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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect fat nurses to have some insight?.

755 replies

Vikingess · 07/05/2024 21:26

Just had a routine health check today at my GP surgery. Two nurses - both considerably overweight - dispensing advice on diet. I
am not overweight -AIBU to expect health professionals to demonstrate the the standards they recommended or at least admit to falling short.

OP posts:
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7
Mirabai · 08/05/2024 20:32

mhmmmok · 08/05/2024 20:19

I notice I end up eating a lot of crap at 3am (never struggled with weight though, I would bet my right arm that I'm skinnier than you).

Plus I've never seen a hospital overflowing with fruit and nut vending machines, and I live in an area with objectively the best/biggest hospitals in the country. Crisp and snack vending machines are more likely.

If my doctors or nurses need the nearest available carb/sugar rush to take care of my dying father and lots of other patients on a busy understaffed ward at 3am on night shift (plus I don't know what magic midnight cafe you think is open past 9pm or even 5pm), I don't begrudge them that.

(Not saying nothing should change structurally, but realistically being a dr or nurse on ugly hour call/shift is a bit different from sitting around as a daytime visitor.)

Edited

Competitive skinniness is very much ED territory.

Is the discussion about begrudging people or avoiding junk food?

Devonbabs · 08/05/2024 20:32

Janiie · 08/05/2024 16:53

'People with attitudes like yours are a big part of the obesity crisis by creating a culture of self blame and shame. You need to stop and think about the problems you could cause.'

As I say, always everyone else's fault. I don't cause any problems just point out inconvenient truths.

Actually, the majority of what you have pointed out are downright lies whos only purpose is to bolster your very misplaced sense of superiority. You don’t even want to understand the multifaceted reasons behind the obesity crisis because then you would have to admit you are just lucky. Whilst views similar to yours prevail there will be no solution found, but then you would probably lose the one thing which makes you feel superior to others. As I said, part of the problem because you have no interest at all in finding a solution

Janiie · 08/05/2024 20:29

'Gosh it wasn't about you. I was wondering what canteens were open at 3am with all this lovely fresh healthy food and these fill to bursting with healthy option vending machines? Not any hospital I've ever worked in?'

Packed meals and microwaves are your friend at 3am.

BurnoutGP · 08/05/2024 20:26

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 20:05

Nothing to do with high ground, just facts about what is actually available. As you ask I don’t eat junk food any time of day.

Gosh it wasn't about you. I was wondering what canteens were open at 3am with all this lovely fresh healthy food and these fill to bursting with healthy option vending machines? Not any hospital I've ever worked in?
But you know I do actually know I'm responsible for my weight as does every other fat person I know (funnily enough fat doesn't mean stupid) and though there are many complex reasons I am obese I hate myself every day. I am smart successful driven and capable in every other aspect of my life, I despise myself for being fat. So if it was as fucking easy as "hehe just eat less and move more" do you not think I would have just done it.
Your nasty sly little patronising digs do absolutely nothing to help. As surely you must know. So I hope it makes you feel better about yourself to drag women doing hard vital jobs down.

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 20:25

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 08/05/2024 20:12

Those things are full of sugar and likely UPF, they wouldn't really help anyone lose weight.

Who’s talking about losing weight though? The discussion is alternatives to junk.

Scirocco · 08/05/2024 20:25

Lol at the idea of being able to go sit down with a nice packed meal while on call. If I'm on-site on call, I'll put my bag in an office or locker room and not get back to it for about 8-10 hours, and probably won't have sat down in that time except to speak with patients.

Janiie · 08/05/2024 20:21

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 08/05/2024 20:17

That's part of the obesity issue, even things that are often the "best" option in places like hospitals (and airports, etc) are still unhealthy.

