There seem to be a few of us nurses here. I was just trying to get a roll call/count going.

So chime in here and tell us who you are. If you want to share more about yourself - where you work, how long you've been a nurse, where you went to school, etc., that would be great too.

One question I do have - if you work with patients directly, do you tell them about lowcarbing, or do you go with the flow and stick with the food pyramid guidelines? I work in a hospital, and I'm pretty sure it violates policy for me to educate about low carb rather than the accepted nutritional guidelines. I do find myself biting my tongue a lot, especially when I see people come in for their 2nd DM related amputation. Sadly, I see a lot of those on the floor where I work.

RN here. First licensed in MA in 1976. Now licensed in NC.

I'm done with clinical work, have been for many years. Right now I work as a QA Analyst for a company that has a web-based program for nurses and case managers.

Nurse here! I am an LPN and work in corrections right now. My passion is psych and now prison work. I get to do SO much stuff that I didn't get to do in other jobs and the pay rocks! I have been a nurse for almost ten years. I am finishing up my RN right now, so life is hectic.

As far as educating patients about low carb...........aargh..........the ADA upsets me SO much! I do get my jabs in BUT, you must be INCREDIBLY careful! You can offer options but you can NOT ethically steer a patient in a direction other than is prescribed.

I was just telling one of the doctors this morning, I would lobby against the ADA IF I didn't think it would get me kilt!

I am in a nutrition class right now that is driving me nutty! I have to bluff my way through it, cuz you KNOW I don't agree!

not an RN yet... i just put my first app in a couple of weeks ago for the spring 08 semester... any advice on school, work, etc...

Hi I am an LPN also and licensed in Nebraska. I do MDS and Care Plans in a skilled Nursing facility. I have been working in long term care since I graduated in 1991. I was a nursing assistant before that. I really enjoy working with the senior population, although some of the resident's we have been getting lately are only a few years older than me.

We have admitted several diabetic patients in the last year that are only in their 50s or 60s who are obese, on dialysis or have wounds that won't heal. Or a combination of all three. This is mainly what has led me to believe I had better get my fanny into gear and lose this weight.

It is pretty crazy and I feel like a hypocrite a lot about not talking about low carb but until something changes I can't risk how I earn my living.

I'm an RN, too! I got my BSN in 1986 and an MS in 1988. I worked in ER, ICU, and CCU. I was a flying nurse (providing relief for understaffed hospital) as well. I've been licensed in Florida, Maine, Texas, Wisconsin, and Illinois (in that order). I took my profession to Africa twice for very short terms.

I worked as a clinic/infirmary nurse at a Christian college and assisted with clinical instruction for nursing students at the same school.

My last couple of years, I worked in advanced home health care. I'd do a couple of visits, come home and nurse my baby, and then do a couple more. :-)

I compressed a lot of states and kinds of jobs into my six years! But it was fun! LOL.

I quit when my second baby was born. I'm no longer licensed and not that interested in working as a nurse in the future--but you never know what life will bring so....

I loved my work! I just didn't love being away from my kids. :-)

Now I'm a homeschooling mom and online bookseller with my husband, Paul. It just suits my family situation better.

I'm a RN--associates degree---practiced in every field imaginable---except peds and ob/L&D

I did traveling nursing for quite awhile I'm currently licensed in Alabama, but have practiced in Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Florida

I had thought about going for my BSN in nursing but have decided to go for a BS in psychology---since I work in the psych field now

I've had some interesting patients over the years

I cared for Eddie Kendricks(Temptations) when he passed away I was in the NICU the night they brought Davy Allison(NASCAR) in---I took care of his dad(Bobby Allison) too at the rehab hospital when he wrecked at Charlotte---Gary Busey(Actor)---after his motorcycle wreck with no helmet--some big hot shot Arabic prince who came for knee surgery---Troy Ackman (quarterback)---Dr J(basketball)

Birmingham has one of the top sports medicine hospitals and rehab facilities in the country---hence all the big name people

I've even done a turn in research---Birmingham has a top notch medical facility (UAB) where they do massive amounts of research---they are best know for their AIDS research

I really like the psych field---with my own history it is a natural for me---will eventually advance and become a psych rehab specialist

I'm a Board member for APSE---association for persons in supportive employment---we work within this state to get disable people back in the work force---I teach workshops on the state and national levels---social workers, job coaches, nurses, and docs are my target audience

I'm an LPN and have worked in hospitals for the last 39 years. I started out on a med surg floor, went to float staff, then to OB for 25 years. Never thought I'd want to leave that area, but about 10 years ago I decided it was time to learn something new and moved to psych. Worked child psych for 5 years and am now on an adult affective disorders unit. When it comes to diet, the hardest patients for me are the diabetics. Even though the diets most of them are on are called carb controlled, they are far from low carb and I hate knowing how much better they would do with fewer carbs. I really do think that over the next 10 years or so we are going to see lots of changes in dietary recommendations. There is just too much research coming out that points to the need to lower the carbs.

