Hello, fellow nurses

I just happened on to this board. How nice to find a WLS board with other nurses. It doesn't look like the board has been very active. Do others still want to keep this board going? I'm wondering how Bob did with his surgery. I was interested in the responses to the Nurses should know better post. I think the worst criticism I got about this was my own self-depracating remarks. I kept telling myself that I should be a better role model, etc. I never felt any significant discrimination in the hospital setting - there seemed to be overweight nurses at every level. But when I worked for my church as a parish nurse, comments were made at my evaluation indirectly hinting that it was hypocritical of me to write and teach about health. Of course, this was from an all-male personnel committee made up of lawyers. We all have our stories to tell, eh? Kathy

Hi Kathy, I am new to the RN board as well, but I was so excited to find it. I guess we are all too busy trying to nurse the world, that we cannot find time to visit here. Like you, I am my own worst critic. The hospital where I work performs LAP-BANDs on a surprising number of people considering the size community we have. So, the hospital as a whole is extremely open, though I think secretly they are trying to make it the least overweight hospital in Texas! Several nurses that I know have had this procedure done and are experiencing giant "losses". I am currently pending insurance approval, so I should know something in a week or so. Kristen

Kristen, Congratulations on taking this life saving step. Good luck with the insurance approval. I am an RN of 11 years and had lap RNY on 1-26-04. 9 days post op I had lost 22 pounds. Have not weighed since but will weigh on 2-25-04 at my 1 month follow up appointment. I am so looking forward to weighing (I used to DREAD the scale!!!!). Sandy

I am so glad there is an area for RN's. I have not told the people I work with yet. Our secretary had WLS done and they commented about it for a long time. Most of them did not think that it was a healthy thing to do. They are all thin though. I work as an Occupational Health Nurse in an industrial setting. I do hands on in one of my jobs, and only case management and wellness in another. I have had some say that I am hypocritical teaching health because I am overweight. It is good to see RN's with good results and positive comments!