In class I learned about the struggles that come with losing weight. For some it is a little bit easier to lose and for others it is extremely hard. The biggest thing I learned during the video and in life is that in order to lose weight you have to be dedicated but you also have to learn to love yourself big or small. Of course diet and exercise are key but i believe weight loss has a lot to do with one’s mind set.
This concept very much applies to being a student nurse. Often when people know you are a student nurse, or even a nurse, they trust your medical advice. Even just being a student nurse for a few months people ask me all sorts of questions. These questions create opportunities to teach others about the importance of nutrition, diet and exercise. I believe that education plays a major role in people’s ability to lose weight. During my service learning project I’d really like to take the opportunity to teach about nutrition and obesity.
The other thing that i think applies to my student nursing experiences is sensitivity. One of the men on the video talked about fat prejudice. I’m not sure I’d say that it's prejudice and much as it is stereotyping and judging, which maybe that is what prejudice is and I do just not understand the meaning. Even though I’m not the skinniest in the world, I’d probably even be considered overweight, when i see those that are obese i catch myself judging them before i know them. It's important that while i get rid of the stereotypes because as i treat patients i will encounter obesity and i need to understand that it's harder than it looks and that it's not always because they are lazy and don't eat right. Another subject i would like to do while teaching for my service learning project is to get rid of the fat stereotype. I want to show people that there is a real person underneath all that fat. There is a person that deserves respect, support and love from everyone around them.
Because obesity has become a national crisis, as a future nurse i will encounter many that are in the overweight category. The best thing I can do as a nurse is to educate my patients on nutrition and proper diet and exercise. But it's also important that as i attempt to teach that i am sensitive to the patient. Most know they are overweight and are just overwhelmed with the fact. Just telling them they are overweight and leaving it at that is only going to frustrate the patient and give them a reason to avoid the doctor’s office. In order to truly help our obese patients we have given them hope and support. One of the doctors on the video was a good example of support. When he was talking with the young man that wanted to have surgery he was supportive of him. He explained that his weight was getting dangerous but he also told of his struggles and experience. Sharing his experience helped his patient know he is not the only one struggling and that there are success stories out there.
As health care professionals we need to be our patients support and cheerleaders. No one can lose weight and stay successful in their weight loss if they do not have the support of everyone around them. Nurses have a special relationship with their patients. Most patients trust their nurses and rely on them. In that role nurses need to be positive and supportive of their goals in weight loss. They also need to be helpful when relapses occur. It is hard to diet and exercise and it is even harder when everyone makes you feel like a failure. It's important to help them overcome the failure and see the positive. Another role i believe nurses have is that because of their relationship with the patient they can help the patient make reachable goals. They can also help them plan out ways to meet those goals.
No comments:
Post a Comment