I thought more nurses would be veg....
Posted by nursingveg on Jan 16, 2011 · Member since Jan 2011 · 5 posts
I work in the nursing field and am very surprised as to how few nurses are veg. I only know one, and she isn't veg for ethical or health reasons. You would think that compassionate people would be more likely to not eat animals...
I suppose I am just a little disappointed :(
My sister has been a nurse for about 20 years I think and she's never contemplated a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle... :(
Yes, that is disappointing. :(
Many people feel compassion toward fellow humans, or certain "pet" animals... but don't even give a thought to the suffering of other living beings. I was one of those people that just didn't think about it.
Out of sight, out of mind.
The people that confuse me the most are the "animal lovers" that claim to love every animal, care for animals, train and study to become animal doctors... but then eat animal flesh at almost every meal. I've met a person like that... doesn't make sense at all.
???
Sorry, I'm ranting.
I'm curious... if the other veg nurse isn't veg for ethical or health reasons, why is she veg?
Some people just don't like meat, DC. The woman I used to work for found meat and milk "revolting", which was her word for anything that she had an unreasoned dislike for. (You had to hear her say it to understand the inverted commas. She was the only person I know who could put 4 or 5 syllables into that word.) Unreasoned in the sense that she could never tell you why she didn't like a thing. I don't think she thought about her dislikes, she just reacted.
Many people feel compassion toward fellow humans, or certain "pet" animals... but don't even give a thought to the suffering of other living beings. I was one of those people once that just didn't think about it.
Out of sight, out of mind.
I was someone that simply hadn't thought about it before, and thanks to a girl I was around when I was nineteen, who was a vegetarian, I was made (of my own natural curiosity - she never talked about it) to consider it for the first time and pretty readily accepted the responsibility and negativity or horror that came with it.
What's worse is that often if you do bring it up, or simply respond with your thoughts to someone elses having brought it up; even when they do think about it, they tend to keep a shut mind about it and will go to such lengths and arguments, even throwing away friendship and such in an effort to justify prioritizing their right to pleasure over another things right to live.
That exact interaction is one of the most depressing things I get to experience in life.
I don't think nurses are more compassionate than people in any other profession. I'd bet a lot of them become nurses because there are jobs in the field. I considered becoming a nurse if my sector crashed and I'm not at all compassionate. It was a matter of figuring out a job option where I could get decent pay and reliable work for the least amount of re-training.
Many people feel compassion toward fellow humans, or certain "pet" animals... but don't even give a thought to the suffering of other living beings. I was one of those people once that just didn't think about it.
Out of sight, out of mind.
The people that confuse me the most are the "animal lovers" that claim to love every animal, care for animals, train and study to become animal doctors... but then eat animal flesh at almost every meal. I've met a person like that... doesn't make sense at all.
I think it's just classic human behavior to draw an imaginary line between us, other species, and certain "protected" species like dogs, etc. It's kind of ironic that there are state laws banning animal cruelty, but somehow large industrialized slaughterhouses don't count...
Or how about Veterinarians that aren't veg? I want to become a vet, and I'm a vegan- somehow the love of animals led me to both. I read an interesting article by a vegan vet and she was chastising other vets for ignoring the plight of farm animals.
I don't get it, if you swear to do no harm to animals, then how can you eat one? Where's the justification in that?
I will say that while one of my vets isn't veg, he raises his own chickens free range, organic, which I believe is more ethical. I'm guessing he probably eats them when they stop laying, but I'd rather that then some of the stuff that goes on in poultry farms. (If it would stop all together I'd be happy, :))
I get what you mean about nurses though. My aunt is a nurse, and she and her husband last year raised a great number of pigs, 3 cows, and many turkey for their farm (all of which have been ate or bought by now, and replaced). I would feed some of the pigs carrots, they were so cute! One had a big black spot around his eye. The cows were sweet too, nice furry heads.
Next time I went up there, Oinky and Bessie were gone, :'(
-Alika
I think it's just classic human behavior to draw an imaginary line between us, other species, and certain "protected" species like dogs, etc. It's kind of ironic that there are state laws banning animal cruelty, but somehow large industrialized slaughterhouses don't count...
This. Like in NH and I think many states/countries a dog in a yard must have some means of protection from the elements, such as a dog house (I think it's unethical to leave a dog outside 100% of the time, but maybe if it's a feral dog that can't acclimate to people...) and yet the slaughterhouses can transport hundreds of pigs at a time in open trucks.
