Ethical Issue - Discussion of Obese Nurses, Physicians and Patients

You are right about that. I graduate 2008 i work night, before nursing school i weighted 119lbs, now I am 150 lbs 5'1. I have all the stress you can think of at work

I'd love to have a 20 sumthin' body with my knowledge .

Just on the ethical issue of obese Nurses setting an example I would reply, "Do as I say, not as I do."

I have worked in many different areas of the country, and I tend to see more obese nurses than most. Some of soo obese, that they can hardly move around. I agree the profession does have a problem eating healthy and exercising. Where I currently work 100% of us are overweight, but 90% of us are working on changing our dietary habits.

When I first came to this setting there was a RT that came around, and supplied all the offices with candy of all kinds. Even our providers were in the habit of partaking of the unhealthy treats. There would be candy on every desk, and drawers. Pts. would bring us candy, and sweet treats also.

That practice I'm glad to say has changed now. All except two of us no longer allow these treats to be left in our area. We bring in fruits, vegetables and nutritious snacks instead. We work out at the hospital gym or at home.

Since I have been here, I have went down almost two sizes, and have toned up considerably, with many compliments. But believe me it has been a hard road, but I feel better, and I have more energy now. I was 30lbs over weight, and although I'm tall..and people said I carried it well, it definitely made a different in how I felt.

One of the things that this hospital has done is to reward employees who meet their fitness, and weight reduction goals, is to award them $150.00 every 6 months.

The fitness center is only $10 month, gives each employee a personal trainer, who will not only help design a fitness routine for them in the gym, but also at home. The fitness center used to be free, but no one used it. So they consulted someone who suggested they charge, and then people would use it just to get their monies worth. And it worked!

I now work out at the gym several times a week, started using the "FIRM" tapes 5 times a week. I got a abs cruncher, weights, the exercise ball, and a jump rope.

I cut out the sweets, sodas, fried foods, butter, and other unheathly foods. I also decreased the amount of food I eat, and I still have plenty of energy to work in a fast paced setting. I have also lowered my heart rate, which was on the tachy side routinely, and my knee pain stopped, TG!

I pay $15/month d/t being a traveler here, and have been able to make this assignment a very productive one! Good luck in reaching your goals!