I am an RN in NC. I've been a nurse for 27 years and have done all kinds of things. I have a BSN from Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, NC and an MSN from the U. of Phoenix online program. I currently work in home health and although I see patients of all ages (from newborns to 90 year olds) I am involved in a research study on adult patient with neurological disorders.

I am "supposed" to give every patient a copy of the food pyramid, but I don't. I told my director that I don't believe in that pyramid and she asked me to design a brochure which describes the major diet alternatives. I'm working on it. When it's completed we will use it to teach low fat, low carb, and the variations in between. The other nurses I work with are pretty excited about it, because it will be a tool they can use.

I've been encouraged with all the information coming out for diabetics about carb counting and for epilepsy patients about ketogenic diets. I agree that in the next 10 years we will see a lot of changes in therapeutic diets. It's about time!


Peg in NC

Peg, that's great that your director is supportive of your not teaching the food pyramid! I hope you and stilldew are right about the status quo changing in the near future.

I'd love a copy of that brochure when you're done with it, if that's ok with you. I'd have a hard time giving a fair treatment to low-fat eating - there's just so much wrong with it...

Can you believe there are SO many of us in this one spot!!?? If only ALL nurses could understand the truth about good nutrition!

Peg that is awesome that you have been able to make such a difference in policy---WTG----
don't forget the ketogenic diet is also good for psych disorders too---especially Bipolar---just look at how many epilepsy meds are given for bipolar disorder---so it is no stretch of the imagination to know that a dietary approach that works for epilepsy will work for BP too

I just visited Kimkins and found a thread under Kimkins Chatters about how to stop the hate. It asked for suggestions on changing the plans to make them healthier. I added these suggestions. I'm sure there are many more ideas that could be added, so if you can still post, you might want to add your comments. Of course if all these changes were made, I don't suppose the members would really be doing Kimkins anymore, so they might as well come over here.

"I would like to see some information included in the plans discussing the need for Omega 3 fatty acids in the diet. For example here is a link with good information.
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

Maybe a suggestion that if a person eats less than 3 servings of fatty fish a week such as salmon that they include another source of Omega 3's such as flax seed oil or fish oil supplements.

I would also like to see documented information about there being no such thing as the starvation response. I think some individuals such as myself find that after a few months of very low calorie dieting it becomes very difficult to lose on even as low as 500 calories and that eating even 800 calories may cause a weight gain. After 3 months of Kimkins, It has taken me a number of weeks to get my metabolism back to a point that I can eat even a 1000 calories a day without gaining. Maybe a suggestion of a week or 2 of metabolic re-adjusment every few months would be a good idea. That way when goal is reached, it will not be so difficult to get the pounds off.

Many low carb plans also recommend taking potassium and magnesium supplements especially during the first week or 2 of low carbing when you are losing lots of fluids rapidly to prevent electrolyte inbalance. Maybe even the suggestion of adding a little extra salt to the food if dizziness is a problem.

Lack of calcium in the plans is also a concern to me. Most mulitvitamins don't contain nearly enough for the average woman. Maybe a suggestion of getting at least 1000 mg a day or something like that?

And how about a simple way to calculate your miniumum daily requirement of Protein so that everyone is eating at least enough to repair and maintain their bodies."

Hey, Everybody! I've been a RN for 22 years. Worked in Med-Surg, L&D, OR, Home Health, and, currently, ER (my favorite).

Our ER has a lot of the same folks returning over and over because of no PCP. We are their doctor, so to speak. They comment on my weight loss and I do tell them about low carb. I don't push the low fat issue. I suggest the healthy fats. The, only, sad thing is they aren't serious about giving it a try. Well, I'll keep encouraging by setting a good example.

I exercise, as well as low carbing, and I feel great!

Lana

karishma, I would love to share a copy of the brochure with you. In fact, your request will motivate me to get going on it. Peg