Weekly Weights

Specialties LTC Directors

Published

I am having a hard time getting the nurses to pay attention to getting the weekly weights done. I've told them more than once but for some reason, they think they are too busy. The system is in place....weights on shower day. It's not a difficult concept. Any ideas? How do you all deal with this? I'm really close to just writing them all up.

Because, Brandon, WE have licenses-they don't. If we didn't have them, we'd be doing meds, treatments, assessments,incident reports, calling the MD, dealing with families AND toileting, bathing, repositioning, feeding......

I'd love to assign it to the restorative aides, but I only have 2 for a 152 bed building.

You're right that the licensed nurse is ultimately responsible for everything.

I guess I just wonder why my managers don't just go straight to the aides with complaints about stuff like weights or wheelchair washing. It seems like a waste of time to keep asking me about it.

A key difference at my facility is that the floor nurses aren't given the authority to write the CNAs up. We can write a statement and present it to our supervisors so they can write the aide up. It can be frustrating to be given responsibility over others without the authority to back it up.

I suppose sometimes I just question if every single task done by an aide has to be considered a "delegated" task. Even wheelchair washing? Even recording fridge temps? Some of these things I consider to be more in the realm of housekeeping or something than nursing. (though I guess weekly weights are pretty firmly in the realm of nursing)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

I'm going to make a suggestion, but not sure if it is really appropo. Could you focus on one or 2 of the worst offenders, sit down and get them to verbalize why wts are imp't and not just another thing to get nagged abt. Heart status and nutrition, requirements by licensing agencies.

Don't know if that will help, but, @ least it's one approach. I worked NICU-daily wts were expected, and you better have a dang good reason not to do them. Baby too sick? Bed scales.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

I had a chat with the aides yesterday. A firm chat...not yelling but they got the point.

Amazingly today all the weights were done! Maybe they just need a little push every now and then. I'll see how it goes next week. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

weights are often looked at as just another pia

many floor staff don't realize how important weights are

or what a significant change is over a month et over a 3 months period

i suggest inservices and a program that has incentives as well as consequences

getting the staff to obtain the weights is less than half the battle

getting correct weights is an even bigger challenge

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rehab, LTC, Peds, Hospice.

Honestly, the worst thing about being a long term nurse is being responsible for 'others' work when you have such a hard time getting 'your' work done. It is possible to be buried alive in your duties so much so that you don't even see the care they give. That's frustrating. Being 'charge' in LTC is a position with very little decision making power - always stuck in the middle. I absolutely think that the aides should be held accountable. License or no, they have a job to do, they need to do it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment