worry about that constantly...just so that people will think I am worth listening to as a nurse...I would go absolutely insaine and more than likely get an eating disorder or hate myself for being other than the percieved norm!!!!!!

What is 'percieved as healthy' should all come from realistic education of the facts, and not what someones sees in movies...TV...mags..or what not, where...I am sorry...most of us get our ideals...yes folks, even US!

People come in all shapes, sizes, and colors...and just as our patients are people...so are we! It is about time people quit focusing on the physicial and start respecting people on their abilities...their qualifications...and their minds! I know many trim, thin, round, robust, tall, short, muscular or not, proportioned, uniquely shaped healthcare professionals...and each one I know does their job to the fullest and gains the respect and appreciation from patients based on their performance, communication, education, and unique qualities..NOT by how close they match to that narrow complex we call "healthy looking" as a society.

So I guess if I was to say..oh yeah sure lets lead by example here and all be 'healthy looking'...I would love to see a pole on what people define as LOOKING healthy!?!?!

(I do not write this as a blaze or belittling to anyone...just my own thoughts on the matter...everyone has a perspective unique to them...and this is just mine as it stands now).

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Thank you all so very much for taking the time to respond to my topic. I could not agree more with some of the comments posted. I myself live a very healthy lifestyle and I hope to continue even with the stress of nursing. I also know that it is not fair to judge someone's worth, abilities and/or knowledge based on their not being the "ideal". My thoughts are that if I am sick, and you can make me better, you could be green with red pocka dots :). Time to write my nursing care plan for tomorrow. I have my first actual day on the floor. Wish me luck and please continue to add your thoughts to this thread.

Many thanks to you as well Marie. I will check out that thread another time for sure.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.

I realize that being a nurse can be very stressful and that sometimes our outlets aren't always the most appropriate. I guess my question is two fold. First, do you believe that we as nurses (or nurses to be ) should be role models for our patients? Second, what can be done to promote better health in our own profession?Very good questions, IMHO! Yes, nurses should be role models in regard to a healthy lifestyle. In fact, everyone in the health care profession should practice a healthy lifestyle. By healthy lifestyle I mean exercising 3-4 x's/week, eating a well balanced diet, drinking alcohol moderately [if at all], and not smoking. Do I practice what I preach here, yes I do. I rarely drink alcohol, never smoke, exercise at least 3-4 x's/week, and very careful what I eat. IMHO, waaaaaaay too many nurses & health care workers in general [including MDs] are obese. No, I'm not perfect by any means. I love chocolate, and often don't allow myself enough sleep time. I realize nursing is a very stressful profession, which is not kind to our cortisol levels. Plus, my wife is an ER nurse that smokes on breaks at work. BTW, she does not smoke around me. Actually, I was kind of a health nut before getting into the health care field. So, all the nrsg prereq & nrsg courses reinforced my conviction towards living a healthy lifestyle. IMHO, it is up to each individual to take care of themselves in regard proper diet, exercise,and over all well-being.

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Hi,

We've talked about this in class as well. How can I as a nurse, advise a patient to stop smoking when I've just come back from break and smell of cigarette smoke? How can I as an overweight nurse advise a newly diagnosed and overweight diabetes patient about lifestyle changes??

I think the only answer is just to talk openly with the patient. If they indicate that they think I'm full of sh** and have no room to talk, then we have to address that briefly.

Right now, I am overweight and can see where this situation might easily arise in the future. I think I would tell them that I KNOW how difficult major lifestyle changes are, because I too am fighting the same battle. I would say that I am trying because I know how risky my condition is and I know that I am in line to develop similar problems. I think that I would then try to redirect the individuals attention to the positives and talk about the clients concerns and stumbling blocks, try to make a game plan to win the war.

Oh yeah and in reply to your original question, I think that it is great if we can offer ourselves as examples og healthy living, but unrealistic to hold oneself up to an idealistic standard. I believe that the nursing population reflects the general population. It doesn't hurt that we show ourselves as being human too.

les

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

:deadhorse

I realize that being a nurse can be very stressful and that sometimes our outlets aren’t always the most appropriate. I guess my question is two fold. First, do you believe that we as nurses (or nurses to be ) should be role models for our patients? Second, what can be done to promote better health in our own profession?Very good questions, IMHO! Yes, nurses should be role models in regard to a healthy lifestyle. In fact, everyone in the health care profession should practice a healthy lifestyle. By healthy lifestyle I mean exercising 3-4 x's/week, eating a well balanced diet, drinking alcohol moderately [if at all], and not smoking. Do I practice what I preach here, yes I do. I rarely drink alcohol, never smoke, exercise at least 3-4 x's/week, and very careful what I eat. IMHO, waaaaaaay too many nurses & health care workers in general [including MDs] are obese. No, I'm not perfect by any means. I love chocolate, and often don't allow myself enough sleep time. I realize nursing is a very stressful profession, which is not kind to our cortisol levels. Plus, my wife is an ER nurse that smokes on breaks at work. BTW, she does not smoke around me. Actually, I was kind of a health nut before getting into the health care field. So, all the nrsg prereq & nrsg courses reinforced my conviction towards living a healthy lifestyle. IMHO, it is up to each individual to take care of themselves in regard proper diet, exercise,and over all well-being.

:deadhorse

We've been over this ad nauseam in other threads, and I've noticed that there ALWAYS are a few 'health nuts' who can't quite keep a tone of superiority out of their posts. This, unfortunately, tends to alienate other posters, which in turn creates animosity and leads to threads being closed. Please, if you absolutely MUST 'weigh in' on this topic, keep it non-judgmental and avoid these little digs at those who aren't as 'healthy' as you. Thank you.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.

:deadhorse

Totally agree!

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