Would you pass this physical?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I just got home from my pre-employment physical. I expected them to take urine for a drug test and maybe blood. And I expected them to listen to my heart and lungs and ask a few questions but I wasn’t prepared for what they put me through as far as strength and agility.

I was asked to perform all sorts of flexibility test.

Can you put your palms on the floor.
Can you clasp your hands behind your shoulder blades(one elbow pointing to the ceiling, one elbow pointing to the floor)
Repeat this series of maneuvers showing how flexible your shoulders are–reach up, arms out to side, clasp hands behind back, lean forward and raise arms with hands clasped as far as you can.
Can you get your forehead on your knee.
Let me see you do a push-up, a sit-up
Lying flat on your back hold your feet together off the ground for a count of 20(this made my belly quiver)
Get down one knee, stand back up, repeat with other knee
Squat then stand.
Balance on each foot for 30 seconds holding heel as close to buttocks as possible, you may extend other arm for balance.
Lie on your belly, hands flat at your sides, raise feet off ground as far as you can; without changing position raise your head and shoulders off the table.
Demonstrate the correct way to pick up and transfer weights up to 50 pounds in 10 pound increments.(ie a milk crate was placed on a table at waist height. I was to pick up the crate, pivot and place it on the floor to my right then lift it back off the floor and replace onto the table. Then I did it with 20lbs in it, then 30, then 40, then 50.

I couldn’t get my head on my knee but I could almost place my palms on the floor. Overall I think I did fairly well. I was even complimented on my flexibility.

I have never been asked to do these sort of things for an employment physical. I was told that since this hospital was a level one trauma center, all clinical nurses had to be evaluated for fitness. I don’t know what happens if you can’t do everything. I’m just glad I passed. I start orientation Monday. I can’t wait. :smiley:

So how would you do on these tests?

2

Congrats on passing that physical, Mermaid! Good luck at the new job.

That’s a pretty tough physical. I work in the environmental field, which means doing emergency response sometimes, so I’ve got to go through yearly physicals myself. I’d estimate the toughest physical I’ve ever been through was about half as thorough as the one you describe. You’d think they’re certifying you to do the next Eco-Challenge or something. :slight_smile: (But for someone in the health-care field - I’d agree, fitness is extremely important.)

And as for:

This would pretty much make ANYONE’s belly quiver - it’s pretty tough.

P.S. To answer your ending question, probably pretty well.

3

Can you put your palms on the floor.
Without bending my knees? Not a chance.

Can you clasp your hands behind your shoulder blades(one elbow pointing to the ceiling, one elbow pointing to the floor)
Nope - there’s a good foot between my fingertips.

Repeat this series of maneuvers showing how flexible your shoulders are–reach up, arms out to side, clasp hands behind back, lean forward and raise arms with hands clasped as far as you can.
My arms don’t seem to get much past horizontal, even if my eyes are level with my knees.

Can you get your forehead on your knee.
Oh oh… I can see a pattern developing here.

Let me see you do a push-up, a sit-up
Yay!! Ralf can do these!

Lying flat on your back hold your feet together off the ground for a count of 20(this made my belly quiver)
And this…

I think I can do most of the rest of these, but I’ve never been anywhere near able to do that #1 “clasp your hands behind your back” thing. I just don’t bend that way. Maybe it’s time to take up yoga?

Congratulations on the job, though!

4

Those are supposed to be difficult? The lifting might, if there were more reps, or more weight.

No, the reason I don’t pass physicals is because my heart goes “Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub. dammit. Line?!”

5

Sadly enough, yes.

I was pretty flexible back when I was practicing martial arts and I haven’t lost that much over the years.

6

It wasn’t a physical. It was an IQ test. They wanted to see if they could get you to do all that crap without telling them to stick it. Since you did it, you will make a perfect employee.

7

That’s what I’m saying. Doesn’t seem like much of a physical test to me.

I’m military tho’, and we’re held to a much higher standard than that every day.