Dogs, pigs, if you can do it to a pig, why can't you do it to a dog? Why is something cruel to do to a dog, but normal and acceptable to do to a pig?
It's called carnism. There is a book, which I haven't read yet, which explores this topic. I think it's called why we love dogs, wear cows, and eat pigs or something like that.
With that said I don't think nurses are any more compassionate than anyone else, but even if they are, it would be directed towards humans rather than animals. I have only ever met one doctor who was vegan, no nurses, and one dietitian (although she was not allowed to advise patients to eat vegetarian diet!!)
I know plenty of people who are going into the nursing filed, not necessarily out of compassion for others, but that's where the money is. Some of these people I wouldn't want to be my nurse because I knew them personally and they don't have the greatest bed side mannner so to speak. So that might be why alot of them aren't veggie.
Oh boy!! I'm an RN and a new vegan. What an awesome thread to find! I don't know about you other nurses, but I have my BSN and we were only required to take one nutrition class and vegism was only very lightly touched upon (I actually ended up taking an extra nutrition class because I like the subject so much but at the time I was actually of the anti-veg camp. I had two vegetarian roommates...one of which could be a bit abrasive and I think that helped fuel my staunch opposition to it for awhile). I used to think, "I'm a future nurse who has studied more nutrition than the average so I know what I'm talking about. All these crazy vegs are insane and living with pernicious anemia, etc." Then I started watching films like Food Inc and The Gerson Miracle after I started becoming disillusioned with mainstream healthcare. I realized all my information was coming from those who did not have my or my patients' best interests at heart. I see every day how diet is wrecking peoples health. When I went vegetarian and then very quickly vegan after that, all the nurses I worked with asked me all the usual questions: "Where do you get your protein?" etc. These are NURSES. People who should know that meat is not the only protein soruce. The RD at work was a big help in backing me up even though she's an omni (how can RDs be omnis I wonder???).
One of the nurses asked me the other day while he was loading up a plate with chicken: "Don't you wish you weren't vegetarian so you could enjoy this delicious meat?" Wtf kinda question is tht?? If I wished I wasn't a veg I wouldn't BE one??? Why do all meat eaters imagine that we all secretly miss meat? Sure there might be a transition period where some of us miss the taste for awhile, but the analogues suit me just fine for those times. And I've already begun seeing meat for what it is: dead rotting carcass.
I don't think nurses are more compassionate than people in any other profession. I'd bet a lot of them become nurses because there are jobs in the field. I considered becoming a nurse if my sector crashed and I'm not at all compassionate. It was a matter of figuring out a job option where I could get decent pay and reliable work for the least amount of re-training.
Yeah, at the time and in the place I grew up, girls became secretaries, nurses or teachers. One of my sisters, an aunt and many friends were nurses, and when asked they all said, "You'll never be out of a job. There's always work in nursing." Some had a real vocation for nursing, like my aunt. Others were in it for the salary and steady employment. Of course, the vocation vs. employment situation holds true for just about anything, except maybe sculptors, musicians etc.
I'm a vegan RN! Here's a thread I started a couple of years ago on a nursing forum:
http://allnurses.com/health-stress-management/the-vegetarian-thread-302323.html
New grad nurses are scrambling for jobs right now. There are pockets in various places where there are nursing shortages, but not everywhere. Those without an ounce of compassion doing it only for the money usually drop out of school or fail, and if they stick with it are miserable. The best nurses have some semblence of compassion for others or at least like people, even if doing it for the money.
Sadly this doesn't translate to animals, or even healthy eating. There's an obesity problem in nursing same as the general population.
One of my coworkers is a vegetarian and I've never seen her eat a fruit or vegetable. She eats spaghetti, mac and cheese, cereal bars, cheese sticks, yogurt and those little cheesy fish crackers. She drives me as nutty as the omni's I work with that don't eat fruit or veggies.
Okay, I know this is in Food Fight and you're supposed to speak your mind, but every time I do someone gets offended and says I'm mean or whatever, but here I go anyway...
