A Maximum BMI for nurses

[soapydopeybubbles]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/10/21/how-public-thinks-nhs-should-change/

According to the Telegraph one of the most popular ideas for improving the NHS is to have a maximum BMI for nurses. This is from the website set up for suggestions but also continues in the comments for the article.

I'm a neonatal nurse and I am classed as obese. I wear L/XL scrubs and I'm a dress size 14-16.

Does the public honestly think that I'd be a better nurse if I was thinner? Or, as written in the comments, if I wore a cap and apron, had no tattoos and didn't dye my hair?

I'm a large woman but I'm pretty sure I wasn't magically better and making up complex medications, changing ridiculously tiny nappies and resuscitating sick newborns when I was rather thinner than I am now.

I can see why people might have the opinion that if we're giving out health advice we should lead by example but it's mainly the doctors giving the advice and the nurses doing the hands on caring.

I just don't understand why there seems to be such a focus on how a particular staff group looks, rather than the actual issues in the NHS.

AIBU?

I did find the it funny when a nurse much bigger than me did my 40+ check up and was asking me about my weight/lifestyle choices. A bit like when we get a fat slimming world leader. But otherwise it doesn't matter.

Bmi is such shite. Could I give a fuck if the nurse treating me is obese? I mean, I might have found it ironic if I’d had a massively overweight nurse for my bariatric surgery. As it happens, the nurse doing my pre-op had had the surgery. I was delighted to talk to someone irl who could tell me the process from the pov of a patient.

I was almost 24st, obviously physically limited and I don’t care what anyone says, nobody is happy at that weight, they’re kidding themselves if they say so. As a morbidly obese person, I don’t think overweight models are a great idea, I don’t mean clothes models, particularly, although I suppose it’s pointless looking at size 10 model showing clothes that then look like shit on a bigger person. (I’ve dropped 6 dress sizes and 10st6 so far)

I don’t think being so huge impeded my career, I’ve had promotions, never had issues getting a job but I’m not in a particularly physical role. As pp have mentioned, BMI is unrelated to talent at your job, or being intelligent/interesting/a nice person, but I think fat people are often demonised. Very unfortunate for a mainstream paper to publish this.

Oh yes the overweight nurse who kept me sane and held my hand while the doctor was struggling to take a lumber puncture and I was screaming out in pain as he made the 3rd attempt hitting nerves yet again ... the nurse who advocated for me when I couldn't take any more and told him it would have to be done under x-ray... that nurse...

She'd have done the whole job so much better if she'd been a size 10.. feel cheated now

Also definitely going to file a complaint about my epilepsy nurse. She seems too be extremely knowledgeable about my neurological problems, has worked hard at stabilising my dose and explaining the gobbledygook of the consultant and always answers my emails within 24 hours or less.... but she's a f*cking size 16 AT LEAST...

And you’d probably find it equally - or more - patronising if she had a wasp waist and killer pins if you’re that easily rubbed up the wrong way.

This.

The Telegraph has gone particularly rabid of late, trying to stir up division and upset in any number of groups.

Scroll on by.

Think what positive differences you have made to peoples lives compared to them.

What about a minimum BMI? If they're going to get fussy then say everyone must be in the 'healthy' range. Yeah, that'll help recruitment.
A nurse needs to efficient, compassionate, professional and obviously very resilient. They do not need to resemble a model or professional athlete.
In fact a lot of MH nurses tend to be a bit bigger. I guess partly as sometimes they do need to safely restrain people who could be getting violent/absconding etc. or maybe it's just coincidence.
Either way I'm delighted that anyone wishes to take on the career of nursing. Whatever shape or size they might be. If they're literally too big to move then they would probably not be able to do many clinical tasks. So may not pass the training. But that's the case for anyone very large in a physical job.

I don't think I said I don't follow it.

I said she doesn't.

It's a bit ridiculous when the patient doesn't need the advice, but the nurse really does and is oblivious.

Well said. I do find it irritating when posters insist on making up a best case scenario which is clearly rubbish.

I’ve been a nurse for years and I’ve yet to meet a nurse that is so obese they can’t do their job properly.

It should be more of a concern that so many nurses are overweight - why? Becuase they don't have time or energy to shop or cook? Because they are paid badly and can't afford an organic veg box? That they do 12+ hour shifts and rely on sugar fixes to get them through?
It's not ideal have any workforce being overweight. But surely it is a sign of a workforce on their knees!

As with every single one of these "public consultations/opinions" I have never ever in my entire life actually been asked to complete any sort of questionnaire or share my opinion on things like this. I am also yet to meet anyone who has. They speak to a few hundred people, churn out an article and brand it public opinion.

