Why are nurses obese?

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Replies

  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    Exactly. There's a certain poster in here who 'doesn't want a fat nurse'. That's cool because when he drops on the floor and has a cardiac arrest at the gym I will decide I don't like skinny patients and I will walk away ...

    only an evil person would walk away from someone in need. i hope you consider a career change. the world doesnt need health care givers who withhold care based on their patients beliefs.

    Pretty sure she is pointing out that she can't do that, hence the use of ellipsis.
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    I'm thinking it is long hours with little time for snacks or to prepare healthy food.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Because they eat only vending machine food. Pure processed!

    Haven't vended in years...
  • michelleLynette
    michelleLynette Posts: 289 Member
    who cares..? there's overweight/obese people in every profession
    Im with her:) I love fat nurses..! The ones I have had who are fat.are funny and sweet!! Plus maybe they need extra calories to put up with sick peoples crap
  • rickyd88
    rickyd88 Posts: 75 Member
    Exactly. There's a certain poster in here who 'doesn't want a fat nurse'. That's cool because when he drops on the floor and has a cardiac arrest at the gym I will decide I don't like skinny patients and I will walk away ...

    only an evil person would walk away from someone in need. i hope you consider a career change. the world doesnt need health care givers who withhold care based on their patients beliefs.

    It was, I thought, quite obviously a sarcastic post. Only a narrow minded poster would refuse to have someone help them based purely on their looks, which is what I was directing to that poster.
  • IanBee93
    IanBee93 Posts: 237 Member

    More excuses. I never said they couldn't give their honest opinion, but they should live by what they teach. If you're going to spend money on school, and energy on your job, you should live by them. I get that people don't have the time to cook a healthy dinner, but that doesn't mean you should pig out on big macs and giant fries, everyday. You can get a grilled chicken salad from the same place, without dressing.

    I also don't get how they work long tired hours, yet claim they don't have much time to eat, yet are still able to pack down more than 2000 calories a day. Why don't they pack away fruit if they need a quick snack? Why do they need a snickers bar? It doesn't add up.

    What excuses? That knowledge doesn't translate to living it?

    We're all supposed to maintain a healthy weight. That's something we "should" all do. Nurses aren't at an increased moral obligation. I'm not willing to pay my nurses a salary to cover 24/7, so their lifestyles really shouldn't be our concern. I don't need my nurse to look perfect. I need her to be good at inserting an IV, have a nice bedside manner, and to be alert to what is going on with my body while she's taking care of me. As long as his/her weight doesn't get in the way of that, it's not my business, any more than any other professional's.

    Maybe YOU don't need your nurse to, but I will never get advise from an overweight/obese doctor/nurse, if they can't even practice self control.

    Also someone doesn't have to be ''active'' in order to be skinny/healthy weight. It's called calories.

    Your argument fails on many levels; firstly, you are taking an entire field of many disciplines (cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, pulmonary, etc) and you are appraising the workers through a very narrow scope.

    It seems like a frivolous argument to make given the intellectual rigors of working in the aforementioned field and sub-fields.

    Have no clue what half those words mean :frown:
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member

    More excuses. I never said they couldn't give their honest opinion, but they should live by what they teach. If you're going to spend money on school, and energy on your job, you should live by them. I get that people don't have the time to cook a healthy dinner, but that doesn't mean you should pig out on big macs and giant fries, everyday. You can get a grilled chicken salad from the same place, without dressing.

    I also don't get how they work long tired hours, yet claim they don't have much time to eat, yet are still able to pack down more than 2000 calories a day. Why don't they pack away fruit if they need a quick snack? Why do they need a snickers bar? It doesn't add up.

    What excuses? That knowledge doesn't translate to living it?

    We're all supposed to maintain a healthy weight. That's something we "should" all do. Nurses aren't at an increased moral obligation. I'm not willing to pay my nurses a salary to cover 24/7, so their lifestyles really shouldn't be our concern. I don't need my nurse to look perfect. I need her to be good at inserting an IV, have a nice bedside manner, and to be alert to what is going on with my body while she's taking care of me. As long as his/her weight doesn't get in the way of that, it's not my business, any more than any other professional's.

