Worried about Occupational Health checks (weight)

Hiya everyone :smile:

I'm new on here and amazing to see how many people there are and everyone getting their offers! i've had 2 offers to start adult nursing this september which has definitely made me more relaxed about it!

I'm a bit nervous about the occupational health checks though. i'm quite a big girl for my height (5ft 1, and just over 16 1/2 stone) and i'm worried that its going to be brought up as an issue when it comes to having my health checks etc.

Has anyone had any experience with this and know whether theyre likely to raise it as an issue? would really appreciate any advice/help that would help set my mind at ease!

thanks :smile:

Jade xxx

Reply 1

LuigiMario

19

I thought it was mostly to check that you weren't an undiagnosed super-carrier (unknowingly infectious but symptom free) of ebola, or hepatitis ABC..Z, or TB, or SARS or something that we haven't heard of , yellow-lhassa-mongolian-mountain-droop-fever?

I think I heard this whilst chatting to the nursing supervisor at Edinburgh Napier nursing university, but I could have mis-heard

this, mild joking aside, is the thing that I was thinking of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asymptomatic_carrier

Reply 2

Lilith23

4

If it's the same as I had to do to work at a hospital it's just checking immunisations are up to date and that no reasonable adjustments need to be made. I think I provided all records of my prior immunisations and had a few boosters and then just filled in a questionnaire.
At my midwifery interview they mentioned having to have HIV and hepatitis b tests because of the type of role.
I think it would be unlawful for them to reject you based on weight

Reply 3

jadeh18

OP

3

ah hopefully you're both right :smile:

its just that i was looking on the form i need to send back to them and it asks for height and weight which is what got me worried. would be absolutely devastated if i couldn't do the course just because i'm not skinny!

Reply 4

squeakysquirrel

20

Original post by jadeh18

Hiya everyone :smile:

I'm new on here and amazing to see how many people there are and everyone getting their offers! i've had 2 offers to start adult nursing this september which has definitely made me more relaxed about it!

I'm a bit nervous about the occupational health checks though. i'm quite a big girl for my height (5ft 1, and just over 16 1/2 stone) and i'm worried that its going to be brought up as an issue when it comes to having my health checks etc.

Has anyone had any experience with this and know whether theyre likely to raise it as an issue? would really appreciate any advice/help that would help set my mind at ease!

thanks :smile:

Jade xxx

Look - they will not make comments about your weight but you are becoming a health care professional and part of your job is to give patients advice. It may be stating the obvious but you are overweight - your BMI is 43. Nursing is a strenuous job and we are required to be fit and healthy. I am not saying that you are not these things but unless you address this now, you will regret it in later life. And I speak as someone who was once very overweight.

Reply 5

StudentNurseFaye

3

Don't worry. My friend had a high BMI when starting nursing (she's done fabulous and lost the weight now), and it was not an issue!

Original post by jadeh18

Hiya everyone :smile:

I'm new on here and amazing to see how many people there are and everyone getting their offers! i've had 2 offers to start adult nursing this september which has definitely made me more relaxed about it!

I'm a bit nervous about the occupational health checks though. i'm quite a big girl for my height (5ft 1, and just over 16 1/2 stone) and i'm worried that its going to be brought up as an issue when it comes to having my health checks etc.

Has anyone had any experience with this and know whether theyre likely to raise it as an issue? would really appreciate any advice/help that would help set my mind at ease!

thanks :smile:

Jade xxx

Reply 6

jadeh18

OP

3

yeah, i know i'm not skinny, but i don't worry about it as an issue in day to day life. a few people have said to me that once i get to uni, and start with my placements and stuff, the weight will probably drop off me anyway.

Original post by squeakysquirrel

Look - they will not make comments about your weight but you are becoming a health care professional and part of your job is to give patients advice. It may be stating the obvious but you are overweight - your BMI is 43. Nursing is a strenuous job and we are required to be fit and healthy. I am not saying that you are not these things but unless you address this now, you will regret it in later life. And I speak as someone who was once very overweight.

Reply 7

jadeh18

OP

3

thanks, that's really good to hear. and well done to your friend :smile:

Original post by StudentNurseFaye

Don't worry. My friend had a high BMI when starting nursing (she's done fabulous and lost the weight now), and it was not an issue!

Reply 8

Nautilus

17

Before I could volunteer at my local hospital I had to provide my immunisation record, and have blood tests to check for TB and other notifiable diseases.

Reply 9

Ahidkwhattotype

1

Original post by jadeh18

Hiya everyone :smile:

I'm new on here and amazing to see how many people there are and everyone getting their offers! i've had 2 offers to start adult nursing this september which has definitely made me more relaxed about it!

I'm a bit nervous about the occupational health checks though. i'm quite a big girl for my height (5ft 1, and just over 16 1/2 stone) and i'm worried that its going to be brought up as an issue when it comes to having my health checks etc.

Has anyone had any experience with this and know whether theyre likely to raise it as an issue? would really appreciate any advice/help that would help set my mind at ease!

thanks :smile:

Jade xxx

Hi Jade, I hope everything worked out well for you. Can you please tell me if the replies on this question turned out true or not? Did your university care about your weight/ BMI? Were you allowed to do the course? I am in a similar situation to you this year because I have a BMI of 32 and I’m worried my university will not let me start my course. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Worried about Occupational Health checks (weight)

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you