[diprivankt]

Hi there. Looking for opinions and experience with bariatric patients. Of importance- are there set numbers of staff required to "turn and position" pt's whose weight exceed 350 lbs? All and any responses welcome. Thanks( Our ICU is starting next week to admit these post op patients and not one word on the care expected from us)

[TraumaQueen]

Generally takes 4 of us to turn, or pull up the bariatric patients, two on each side.

We very rarely get the bariatric patients in our ICU. They go to the floor unless they have complications in surgery or respiratory distress afterward.

Originally Posted by diprivankt

Hi there. Looking for opinions and experience with bariatric patients. Of importance- are there set numbers of staff required to "turn and position" pt's whose weight exceed 350 lbs? All and any responses welcome. Thanks( Our ICU is starting next week to admit these post op patients and not one word on the care expected from us)

[traumaRUs]

A no lift policy is absolutely the best - safer for staff an patients. We have a lift team because our hospital does a lot of bariatric surgery and we have a real winner with this idea.

[diprivankt]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. i AGREE THAT BARIATRIC PT'S SHOULD GO TO THE FLOOR. UNFORTUNATELY OUR 253 BED"ALL PRIVATE ROOMS" HOSPITAL DOES NOT HAVE DOORWAYS THAT ALLOW PASSAGE OF BIG BOY BEDS...NEVER MIND OUR SURGEONS FEEL THAT THESE PT'S NEED ICU POST OP. WE, AS ICU STAFF ARE CONCERNED AS THEY OFTEN DOWN SIZE OUR STAFF AND WE WONDER HOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THESE PT'S.