Ethical Issue - Discussion of Obese Nurses, Physicians and Patients

I am overwieght myself and worse, I am an intelligent blonde! If you think that is not a combination worthy of discrinimation think again!

The sad part is that many overwieght people are discriminated against whether in nursing or out. It was almost become the accepted TO discriminate against those who are overwight. One unit I worked in It was obvious the "overwieght" members of staff were being targeted by whisper campaign about how they "slacked off at work" Easy accusation to make after all they must be lazy they're overweight and that means they don't excercise enough right?

I have had people make comments in shopping centres. I have had one nurse who kept asking me why I didn;t see a doctor and get a pill to lose weight, she also added that I "walked like a penquin" because I was overweight.

Comments such as these are cummulative upon your psyche and do take the toll often lowering your self esteem to where you put on more weight in viscious cycle of events.

Tonight I and a fellow co-worker were accused of racism because we told someone that thier accent had caused us to mistake what they said. Far more hurtful things have been said to me and yet there is no term for the type of prejudice I suffer. If I complained that a person was being "fatist" it would only cause laughter and yet it is a real and ongoing problem.

susanmary......I applaud your sentiments exactly!

nursebucky....every chance you get, give that nurse a (((((hug)))) and commend her for the work she does so well. Tell her we said to keep on keeping on. A nurse who weighs a buck-o-five may look like the picture of health, yet be a walking time bomb "healthwise".....so the skinny-minnies shouldn't toot their horns so loud lest they collapse from exhaustion, heart attack, or some other disease process right in front of the overweight nurse they are making fun of . She may very well be the one to save their lives one day. Now...aint that a payback!

I had a friend in nursing school who was told by an instructor that "you need to lose weight". That instructor also told her she suffered from "anxiety" and should get on medication, she recommended the medication that she was on. So obviously this instructor had her own issues.

I think once she becomes a nurse the only concern will be if she can perform as well as other nurses. That is really what management cares about, not her appearance or weight. And that goes for all nurses I think.

So, I hope she keeps her head up. And she should remember that if other students are worrying about HER, then they are trying to not worry about THEIR ISSUES. Best wishes for her and for you in nursing school.

I have never felt discriminated against becuase of my weight. I think that is low. I do find it difficult to get into tight spots and sometimes I have to re-arrange the room to give good care. I have never had anyone look down at me. That would be a very sad state of affairs if it were to happen to me.

...weight discrimination does occur! I have a girl friend that was obese (she weight approx 350 lbs at 5'10") while she was going through LPN school and was giving a lot of grief because of her weight. She too was a 4.0 student but they eventually dismissed her from school because she didn't change a trachea tube quick enough on a practice mannequin in their school lab. Can you believe that! She eventually moved to NY and obtained her LPN license there.

She recently received the gastric by-pass surgery because she eventually reached 450 lbs and is now slowly losing the weight. She did it for herself because *she* was tired of carrying the extra weight...not because other people think she should do it. One thing though...she does actively participates in various support groups for obese people. Maybe your friend should do the same (participate in support groups that is...not necessarily receive gastric by-pass surgery)...it may help her.

Any type of discrimination is terrible ~ especially when the person being discriminated against help or change the way they are.

Cheers!
Moe

I have been unable to lose any weight the past 10 years. My thyroid tests were normal despite all the sx of low thyroid...AND then I grew a goiter...so go figure.

I agree heavy people are the last group for whom it is still PC to make fun of. There is MUCH we do not know about obesity subject and it just isn't always as simple as 'exercise more and eat less. '

Tell your friend to hang in there and not let others influence her self esteem.... If she can do the work she should shut these criticizers down.

Now I have worked with morbidly obese nurses who DID tend to sit. They couldn't move without getting SOB. They wanted their coworkers to answer their lights for them. This is a performance issue caused by their morbid obesity and should have been addressed by managers.

It is sad that nurses would make fun of this condition and discriminate due to appearance. The job performance is a whole different issue though, IMHO.

No one should be discriminated against for their weight. No one. Weight is no indication of intelligence, worth or ability.

Having said that, though, obesity is a major HEALTH concern. I fear for these overweight nurses, and the overweight in the general population, for their future health needs. When I see young overweight people, my heart just breaks. How long before hypertension, varicose veins, diabetes, breathing problems, etc. beset them?

Both my sister and her daughter are morbidly obese...well, my sister less so now that she is chronically ill as a complication from her obesity; her life expectancy is quite short. She's 47 and has been chronically ill since complications set in after an abdominal hysterectomy when she was 39 and 350 lbs. I could just cry. Her daughter is 21 and larger than her mom was when she was her age. I can only pray for them and support them in all they do.

The problem with obesity is NOT the aesthetics; it's the health problems. And, yes, I know skinny people with chronic health problems too. Moderation in **all** things. Eat smart, live smart.

Thank you all for the replies. My friend is always, but always dressed neatly. We have been in some of the same classes for over a year, so I get a little defensive about anyone saying someting about her.
She keeps saying she would like to walk. I told her whenever she is ready, I will walk with her.
You are right about skinny women, they can barely do pushups. I was in the military and the skinniest girls couldn't even hold themselves up and eventually were sent back home.

Thanks guys. I belong to a website that deals with weight issues. I have become very aware from watching TV that it is OK to make jokes about weight. All shows and commercials do this now. Even on American Idol Simon slams talented women for their weight (not the men tho). I think this making fun of weight needs to stop. I am more offending at seeing medical personal smoking than being overweight. Most of the fun is made of women not men.

I am so sorry to hear that so much discrimination is still going on. I hope that someday every person will be looked at as equals.