    Maybe YOU don't need your nurse to, but I will never get advise from an overweight/obese doctor/nurse, if they can't even practice self control.

    Also someone doesn't have to be ''active'' in order to be skinny/healthy weight. It's called calories.

    Your argument fails on many levels; firstly, you are taking an entire field of many disciplines (cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, pulmonary, etc) and you are appraising the workers through a very narrow scope.

    It seems like a frivolous argument to make given the intellectual rigors of working in the aforementioned field and sub-fields.

    Have no clue what half those words mean :frown:

    basically there are so many different kinds of nurses you cant lump them all into one big fat pile and to make the argument is kind of silly
  • funkyspunky872
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
    Because they're human too.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Most nurses sit on their *kitten* most of the day anyways.


    :huh:
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    Exactly. There's a certain poster in here who 'doesn't want a fat nurse'. That's cool because when he drops on the floor and has a cardiac arrest at the gym I will decide I don't like skinny patients and I will walk away ...

    only an evil person would walk away from someone in need. i hope you consider a career change. the world doesnt need health care givers who withhold care based on their patients beliefs.

    It was, I thought, quite obviously a sarcastic post. Only a narrow minded poster would refuse to have someone help them based purely on their looks, which is what I was directing to that poster.

    stop trying to backpedal. that kind of mentality is not needed in any healthcare field.
  • Yeah, it's the hours. I wake up and scarf breakfast to get to work in time, then stand at a medication cart most of the day. I rush my lunch and I'm right back at it. Once I'm home, I'm too tired to do anything and I eat horribly in the evenings, because I haven't eaten much all day. Nurses spend a lot of time standing in one place and sitting down charting. It's the aids that do most of the physical work with patients or residents. I'm not working now, because I just had my son, but I'm not looking forward to returning to work and attempting to lose the rest of this baby weight. Although fyi I was never obese as a nurse. I was near my weightloss goal and stopped making progress, but didn't actually gain any significant amount of weight until I got pregnant.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Exactly. There's a certain poster in here who 'doesn't want a fat nurse'. That's cool because when he drops on the floor and has a cardiac arrest at the gym I will decide I don't like skinny patients and I will walk away ...

    only an evil person would walk away from someone in need. i hope you consider a career change. the world doesnt need health care givers who withhold care based on their patients beliefs.

    It was, I thought, quite obviously a sarcastic post. Only a narrow minded poster would refuse to have someone help them based purely on their looks, which is what I was directing to that poster.

    stop trying to backpedal. that kind of mentality is not needed in any healthcare field.

    that was nothing you should hear some of the things physicians have to say about their actual patients...make your hair stand on end.
  • mom9198
    mom9198 Posts: 83 Member
    I think that's a pretty general statement to make with no real basis... :huh:

    So just because the nurses you see are fat all nurses everywhere must be fat as well? :laugh: Actually I think it's pretty funny to make such a blanket statement.

    This^
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    that was nothing you should hear some of the things physicians have to say about their actual patients...make your hair stand on end.

    yep its both shocking and amusing lol.
  • mom9198
    mom9198 Posts: 83 Member
    Most nurses sit on their *kitten* most of the day anyways.


    :huh:

    Ditto. If you think most nurses sit on our *kitten* all day, you obviously don't know what you're talking about. :noway:
  • likearadiowave
    likearadiowave Posts: 445 Member
    Just a random question for chit chat, something I have been curious about. Don't take offense or get upset, its just a general question. If you do take offense or get upset, oh well lol. So my question is...

    Why are a significant amount of nurses overweight or obese? You would think that someone working in the healthcare field would be more knowledgeable about their own health and have more insight into taking care of themselves. I work at a hospital and see a lot of obese nurses. Also there have been studies done that show that a significant amount of nurses are overweight/obese. Here is just an example of something I found on Google, didn't try super hard to research it.

    http://abcnews.go.com/Health/study-finds-55-percent-nurses-overweight-obese/story?id=15472375

    Again, not a dig on anyone, just curious. Opinions/comments?
    Because fat has nothing to do with ability or intelligence. That's why.