8

[sub]That sounds concieted doesn’t it? Sorry if I offended. [/sub]

9

Can you clasp your hands behind your shoulder blades(one elbow pointing to the ceiling, one elbow pointing to the floor)
Yeah, this is pretty easy.

**Can you clasp your hands behind your shoulder blades(one elbow pointing to the ceiling, one elbow pointing to the floor) **
Actually, I can grasp my wrists this way. But my shoulders are sort of double jointed.

Can you get your forehead on your knee.
cough I could if my belly were in the shape it used to be.

Let me see you do a push-up, a sit-up
I can but I won’t be happy about it.

Lying flat on your back hold your feet together off the ground for a count of 20(this made my belly quiver)
Without wetting my pants?

10

Can you put your palms on the floor.

No.
Can you clasp your hands behind your shoulder blades(one elbow pointing to the ceiling, one elbow pointing to the floor)
Repeat this series of maneuvers showing how flexible your shoulders are–reach up, arms out to side, clasp hands behind back, lean forward and raise arms with hands clasped as far as you can.

Yes.

Can you get your forehead on your knee.

Yes.

Let me see you do a push-up, a sit-up

Yes and yes.

Lying flat on your back hold your feet together off the ground for a count of 20(this made my belly quiver)

Yes.

Get down one knee, stand back up, repeat with other knee
Squat then stand.

Yes, yes and yes.

Balance on each foot for 30 seconds holding heel as close to buttocks as possible, you may extend other arm for balance.

Yes.

Lie on your belly, hands flat at your sides, raise feet off ground as far as you can; without changing position raise your head and shoulders off the table.

Yes.

Demonstrate the correct way to pick up and transfer weights up to 50 pounds in 10 pound increments.(ie a milk crate was placed on a table at waist height. I was to pick up the crate, pivot and place it on the floor to my right then lift it back off the floor and replace onto the table. Then I did it with 20lbs in it, then 30, then 40, then 50.

I think I could just about handle this one:)

So how would you do on these tests?

I’m decently fit, I think.

11

Maybe I’m not as strong as I used to be, but I thought 50 pounds is a lot to lift when it’s so concentrated. This is equivilent to roughly 6 and 1/2 gallons of water. You try putting 50 pounds in a milk crate and moving it from table to floor and back again. I would never attempt to do that alone if I could help it. I guess those flexibility tests are not very difficult but it is hardly something I expected to be asked to do. I’m not doing manual labor after all.

But believe it or not, I know a lot of nurses my age and younger who would be unable to do many of these moves. Especially if they have a bad back or knees.

12

I know I couldn’t. I’ve got bad joints and I’m really out of shape. Of course, since I don’t need to be able to do any of that, I’m not going to lose any sleep.

Robin

13

Did a few just to be sure, they’re all pretty easy except clasping hand behind my back one elbow up one down. I’m not even close on that one. I’m guessing it’s a female thing and I’m excused by my massive biceps.

14

I can do almost all of these except I can’t quite get my forehead on my knee. Clasping my hands behind my back with one arm up and one arm down was a little tough at first but I coudl do it.

15

Can you put your palms on the floor.
One at a time, not both together, unless I’ve stretched first
Can you clasp your hands behind your shoulder blades(one elbow pointing to the ceiling, one elbow pointing to the floor)
Yes
Can you get your forehead on your knee.
Easy
Let me see you do a push-up, a sit-up
My arms are really weak for push ups. I didn’t get all the way up with the sit up, but I can do plenty of stomach crunches.
Lying flat on your back hold your feet together off the ground for a count of 20(this made my belly quiver)
Not too hard
Get down one knee, stand back up, repeat with other knee
Squat then stand.
Yes, fine
Balance on each foot for 30 seconds holding heel as close to buttocks as possible, you may extend other arm for balance.
Fine.

Overall, my flexibility is fairly good, but my strength isn’t so hot.