Well i still think a smoothie is better than a Mars bar. So hcps, get a packed lunch bag/tupperware and some cool packs and get stocked up. It isn't hard really. People have been taking healthy options to work with them for decades. It isn't a new thing.

mhmmmok · 08/05/2024 20:19

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 19:46

I’m currently spending a lot of time in hospital atm as alas my father is dying. Every single vending machine has a healthy option with nuts and nut bars, fruit juice. The cafés have healthy options, fruit juice, smoothies, porridge, salads, wraps etc.

I notice I end up eating a lot of crap at 3am (never struggled with weight though, I would bet my right arm that I'm skinnier than you).

Plus I've never seen a hospital overflowing with fruit and nut vending machines, and I live in an area with objectively the best/biggest hospitals in the country. Crisp and snack vending machines are more likely.

If my doctors or nurses need the nearest available carb/sugar rush to take care of my dying father and lots of other patients on a busy understaffed ward at 3am on night shift (plus I don't know what magic midnight cafe you think is open past 9pm or even 5pm), I don't begrudge them that.

(Not saying nothing should change structurally, but realistically being a dr or nurse on ugly hour call/shift is a bit different from sitting around as a daytime visitor.)

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 08/05/2024 20:17

That's part of the obesity issue, even things that are often the "best" option in places like hospitals (and airports, etc) are still unhealthy.

Janiie · 08/05/2024 20:14

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 08/05/2024 20:12

Those things are full of sugar and likely UPF, they wouldn't really help anyone lose weight.

Better than crisps and chocolate which is apparently all every other nhs vending machine is full of 🙄

CheeseSandwichRiskAssessment · 08/05/2024 20:12

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 19:46

I’m currently spending a lot of time in hospital atm as alas my father is dying. Every single vending machine has a healthy option with nuts and nut bars, fruit juice. The cafés have healthy options, fruit juice, smoothies, porridge, salads, wraps etc.

Those things are full of sugar and likely UPF, they wouldn't really help anyone lose weight.

Janiie · 08/05/2024 20:11

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I have worked in the nhs. You take in packed lunches and don't live off crisps from the vending machine. Why do you need telling this?!

I don't despise fat hcps but it isn't the government's fault or work stresses fault it's theirs for not planning ahead and taking in healthy options.

ChishiyaBat · 08/05/2024 20:08

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 20:05

Nothing to do with high ground, just facts about what is actually available. As you ask I don’t eat junk food any time of day.

Well I can tell you now the hospitals around here don't have snacks that are healthy, plus like @BurnoutGP says you'll take whatever you can get on a 5minute break(if you are lucky) at stupid o'clock in the morning!

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 20:05

BurnoutGP · 08/05/2024 19:58

At 3am? Seriously the moral high grounding here is fucking outrageous

Nothing to do with high ground, just facts about what is actually available. As you ask I don’t eat junk food any time of day.

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 20:02

@daliesque It would be good if people understood that being overweight is complicated. That it is a mixture of genetics, lifestyle, environment and age (most of us are in our 40's and 50's). That fat bashing doesn't actually motivate people to lose weight but instead makes people feel like shit. That actually we do deserve to be taken seriously as intelligent and educated people. That we deserve nice clothes and nice partners. But no, we are the scourge of the earth and we deserve being patronised and are just targets for rudeness.

No-one has said anyone is the scourge of the earth. I have sympathy with weight issues particularly for EDs as they effect a lot of young people. But I am also concerned about a major public health problem. If we don’t find effective strategies to tackle it at a societal level the population will get ever fatter and die ever younger. The link between obesity and genetics not strong - monogenic obesity is rare and the general consensus is that obesity is multi factoral - ie results from complex interaction between multiple genes, diet, lifestyle, environment.

WhenYouHearTheRain · 08/05/2024 20:01

If we had proper break times so we could walk over to the canteen and have a healthy nutritious meal instead of heading to the nearest vending machine for crisps and chocolate. Then we would all be healthier.

Why can’t you take in healthy food from home?

