I Hate How People Label Us Wls Patients

[chubbymom 10]

Sure is a rough one. I am not one to tattle so Tomorrow I will talk to those nurses. 4 of them. Wish me Luck!

What they did is unethical.... you not reporting it means it can and will happen again. They clearly need training on being sympathetic, ethical and just plain nice.

[hollirrose 249]

I would hate if someone reported me to my boss if I said something they found inapproiate. I have said things that are not quite nice and I sure that most of us have been guilty of this at some point. They didnt say it to the patient and they still provided her would good care? If so, I dont see the problem. Who cares if they think we are lazy and took the easy way out. They have the right to feel that way, ya know?

[swizzly 901]

I woudnt lie (keep it a secret that you had the surgery). If someone does make an insensative remark te best return is "I had the surgry as well but was lucky not to have a complication and end up here under someone's judgemental care". You lose some credibility when you arent upfront and honest.

There is nothing non-credible about not sharing personal information with people who have zero need to know -- it's certainly not lying to choose not to volunteer personal information with people outside your close friends and family. I am not ashamed of my decision (or salary, or sex life, etc...), but I will never be talking about these things in a professional setting. I think it's often a bad idea to do so, actually.

That said, I would ignore those nurses -- you (the OP) are reacting to them cos of your own situation, which as you've said is not out in the open. So I would just let it go, unless you see their actual patient treatment being compromised in some way.

[Ready4success 380]

It's interesting that I'm reading this story, because this same thing happened in my department. A patient over heard some nurses talking about her size, and she was a post-op WLS patient. When it was all said and done, we had to complete 4 hours of sensitivity training, and we lost 1/2 of our Press Ganey bonus, the usual $250 went down to $125. It was enough to piss everybody off, because those bonuses are given around Christmas. Needless to say, we were all on our best behavior afterward, and if someone said something, it was said away from anyone hearing.

[imworthit 156]

Ps I am not lying' date=' I just don't talk about my life. I go to work and am friendly but no social outings or friends at work like that. None of anyone's business at work to know about my personal life.[/quote']

I feel you! I do my 8 and skate:)

[JaspersGirl 147]

I talked to the nurses and said that was bold of them to talk out loud at the nurses station like that. They are lucky a family member or even another patient heard, they would have been reported. They laughed at my concern and said those wls patients need to stop eating so much and go to the gym. I had to walk away. Ignorant!!!

[chubbymom 10]

I talked to the nurses and said that was bold of them to talk out loud at the nurses station like that. They are lucky a family member or even another patient heard' date=' they would have been reported. They laughed at my concern and said those wls patients need to stop eating so much and go to the gym. I had to walk away. Ignorant!!![/quote']

NOW they need to be reported. You gave them an opportunity to show some remorse and they didn't. If you aren't helping to rectify the situation you are essentially a part of the problem.

I imagine this gets me so mad because of my experience just last week. I was in my bed sleeping and my alarms started going off because my saline was empty. This woman came in and said she would get a nurse. I then hear her in the hall way almost yelling..."who has the big one?..the big ones needs help" Needless to say she was reported by myself right away

[JaspersGirl 147]

NOW they need to be reported. You gave them an opportunity to show some remorse and they didn't. If you aren't helping to rectify the situation you are essentially a part of the problem.

I imagine this gets me so mad because of my experience just last week. I was in my bed sleeping and my alarms started going off because my saline was empty. This woman came in and said she would get a nurse. I then hear her in the hall way almost yelling..."who has the big one?..the big ones needs help" Needless to say she was reported by myself right away

what!!! I am so glad you reported them! .............. I would love to work in a weight loss facility, I would be so happy helping others like me.