    You can guess about the other reasons.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    Because fat has nothing to do with ability or intelligence. That's why.

    You can guess about the other reasons.

    at some point fat can definitely affect ability. ever do CPR? if you are fat/out of shape it may prevent you from doing your job properly. and there are plenty of other instances where it can matter.
  • likearadiowave
    likearadiowave Posts: 445 Member
    Because fat has nothing to do with ability or intelligence. That's why.

    You can guess about the other reasons.

    at some point fat can definitely affect ability. ever do CPR? if you are fat/out of shape it may prevent you from doing your job properly. and there are plenty of other instances where it can matter.

    That's a stretch. And I believe you knew what I originally meant. I meant that fat has nothing to do with ABILITY or INTELLIGENCE, a fat nurse can still be a very good and hard working nurse.

    As for your example, if they're so overweight and out of shape they cannot physically DO CPR, then yea. However, that's still reaching.

    If you're healthy and able to do your job, then you're obviously able to do it. If you're so heavy that you're sweating and tripping over your own fat rolls, then I suppose not. Obviously my response was not in reference to someone who cannot do CPR.
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member

    More excuses. I never said they couldn't give their honest opinion, but they should live by what they teach. If you're going to spend money on school, and energy on your job, you should live by them. I get that people don't have the time to cook a healthy dinner, but that doesn't mean you should pig out on big macs and giant fries, everyday. You can get a grilled chicken salad from the same place, without dressing.

    I also don't get how they work long tired hours, yet claim they don't have much time to eat, yet are still able to pack down more than 2000 calories a day. Why don't they pack away fruit if they need a quick snack? Why do they need a snickers bar? It doesn't add up.

    What excuses? That knowledge doesn't translate to living it?

    We're all supposed to maintain a healthy weight. That's something we "should" all do. Nurses aren't at an increased moral obligation. I'm not willing to pay my nurses a salary to cover 24/7, so their lifestyles really shouldn't be our concern. I don't need my nurse to look perfect. I need her to be good at inserting an IV, have a nice bedside manner, and to be alert to what is going on with my body while she's taking care of me. As long as his/her weight doesn't get in the way of that, it's not my business, any more than any other professional's.

    Maybe YOU don't need your nurse to, but I will never get advise from an overweight/obese doctor/nurse, if they can't even practice self control.

    Also someone doesn't have to be ''active'' in order to be skinny/healthy weight. It's called calories.

    Your argument fails on many levels; firstly, you are taking an entire field of many disciplines (cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, pulmonary, etc) and you are appraising the workers through a very narrow scope.

    It seems like a frivolous argument to make given the intellectual rigors of working in the aforementioned field and sub-fields.

    Have no clue what half those words mean :frown:

    Riiiiight, are you not particularly well educated then? Luckily the nurses who may look after you in the future, fat or thin, are. They understand your anatomy and physiology, disease process and pharmacology (sorry big words are you keeping up?). They are also, after years of caring for all types of people and personalities, non-judgemental. You should try that yourself sometime.
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    Because fat has nothing to do with ability or intelligence. That's why.

    You can guess about the other reasons.

    at some point fat can definitely affect ability. ever do CPR? if you are fat/out of shape it may prevent you from doing your job properly. and there are plenty of other instances where it can matter.

    Actually no. I teach CPR and have never yet failed someone who was too fat to perform. Done properly CPR relies on body weight not strength or stamina. It's actually slight people who struggle more.
  • IanBee93
    IanBee93 Posts: 237 Member

    More excuses. I never said they couldn't give their honest opinion, but they should live by what they teach. If you're going to spend money on school, and energy on your job, you should live by them. I get that people don't have the time to cook a healthy dinner, but that doesn't mean you should pig out on big macs and giant fries, everyday. You can get a grilled chicken salad from the same place, without dressing.

    I also don't get how they work long tired hours, yet claim they don't have much time to eat, yet are still able to pack down more than 2000 calories a day. Why don't they pack away fruit if they need a quick snack? Why do they need a snickers bar? It doesn't add up.

    What excuses? That knowledge doesn't translate to living it?

    We're all supposed to maintain a healthy weight. That's something we "should" all do. Nurses aren't at an increased moral obligation. I'm not willing to pay my nurses a salary to cover 24/7, so their lifestyles really shouldn't be our concern. I don't need my nurse to look perfect. I need her to be good at inserting an IV, have a nice bedside manner, and to be alert to what is going on with my body while she's taking care of me. As long as his/her weight doesn't get in the way of that, it's not my business, any more than any other professional's.

    Maybe YOU don't need your nurse to, but I will never get advise from an overweight/obese doctor/nurse, if they can't even practice self control.

    Also someone doesn't have to be ''active'' in order to be skinny/healthy weight. It's called calories.

    Your argument fails on many levels; firstly, you are taking an entire field of many disciplines (cardiology, neurology, psychiatry, pulmonary, etc) and you are appraising the workers through a very narrow scope.

    It seems like a frivolous argument to make given the intellectual rigors of working in the aforementioned field and sub-fields.

    Have no clue what half those words mean :frown:

    Riiiiight, are you not particularly well educated then? Luckily the nurses who may look after you in the future, fat or thin, are. They understand your anatomy and physiology, disease process and pharmacology (sorry big words are you keeping up?). They are also, after years of caring for all types of people and personalities, non-judgemental. You should try that yourself sometime.

    Ew. Sorry but still not interested. On ignore you go. bye bye :)
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
    I think that's a pretty general statement to make with no real basis... :huh:

    So just because the nurses you see are fat all nurses everywhere must be fat as well? :laugh: Actually I think it's pretty funny to make such a blanket statement.

    Jeff get the frick out of here! All nurses are super fat! I was in Somalia after being shot by some pirates, so I caught a taxi to the hospital (the driver was a pirate too). When I got there I was very surprised by all the fat nurses cause EVERYONE in Somalia was rail skinny except those fat nurses... it was like being in a twilight zone.

    :laugh: Sorry... Guess I was wrong!
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    Exactly. There's a certain poster in here who 'doesn't want a fat nurse'. That's cool because when he drops on the floor and has a cardiac arrest at the gym I will decide I don't like skinny patients and I will walk away ...

    only an evil person would walk away from someone in need. i hope you consider a career change. the world doesnt need health care givers who withhold care based on their patients beliefs.

    It was, I thought, quite obviously a sarcastic post. Only a narrow minded poster would refuse to have someone help them based purely on their looks, which is what I was directing to that poster.

    LOL! I thought the same thing. I didn't believe it to be literal for a second :laugh:
    this thread is as crazy as it gets and I'm starting to feel the same about it as I did the above comment :blushing:
  • CallMeRuPaul
    CallMeRuPaul Posts: 151 Member
    hehe. tru dat!
  • likearadiowave
    likearadiowave Posts: 445 Member
    Because fat has nothing to do with ability or intelligence. That's why.

    You can guess about the other reasons.

    at some point fat can definitely affect ability. ever do CPR? if you are fat/out of shape it may prevent you from doing your job properly. and there are plenty of other instances where it can matter.

    Actually no. I teach CPR and have never yet failed someone who was too fat to perform. Done properly CPR relies on body weight not strength or stamina. It's actually slight people who struggle more.

    ^ You'd think this would be common sense for people here, but I guess not.
  • Aim4skinnyjeans
    Aim4skinnyjeans Posts: 45 Member
    IMO I think a lot of people who are "givers" and tend to put others needs in front of their own let themselves go a bit in the looks department- because instead of doing things for themselves they are doing for everyone else and they put themselves at the bottom of the list... nurses may fall into that category.