BurnoutGP · 08/05/2024 20:00

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BurnoutGP · 08/05/2024 19:58

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 19:46

I’m currently spending a lot of time in hospital atm as alas my father is dying. Every single vending machine has a healthy option with nuts and nut bars, fruit juice. The cafés have healthy options, fruit juice, smoothies, porridge, salads, wraps etc.

At 3am? Seriously the moral high grounding here is fucking outrageous

Janiie · 08/05/2024 19:56

'I'm another fat doctor. Oncologist here. I know that overweight and obesity accounts for 20% of preventable cancers and if I ever had the time and the headspace and the motivation I would like to do something to reduce my risk. But until the government fixes the NHS (pause for hysterical laughter) so my colleagues and I (and we have nurses, doctors, HCAs, AHPs, admin and management of all shapes and sizes) can have a shorter and less stressful day where we don't have to tell patients that if their cancer had been diagnosed earlier then we could save their lives but as it is they are stage IV and have a few months. If we had proper break times so we could walk over to the canteen and have a healthy nutritious meal instead of heading to the nearest vending machine for crisps and chocolate. Then we would all be healthier.'

'Until the government fixes the nhs'. Seriously you couldn't make this up. Take some responsibility and take a healthy packed lunch! stop blaming the government, the job etc etc and if you must use vending machines choose the healthy options.

MsLuxLisbon · 08/05/2024 19:51

YANBU. It reminds me of when Therese Coffey was briefly Health secretary. You couldn't make it up.

daliesque · 08/05/2024 19:47

nocoolnamesleft · 07/05/2024 22:20

I'm a fat doctor. I comfort eat to cope with the stress of the job. And, honestly, the OP can do one.

I'm another fat doctor. Oncologist here. I know that overweight and obesity accounts for 20% of preventable cancers and if I ever had the time and the headspace and the motivation I would like to do something to reduce my risk. But until the government fixes the NHS (pause for hysterical laughter) so my colleagues and I (and we have nurses, doctors, HCAs, AHPs, admin and management of all shapes and sizes) can have a shorter and less stressful day where we don't have to tell patients that if their cancer had been diagnosed earlier then we could save their lives but as it is they are stage IV and have a few months. If we had proper break times so we could walk over to the canteen and have a healthy nutritious meal instead of heading to the nearest vending machine for crisps and chocolate. Then we would all be healthier.
Interestingly none of my patients seem to care that the doctor in charge of their chemotherapy is overweight.

It would be good if people understood that being overweight is complicated. That it is a mixture of genetics, lifestyle, environment and age (most of us are in our 40's and 50's). That fat bashing doesn't actually motivate people to lose weight but instead makes people feel like shit. That actually we do deserve to be taken seriously as intelligent and educated people. That we deserve nice clothes and nice partners. But no, we are the scourge of the earth and we deserve being patronised and are just targets for rudeness.

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 19:46

Janiie · 08/05/2024 19:42

'When nurses routinely work lots of overtime, have no time to get something healthy for lunch/only have access to vending machines or fast food while they eat at their desks,'

You take a packed lunch. Sandwich, fruit and a smoothie it's very easy. All staff rooms have fridges and microwaves. There is no need to live on fast food or eat at desks. I worked shifts for years when younger never lived on fast food or vending machines.

I’m currently spending a lot of time in hospital atm as alas my father is dying. Every single vending machine has a healthy option with nuts and nut bars, fruit juice. The cafés have healthy options, fruit juice, smoothies, porridge, salads, wraps etc.

Mirabai · 08/05/2024 19:43

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Hmm… professional..

Janiie · 08/05/2024 19:42

'When nurses routinely work lots of overtime, have no time to get something healthy for lunch/only have access to vending machines or fast food while they eat at their desks,'

You take a packed lunch. Sandwich, fruit and a smoothie it's very easy. All staff rooms have fridges and microwaves. There is no need to live on fast food or eat at desks. I worked shifts for years when younger never lived on fast food or vending machines.

BurnoutGP · 08/05/2024 19:41

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