Sister

Let us analyze the algorithm for measuring body weight as one of the mandatory manipulations that a nurse of any profile should own. Body weight is determined for diagnostic purposes to assess physical development and evaluate dynamic changes in the patient's condition.

Indications for determining body weight:

• monitoring the physical development of a child, adolescent or adult;
• detection of deficiency or excess of weight;
• detection of hidden edema;
• observation of the dynamics of weight in the course of treatment of the cardiovascular, genitourinary, endocrine systems;
• admission of the patient to the hospital;
• doctor's appointment.

Contraindications to the procedure for measuring body weight:

• serious condition of the patient;
• bed rest.
• Equipment:
• medical scales;
• clean disinfected oilcloth;
• latex gloves;
• disinfectant container.

Mandatory requirements for the procedure for determining body weight in adult patients:

• Weighing is carried out in the morning, on an empty stomach, on different days - at the same specific hours.
• The patient must empty the bladder and bowels before weighing.
• The patient should only wear underwear.

Stage I. Preparation for the procedure

• We warn the patient about the upcoming procedure, explain the purpose and conditions of preparation for weighing.
• We release the shutter of the scales, set the weights in the zero position and balance the rocker.
• We close the shutter.
• We cover the scale platform with prepared oilcloth.

Stage II. Performing a procedure

• We put on gloves.
• We invite the patient to carefully stand in the center of the platform on an oilcloth, without shoes.
• We inform the patient about his estimated weight.
• We move the kilogram weight to the value that the patient reported.
• Open the weighing shutter. We move the weights until the balance of the balance beam is established.
• We close the shutter.
• We ask the patient to get off the weighing platform, being careful.
• We take the readings of the scales, fix the result in the accounting documentation.

Stage III. End of procedure

• We invite the patient to get dressed and go to the ward.
• We remove the oilcloth from the scale platform into a container with a disinfectant solution.
• Take off your gloves and dip them in a container with disinfectant.

Usually, the body weight measurement algorithm is simple to implement. However, the nurse must clearly know him so that in practice there are no difficulties.

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