The vast majority of the nurses I've ever been in contact with are at least 50 pounds overweight, smell like a perfume factory, don't know current medications on the market, and are generally confused when I try to tell them about diet. I know this could just be an artifact of my geographical location (Midwest), because we're not exactly teeming with healthy people OUTSIDE of the medical industry, but I'm just saying. So, everyone can get really offended and tell me how wrong I am. However, I haven't been proven wrong yet. I think it's ironic and sad how unhealthy most nurses are, and I just LOVE when they try and tell me my diet is wrong. I think the hospital industry is so backwards on so many things, including the meals served while in the hospital. We need a complete overhaul of the whole system, and it needs to start at the ground level.
Just my two cents. People can tell me just how wrong I am, starting in 3, 2, 1...
I don't think you're wrong, VR. And I'm glad to see you posting!
As I say, I grew up among nurses, and they were famous for taking treats (high calorie, unhealthy dessert dishes laden with fat and sugar) to the staffroom. I would think being on their feet for most a shift would keep anyone fit, it just tells you how much some nurses are/were overeating.
Okay, I know this is in Food Fight and you're supposed to speak your mind, but every time I do someone gets offended and says I'm mean or whatever, but here I go anyway...
The vast majority of the nurses I've ever been in contact with are at least 50 pounds overweight, smell like a perfume factory, don't know current medications on the market, and are generally confused when I try to tell them about diet. I know this could just be an artifact of my geographical location (Midwest), because we're not exactly teeming with healthy people OUTSIDE of the medical industry, but I'm just saying. So, everyone can get really offended and tell me how wrong I am. However, I haven't been proven wrong yet. I think it's ironic and sad how unhealthy most nurses are, and I just LOVE when they try and tell me my diet is wrong. I think the hospital industry is so backwards on so many things, including the meals served while in the hospital. We need a complete overhaul of the whole system, and it needs to start at the ground level.
Just my two cents. People can tell me just how wrong I am, starting in 3, 2, 1...
No flames from me.
You're not wrong...nurses aren't educated in nutrition. Before we generalize about nurses and obesity, I would like to point out that they probably are not any different than the majority of the population....they bring donuts to work, eat poorly and there's an obesity epidemic. Still it's frustrating that nurses aren't in the forefront.
Before you judge nurses too harshly on not being up to date on medications I'll say, I'm pretty excellent on the medications within my practice...ortho spine med surg. But ask me about the latest cardiac medications, or latest medications for conditions I don't see, and I'll look dumb to me and you'll think I don't know the latest medications on the market, which is true. After we graduate we learn as we go, generally learning completely what we need to know in our practice, and just reading about the rest...which for me goes only into short term memory.
Perfume is banned where I work, so that's not an issue. :)
I don't mean to sound defensive, because like I said the obesity crisies in nurses, and the lack of nutritional education for health care providers is dreadful.
Nurses definitely aren't educated in nutrition. My mother has her Master's in Nursing and works in case management. She eats vegan about 80% of the time and always gives her coworkers the food I make so that they can try it. Other nurses ask her questions like "Where do you get your protein from? How can you be healthy and not eat meat?" I mean really the questions she gets asked are ridiculous. I think doctors and nurses should be required to take nutrition classes since they're so often looked to for advice.
Tweety - that's understandable about having a specialty area. There's so many facets to medicine it's impossible to stay on top of all the changes but I don't think adding nutrition to a knowledge base wouldn't hurt ;)
I REALLY agree that nurses should know much more about nutrition. i don't expect them all to be vegans or vegetarians, but in their field, they should at least understand plant-based diets. i don't see why it's necessary that i have to defend my diet/lifestyle to people in healthcare.
Also, i think personal trainers should know a bit about veganism! i met this trainer at my gym (who was a total jackass), and when i said i was a vegan he was like wtf? and he kinda thought i was crazy, and he was like i don't know how you can get your calories from only eating fruits and vegetables, and then he explained that if a paid for an expensive fitness package, he would train me and teach me good nutrition. :-\
long story short....i did NOT get buy any training sessions.
I personally don't tell my co-workers, or anyone, about being vegan. I don't want to deal with the "Where do you get your calcium, protein, iron, etc." questions. I'm not that patient!
I personally don't tell my co-workers, or anyone, about being vegan. I don't want to deal with the "Where do you get your calcium, protein, iron, etc." questions. I'm not that patient!
That doesn't seem too uncommon though. On one veg forum a bunch of people told me that they tell people they are vegetarians that are also lactose intolerant to avoid the hassle.
Pages