Some WTF moments . . . .

[Sapphire Silk]

Some suck, and a brain burp, from the hospital this week.

BG One of my students is morbidly obese. He's also pleasant, neat, hardworking, and competent. /bg

A family member visiting a patient (whom this student was not involved with in any way) complained to me about my student's weight, and went on a rant about how unhealthy it is for him, and people that heavy shouldn't be allowed to be nurses, etc, etc.

I was floored. This guy had done NOTHING to deserve such a rant. While I do believe that nurses should "walk the walk", I don't think discrimination is cool.

I "uh huh'd" a lot. I didn't know what to say. There's not much I COULD say . . . I can't afford to piss off a visitor and risk not being allowed to bring my students to this hospital. But I really had to grind my teeth.

------

I was sitting in the break room taking a load off my knees (which have been giving me fits lately), chatting with one of the house keepers (HK1) when another house keeper (HK2) came in.

HK2: I went to room X. It is really dirty. Do I have to clean it?
HK1: Well . . . did Supervisor tell you to clean it?
HK2: No.
HK1: Then I'll take care of it.

We couldn't quite grasp the question . . . why wouldn't you clean a room just because it's really dirty? The body language and tone are hard to convey . . . she wasn't asking if SHE had to clean it so much as did it have to be cleaned by house keeping.

I don't know who she thought would clean it if house keeping didn't.

[bhskittykatt]

To the first woman...

To the housekeeper... Do they have magic cleaning fairies there or something that would clean it other than housekeeping? I'm trying to figure out her thought process, and it's causing pain.

[sirwired]

Maybe the housekeepers were doing some horse-trading for which rooms were to be cleaned by who... maybe HK2 had to do something really gross yesterday, so it was HK1's turn. Something along those lines...

[bainsidhe]

went on a rant about how unhealthy it is for him, and people that heavy shouldn't be allowed to be nurses, etc, etc.

So what the woman really meant is that large folks should stay hidden away and unemployed.

Is it just me, or are people getting more vocal and rude towards those who are plus sized?

[Kittish]

So what the woman really meant is that large folks should stay hidden away and unemployed.

Is it just me, or are people getting more vocal and rude towards those who are plus sized?

It's not just you. Overweight people are one of the few groups left that can legally be discriminated against, and they ARE, heavily, in all industries. I know firsthand, I've been passed over for quite a few jobs where I know for a fact that I was, if not the, then one of the best qualified applicants for someone smaller and FAR less qualified for the position. And these have all been positions where weight is pretty much irrelevant to the work required.

[MoonCat]

Is it just me, or are people getting more vocal and rude towards those who are plus sized?

Yes. And that's all I'll say before this veers into fratching.

[Peppergirl]

Yes. And that's all I'll say before this veers into fratching.

Thanks.

And yes, weight discrimination would be a GREAT debate for Fratching, but please get back on topic here.

[fireheart]

So what the woman really meant is that large folks should stay hidden away and unemployed.

She would LOVE to meet one of my GPs that I'm currently seeing to get some help with my weight issue. Fat as anything, but is the only doctor in the practice qualified to insert Implanon. He's also got a GREAT bedside manner.

[Seshat]

BG One of my students is morbidly obese. He's also pleasant, neat, hardworking, and competent. /bg

A family member visiting a patient (whom this student was not involved with in any way) complained to me about my student's weight, and went on a rant about how unhealthy it is for him, and people that heavy shouldn't be allowed to be nurses, etc, etc.

I was floored. This guy had done NOTHING to deserve such a rant. While I do believe that nurses should "walk the walk", I don't think discrimination is cool.

Me neither.

Besides, she knows nothing about the person. He could have a thyroid condition, or be on certain medications, or .... any of a million reasons to be that way.

Being a nurse is quite a physical job. Presuming that his diet is appropriate for him, just working in that field should give him plenty of fat-burning exercise!

Me? From the data you've provided, I think I admire him. Partly because, y'know, I admire anyone who chooses a job that provides such intense service to society and is inherently a sucky one to do. Partly because with his condition, the physical aspects of the job are going to be so much harder for him than for a non-obese person.