[atelux17 135]

I agree that these nurses are uneducated & unexposed to the difficulties that the obese face. As the fat nurse i try to educate people, but its hard to relate to people who are a size 2& can barely finish a string cheese& vice versa. Eating habits are deeply ingrained. Some people werent raised with healthy habits. It's not like you can quit eating like you can quit smoking or drinking. I'm a nurse& am Pre-op right now. When I do have my surgery, I have to have the acutely uncomfortable experience of being sent to my unit, being taken care of by my co-workers, & let these people be privy to my medical records. I've heard what co-workers say gastric bypass patients, "just stop eating at McDonald's all the time," " I guess it's OK they took the easy way out,""just eat right & exercise it's not that hard", why not just go weight watchers". That being said I've experienced incredible empathy & support from the few people I've told at work ( not like I can hide it). Many have relatives who they know are great people who just have a weight problem. What I don't understand is why hate on the people who have surgery? These people are trying to get help &go to the drastic &only proven long term method of sustaining weight loss. I've definitely been guilty of saying inappropriate things to let off steam(I'm at the point that if one more person asks me to rub them when I have a trached patient whose O2levels are plummeting I might start screaming). I would try to keep educating your co-workers. Maybe your empathy & wisdom will rub off on them eventually.

[HeyMo35 21]

Get 'em fired.

LOL!!

I would go to their boss, explain what was done and recommend sensitivity training. Wow, so hurtful!

I agree...sometimes i consider it my job to let ppl know when they are being ignorant and stupid! You dont have to tell them what you did but they are nurses..dont they see what obesity does to ppl in the long run? more ppl die from obesity related issues than cancer! Sometimes i dont think my mind is small enough to understand some people!! You do what you gotta do to survive and live you life you want!

And another reason is that that attitude may affect the type of care they give to these patients..its a mind thing! How we think affects our behavior!...

[LizTex2587 212]

I usually find that people who run their mouths like that are really just rude, un-empathectic people talking out the side of their necks! They don't realize or appreciate the incredible amount of COURAGE it takes for someone to change their lives like that! It's not like it's a quick fix! It takes WORK! Shame on them as medical professionals (and I'm using that term loosely) for saying things like that! As for your decision not to tell your co-workers, that is completely ok. It's all about what works for you. I have not had the surgery yet but just about everyone knows that i intend to have it. I have had mixed responses, but most have been incredibly supportive. Personally, I don't care if anyone disapproves of what I'm doing...It's not about them! This is about me being healthy and happy. I see no reason to not be completely open about this kind of thing but that is something to be dealt with on an individual basis and whatever you have decided is perfectly ok! I'm proud of all of us that are being so brave and changing our lives! ...

[JaspersGirl 147]

So we had another admission of a young 30yr old who weighs 350lbs and 5ft 3in, blood pressure was 250/144!!!!!!!! Of course behind close doors the nurses again had to comment rude stuff!! I got fed up and told them off! I said the other Day you were talking bad about the gastric bypass patient and now about this girl!!! You all are saying she needs to loose weight but if she was to get wls you all will still make fun of her! I went on and on about what good nursing is and ethics! I was pissed off! I didn't talk to them the whole rest of the day! The patients room was close to nurses station and the mom heard so she is reporting them!!! I came out looking good .

[Scaredy Cat 92]

Yahoooo!!! Please let us know when their last day of work is!!!

[takroom 192]

They obviously aren't well educated on WLS. If so, they would know this is only a tool & that you have to be anything but lazy to succeed. Maybe I would make a couple handouts just so they know what someone has to go through when they have WLS.

[SweetnCurvy 112]

I work in a hospital and we had a new admission. I was assigned to that patient but I overheard the nurses talking crap about patients with WLS and how lazy they are! The big nurses were saying how they rather die fat than get WLS and have complications in the future. Well I felt bad for this poor patient.... She didn't even know what was being said of her' date=' and she's to trust these women with her life? It hurt me as well!!! They don't know I had sleeve done and this jus why I kept it a secret with my coworkers! I went home Feeling rather depressed. How do you all handle these type of peeps?[/quote']

Lol I dont care what they are calling me as long as I am on my way to being sexy and slim:)....haters gon hate regardless