1 / 16

Weighing Patients for diagnostic purposes

Weighing Patients for diagnostic purposes. Staff toolkit. Background. Scales used in hospitals became subject to regulation in 2003 In 2008 a project to determine how many scales complied with the regulations was carried out: It found that many hospitals were not training staff well

cordell
Download Presentation

Weighing Patients for diagnostic purposes

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Weighing Patients for diagnostic purposes Staff toolkit

  2. Background • Scales used in hospitals became subject to regulation in 2003 • In 2008 a project to determine how many scales complied with the regulations was carried out: • It found that many hospitals were not training staff well • Those that were training had room for improvement.

  3. Intended outcomes By the end of this presentation you will: • Understand the need for accurate weighing of patients • Recognise appropriate equipment to be used for the purpose • Know basic good weighing practice • Know where to seek advice if you need it in future

  4. Basic Principles • Scales are scientific, diagnostic equipment similar to thermometers or blood pressure machines • They must be used appropriately • Nothing should be leaning against them

  5. Basic Principles 2 • Use only on firm, solid surfaces or floors, not on carpets. Babyweighers should be on a firm shake-free bench • If the scale has a level ‘bubble’, make sure the ‘bubble’ is in the centre of the ring

  6. Basic Principles 3 Some non-electronic scales have a steelyard with moving poises. The correct weight is achieved either by the steelyard being level, or by it hitting the ‘up’ stop or the ‘down’ stop. If you use this type of scale, you need to check the correct operation first.

  7. Basic Principles 4 • The scale must read zero • An electronic scale must be zeroed before each use – the scale manual will detail how to do this. • The patient should be still – either standing, sitting or lying on the scale and shouldn’t be supported or held in any way • Try to minimise the amount of clothing worn and remove shoes as this all adds to a patients weight • If the patient is in a wheelchair, either weigh the wheelchair first, or if there is a ‘tare’ button place the empty wheelchair on the scale, zero, then reweigh with the patient in the wheelchair. • The indication should be stable when the reading is taken

  8. Basic Principles 5 • If standing, the patient’s feet should be squarely and completely on the platform with the patient standing upright. • If sitting on a chair scale, the patient’s feet must be on the footrests (not the floor!) and hands on the hand rests. • If lying on the scales, position the patient centrally and ensure any overhanging limbs are not bearing down on any other surface. Eg touching the floor.

  9. Basic Principles 6 • It is hard to make a baby stay still, therefore extra attention is required when weighing babies • It may also be more challenging to take a reading for uncooperative adults • You need patience with these patients!

  10. Key information • Scales used for diagnostic purposes are subject to regulations • The manufacturers must have them approved before sale • Staff need to learn the following markings to tell if the scales are of the correct type – next page

  11. Approval marks The first three should be present at all times on the scale The red star means the equipment is not ok to use The final marking means a repair has been made – the scale is fine to use

  12. Data plates and digital readings • Scales should have a data plate which gives a serial number and an approval number: • This will give the maximum weight the scale can handle • The plate will give the scale accuracy. Digital scales give readings in steps, for example if the scale division is 50g, then the true weight is within +/- 25g for the reading.

  13. Bathroom Scales? • Fine for domestic use • Not suitable for medical use: • Not sufficiently accurate • Not of a high enough quality • They can be hard to read truthfully

  14. Bathroom or Medical scales? • They can vary with the person’s standing position • They are totally unsuitable for children: • Note the difference between medical and bathroom scales to the right. • They are illegal 14 kg

  15. Right scale, right use • Do I need a sit on or stand on type? • What age will the patients be? • What is the weight of the largest person it will be used for? • Do I need a hoist type? • How accurate does the reading need to be?

  16. Contacts • For further information or training, contact your organisation’s training manager. • Advice on purchasing is available from the UK Weighing Federation website - http://www.ukwf.org.uk/

More Related