Do I care if medical staff have tattoos: no
Do I care what BMI medical staff treating me are: no
What do I care about with regard to medical staff: that they are trained, on the ball and they are nice

Of corse you are not obese size 14-16. And thank you for what you do for all of us.

Well giving nurses meal breaks and access to healthy food would be a start. If you can't have a break and your only option is to grab a bag of crisps or a chocolate bar from the vending machine, you aren't going to be slim and fit.
I did my training in a teaching hospital where we got meal breaks and the hospital canteen was open 24/7. Food was freshly cooked and affordable.
In subsequent years and various hospitals the staffing levels decreased, shifts got longer, meal breaks became rarer and food was only available at limited times and the only option overnight was the vending machine. Nowhere to store a packed meal, even if there was a chance to eat it.

This is my view. If you cannot do your job properly that needs to be discussed firmly by an employer. Most obesity is due to lifestyle factors, so choice, even if person initially unaware of how that choice impacts the body, does need to be looked at. In the same way that other legal non-healthy lifestyles are eg drinking, smoking

The comment above about night/other/shifts and the access to "grateful" donations of sweets, biscuits and chocolates rings very true. And happens in other industries eg education. So many overweight staff (and so overweight that they take the lift rather than walk or stairs). So what can employers or staff do? A restrictive no thanks would not be appropriate (gift given graciously by a family); they presumably go into a shared staff workroom anyway.

Tattoos and coloured hair are choices but don't impact ability. That was referenced in comments. So can be ignored!

I heard it on Radio 2 on my way to work on a children’s intensive care unit. It made me cry and I’m not even overweight.

I’m sure she is not oblivious. I’m sure she is painfully aware that you are sitting there sniffily thinking exactly this but she professionally continues giving you the information you are entitled to.

If it bothers you so much, why not just blurt out “ you’re fatter than me” if that’s what is eating you up about it.

If I'm going to be completely honest, I wouldn't want any health professional caring for me who didn't take their own health seriously.

I'm a health professional myself and whilst I'm not holier than thou about it, I do try to take good care of myself by watching what I eat (most of the time!) and exercising regularly. I strive to set a good example to myself, my colleagues and the patients I work with. I take pride in myself and pride in my job.

As a society, we've normalised over eating, snacking, and being a couch potato. We all have a responsibility to look after ourselves. There's a shocking amount of obesity in this country, it's so worrying.

I know my view is in the minority and there will be about 50 posters piling on me any second to tell me about their 20 stone sister who is 5 foot tall and works 60 hours a week as a paramedic and runs marathons every weekend and how awful I am for judging people on weight.

No. What's ridiculous is posters like you who rush in to denigrate a professional whose job it is to look after and educate you. If you're following the advice because you trust that it's right then there's no issue, is there?

This 'news' article has brought them all out. PP was right, the public are so, so dumb.

This is spot on. At the very minimum staff should be able to store a packed meal (so of their choosing) in a fridge.

Good old Torygraph.

They want the NHS to fall over and die. 2 of my best friends are nurses, both are over a size 18, and both are reliable competent and excellent nurses that have stuck with the NHS regardless of the dogshit pay and conditions for 10+ years. They deserve better

The NHS is the biggest employer in the U.K. yet does not do enough to harness that power in support of its staff to offer similar benefits in terms of health support to that which private companies offer. There is no standardised approach to discounted gym membership for example, nor is there a gym on-site at every location. I worked for a large Acute Trust in London who currently have over 23k staff. One of their hospitals had a gym that could comfortably house a maximum of 15 members of staff at any one time.

There was little to no provision for staff to store food, let alone heat/cook food for their breaks. In fact, we kept getting evacuated because staff were smuggling in a toaster and it kept setting off the smoke detectors. If they were working during the day they could use the cafeteria but of course this wasn’t available to night staff. Equally the offering in the canteen was hugely variable and healthy items weren’t ringfenced for staff so it was a first-come-first-served approach for staff, patients and visitors alike.

Then add into the mix changing shift patterns and your body clock being all over the place…

The people making these ridiculous comments need to shadow medical staff for a week to understand how easy or difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle when faced with these restrictions.

@Chipsandcheeseandgravy I don't believe you. If you end up in A&E after a serious accident are you going to refuse care from someone you decide is unhealthy or too fat? Will you really not want their care? Will you accept it if it's lifesaving or would prevent serious consequences?

I just don't believe that you genuinely mean that.

We've lost sight of what a healthy nurse is.

It’s just prejudice in lieu of meaningful, constructive, useful ideas. Right wing press love that shit and love amplifying it. Sick.

BMI is such an outdated practice.
My BMI is currently 28 and apparently im overweight.
I’m 5ft 7, size 10/12, I have quite a stocky muscular physique and I’m quite active yet in the eyes of the NHS I’m overweight 🤷‍♀️