AM daily weights - Standing scale vs. Bedscale

[abbaking]

All of our beds have bedscales, but upper management insists on waking all the patients up at 6am and stand on the scale for daily weights.

This is one thing that bugs me - patients who are frail, weak, in pain, or ortherwise exhausted are told to hustle it and stand up every morning.

In all honesty, if a patient is so weak or has pain issues or is at risk for a fall, my nursing judgement comes into play and I tell the CNA to utilize the bedscale.

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

When I was a CNA I worked a lot of nights. The worst part was waking the patients up at 5-6AM to weight them. Our beds had the ability to take weights but we were told to always get a standing weight. Reason: the bed scales were always off. WAY off. If your bed scales are accurate I don't see a problem with using it for some of those hard to get out of bed patients.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

All of our beds have bedscales, but upper management insists on waking all the patients up at 6am and stand on the scale for daily weights.

This is one thing that bugs me - patients who are frail, weak, in pain, or ortherwise exhausted are told to hustle it and stand up every morning.

In all honesty, if a patient is so weak or has pain issues or is at risk for a fall, my nursing judgement comes into play and I tell the CNA to utilize the bedscale.

The only reason I can see for NOT using them is inconsistent amount of linen, which can add up in a hurry- or if removed, look like incorrect loss....If there was some consensus about taking off all sheets and blankets over the patient, and only having a bottom sheet and pad EVERY day, then maybe she'd agree to let the ones who are puny stay in bed..... on the other hand, if they can get up even with help, the mobility is going to do them a lot of good- even if it takes another person to stabilize them..... jmo :)

I remember the days of bed scales that hung the poor souls over the bed like flopping mackerels....but at least we didn't have the linen weight issue....and, we could make the bed with the patient still swinging in the breeze.

[loriangel14, RN]

We have daily wts but daily can mean anytime. I don't see the rational for waking people up at that hour to be weighed.The frail ones get weighed on the chair scale. You just put them in a wheelchair and push the chair onto the scale.Afterwards you weigh the chair empty.We also have mechanical lifts that have weighing function on them.You just put the sling under the person and lift with the machine until they are off the bed a couple of inches.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

We have daily wts but daily can mean anytime. I don't see the rational for waking people up at that hour to be weighed.The frail ones get weighed on the chair scale. You just put them in a wheelchair and push the chair onto the scale.Afterwards you weigh the chair empty.We also have mechanical lifts that have weighing function on them.

Yeah, but for consistency, and more accurate info, they need to be the same time every day- and preferably before meals.... I've always agreed with the time... even when I've been the one hauled out of bed- LOL. :)

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I have no issue waking people up at night. I just group my cares. Wake em up, get their weight, do some meds, I and O's, just several things. We too have the bed scales and the docs prefer standing weights too. The main reason: consistency. I can tell you for a fact the beds are rarely zeroed, the weight is not done with the original linens on it. If they are weak and frail like suggested, I do my best to get an accurate weight but if not I report that I was unable to and hope they get it during the day.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Long argument at our facility. The bed scales are never correct and if we find them off, we are suppose to switch beds and put that one out of service. Not easy to do when census is high. I wish we could just get them OOB. It would be a lot easier.

[kellbell23, BSN, MSN]

I understand your frustration. I would try educating them early on in the shift. Tell them "I"m going to weigh you early in the morning for accuracy. It will just take a minute..."

Do you weigh ALL of your patients daily or just CHF, renal etc..?

[StrwbryblndRN]

If I can get them standing, then I use a standing scale. But there is always going to be a pt that is unable to get up. If a bed scale is available I try and make use out of it if possible. Otherwise I make a note of pt stability and reason for no weight. Safety first.

[DookieMeisterRN]

If our pts can't stand than they are consistantly weighed per the bed scales. But if they can stand at all than it's up to the standing scale when they get their 0600-0800 vs. Our CHF'ers, COPD'ers, TPN/Tubefeeds medical tx is based on an accurate daily weight.