(Panacea, do you know a physiotherapist or someone who can help him find appropriate postures for the physical aspects of the job? And can provide exercises to strengthen the muscles and joints so he avoids injury?
If I'm butting in where I don't belong, please ignore me. But it occurred to me - and it's entirely possible noone else will point him in the direction of preventative help.)

[Sapphire Silk]

Me? From the data you've provided, I think I admire him. Partly because, y'know, I admire anyone who chooses a job that provides such intense service to society and is inherently a sucky one to do. Partly because with his condition, the physical aspects of the job are going to be so much harder for him than for a non-obese person.

I like him, too, especially as I get to know him. I actually was a bit miffed with him for awhile before he was actually in my class. Somehow he'd gotten a hold of a faculty parking hang tag, and he would park in the faculty spaces of our building's lot. I can see why he'd do that: it's right next to the building, and it probably made it easier for him to not have to walk as far. But he could get parking that's just as good simply by coming earlier in the day, or see his doc and ask for a handicapped placard.

But I never confronted him on the issue, so I can't really complain about it and I certainly can't hold it against him. And it's a non issue now since the college issued new hang tags to faculty to deal with that very problem (he wasn't the only one doing it, he was just more obvious because of his size).

(Panacea, do you know a physiotherapist or someone who can help him find appropriate postures for the physical aspects of the job? And can provide exercises to strengthen the muscles and joints so he avoids injury?
If I'm butting in where I don't belong, please ignore me. But it occurred to me - and it's entirely possible noone else will point him in the direction of preventative help.)

I personally do not. I'm a bit afraid to bring the issue up to him for fear he might take it the wrong way. I can't discriminate against him over his weight even if I wanted do: there are college rules that prohibit that. As long as he is able to meet the objectives of the course (which he is able to do), I can't make his weight an issue. If I said something, and he thought I was making it an issue, then it could negatively affect the teacher student relationship. I don't want to do that as he is actually a good student (in clinic at least; he hasn't taken the first exam yet).

I have to be especially careful because of my Asperger's. Sometimes I put people off because what I say doesn't come out of my mouth the way I mean it.

But I'll have to think it over and try and find a non-threatening way to bring it up. You actually make a very good point, since he is at MUCH higher risk for joint injuries, especially in the back, due to this.

[AccountingDrone]

But I'll have to think it over and try and find a non-threatening way to bring it up. You actually make a very good point, since he is at MUCH higher risk for joint injuries, especially in the back, due to this.

Can you perhaps have a small segment of class on the physical aspect of nursing and the importance of protecting your joints from stress damage. I know my mom-in-law has had bilateral carpal releases done, and is in PT for her knees. She has been a rehab facility nurse for about 35 years. Her main patient load are paras and quads, so she really gets a workout. If you perhaps aim it at the entire class and not single him out it would work?

[Sapphire Silk]

Can you perhaps have a small segment of class on the physical aspect of nursing and the importance of protecting your joints from stress damage. I know my mom-in-law has had bilateral carpal releases done, and is in PT for her knees. She has been a rehab facility nurse for about 35 years. Her main patient load are paras and quads, so she really gets a workout. If you perhaps aim it at the entire class and not single him out it would work?

What I teach in my course is specifically laid out in the syllabus. Adding things could raise eyebrows. I'm really not sure there is a way for me to bring it up in front of the class without him feeling singled out.

If the subject comes up in another context I may be able to find an opening to ask how nursing care affects him physically and take the conversation as far as he is willing to let me take it. Until then, I can't

[Pixilated]

"Well, Madam, at least he can lose weight ... you, on the other hand, will always be stupid."

[Seshat]

But I'll have to think it over and try and find a non-threatening way to bring it up. You actually make a very good point, since he is at MUCH higher risk for joint injuries, especially in the back, due to this.

Thank you for taking my statement the way I intended it.

[AccountingDrone]

What I teach in my course is specifically laid out in the syllabus. Adding things could raise eyebrows. I'm really not sure there is a way for me to bring it up in front of the class without him feeling singled out.

If the subject comes up in another context I may be able to find an opening to ask how nursing care affects him physically and take the conversation as far as he is willing to let me take it. Until then, I can't

Reasonable. Hopefully it will come up then.