    Such a sweet thing to say.
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I have 4 RNs in my family; sister 30 years, sister in law 15 years, 2 nephews 6 & 3 years. The potential for job demand, and pay had nothing to do with their career choices. LOL! Yes, they work long hours on the days they work, but it averages out to about 80 hours, just like the rest of us. I don't condone discriminating against anyone for any reason, but using your career choice as you excuse is just an excuse like any other. If you were really happy about your weight and build, you would not be here.

    Weight discrimination happens to people in every profession. The overweight person behind the deli counter in your supermarket. The over weight person that works in a convience store. If I go to the grocery store, and I don't want an over weight person to ring me up, is it any less sever?

    I am sure if the pay had nothing to do with career choice, I am sure Doctors Without Boarders is always looking for nurses.
  • rickyd88
    rickyd88 Posts: 75 Member
    Exactly. There's a certain poster in here who 'doesn't want a fat nurse'. That's cool because when he drops on the floor and has a cardiac arrest at the gym I will decide I don't like skinny patients and I will walk away ...

    only an evil person would walk away from someone in need. i hope you consider a career change. the world doesnt need health care givers who withhold care based on their patients beliefs.

    It was, I thought, quite obviously a sarcastic post. Only a narrow minded poster would refuse to have someone help them based purely on their looks, which is what I was directing to that poster.

    LOL! I thought the same thing. I didn't believe it to be literal for a second :laugh:
    this thread is as crazy as it gets and I'm starting to feel the same about it as I did the above comment :blushing:

    Well, apparently I was trying to 'backpedal' because I was serious?! Not in the slightest was I serious but I know that view point hurts for someone who would only refuse a nurse based on their weight. I sure as hell know from experience how horrible some patients can be, then when their life depends on it or they're in screaming agony how their attitude changes when I'm the only one to help them.

    What I find particularly amusing is that those saying a fat nurse is a useless nurse, actually have no idea what a nurse does. So all these 'skinny and healthy meatheads' on here can gladly walk a day in my shoes and see what a real nurse actually does. Not only will they not have the knowledge or skills but they'll soon come to realise that your looks mean absolute crap all in the real world when it comes to life and death.
  • rickyd88
    rickyd88 Posts: 75 Member
    I don't condone discriminating against anyone for any reason, but using your career choice as you excuse is just an excuse like any other. If you were really happy about your weight and build, you would not be here.

    Weight discrimination happens to people in every profession. The overweight person behind the deli counter in your supermarket. The over weight person that works in a convience store. If I go to the grocery store, and I don't want an over weight person to ring me up, is it any less sever?

    I am sure if the pay had nothing to do with career choice, I am sure Doctors Without Boarders is always looking for nurses.

    I completely agree with you, but from personal experience my job has had an effect on me eating habits and since qualifying I have put on 4 stone in 4 years. At worst I was doing 18 hour days because my job was 80 miles away and I didn't drive. On my days off I needed to sleep. I didn't make the best food choices because I didn't have to time to mentally and physically put the effort in. My choice.

    What the real issue is here, is certain posters being absolutely vile and narrow minded and insinuating that overweight nurses shouldn't work in the profession and that we are useless at our job, assuming we sit down all day and are good for nothing. After being sexually harassed, physically assaulted and suffering from verbal abuse from a patient (yes, all of that is true) all the while trying to save their life and sometimes upto 13 other patients, or after helping a new mother dress her dying baby for the final time, do I actually need to come onto what I thought was a supportive forum and be thrown stones at for my weight.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I think its because of long hours, different shifts, night, backshift, my ex's mother was a nurse and literally scarfed her food , even at home, just because they rarely get time to eat. also they are so busy taking care of other people, that is their job and passion, and probably neglect to take care of themselves...god love nurses!!!! However my ex's mother was slim , and his sister is a nurse and shes slim....dunno ??

    ^^ This

    My mom is a nurse and obese. She works third shift, so sleep cycles are messed up and she doesn't eat normal meals
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