Should Nurses Be Required to Perform Physical Aptitude Tests?

Obesity has become a national epidemic of gigantic proportion. Today's children, teens, and young adults are grossly overweight, and a study published in a CDC Media Relations Press Release written by Secretary Tommy G. Thompson ,HHS,and dated January 21, 2004 states, " Obesity has become a crucial health problem for our nation, and these findings show that the medical costs alone reflect the significance of the challenge."

For decades, nurses have performed as role models for the masses. Now, how are nurses perceived, and on the other hand, validated? How can an obese nurse council a patient on nutritional subjects and living a healthy lifestyle? How does the public perceive this?

While nurses represent their counterparts and society's perception of the field, so too do obese nurses poorly reflect this perception, in addition to showing lack of pride.

Nurses must be aware of how their level of fitness, intelligence, and training affects those under their care. One must wonder how a patient will trust the validity of teaching when it is apparent that the speaker does not heed his or her own advice. The chance of that patient following nurse guided patient education regarding this subject leaves one to doubt.

Nurses should be role models, not just in their professional training, but also in the way they present themselves to the public. Clean, pressed uniforms, a professional demeanor, and communication skills all play an important part of nursing care. If this same professional is fat, unkempt, and unable to perform the physical requirements of the job at hand, there should be restrictions to limit their ability to practice.

Obese nurses put the patients and their coworkers at risk of injury due to lack of strength, inability to perform tedious procedures, and shortness of breath on exertion.

All other fields of public service require that applicants pass a physical exam test: The Armed Services, Policemen, Firefighters, and the public expects them to be able to rescue them from danger and get them to safety. The same standards should apply in the hospital and nursing home industry. Obese nurses cannot perform patient teaching about the benefits of healthy nutrition, exercise, and personal care activities when he or she obviously does not follow those same practices. One must look to the patient and perhaps ask them if they feel confident in the abilities of that nurse. Some may say that as long as those nurses appear otherwise skilled and capable, it is all right. There are many skills required of nurses that have no bearing on size, shape, or color. However, one concern is if in the case of emergency, can that nurse perform hard physical labor, for an extended period of time? If obese nurses can perform all duties required then they should be able to obtain licenses and work, to date, no standards or requirements regarding physical condition have been implemented.
The future of nursing is precarious. The waiting lists of new applicants, more complexity in the job itself, and the shortage of certified nurse assistants, create new challenges and the need for new techniques that ensure adequate patient care. Nursing homes are gearing toward 'Primary Care Nursing', one that requires the nurse to be directly involved in the daily care activities of his and her patients, and not only administering medications and performing treatments. This 'new' breed of nurse must be like those in the days of Clara Barton on the Civil War Battle fields, and be able to lift, move, dress, bathe, and otherwise care for their charges. The public needs this and the public should demand this.
Reference:
CDC Media Relations.(2004,Jan.21).Obesity Costs States Billions in Medical Expenses.
Retrieved June 18, 2006, from http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r040121.htm