Does my resident have the right to refuse getting weighed?

[Ev1987]

I have a resident who on average weighs over 300 pounds. She has an order by the NP to be weighed every morning before breakfast. I have to transfer her from the bed to a wheelchair, and then weigh her on the big scale in the utility room. This process takes a lot of energy for her to complete. It normally takes me 25-50 minutes (no lie) to get her out of bed, weighed, and then repositioned back in bed. Today, she told me that she was feeling tired and sick, and that she didn't want to get weighed this morning. I reported this back to my nurse, and she tells me that the resident still has to get up and weighed. I go back into my resident's room, to inform her of the bad news. She asks me, "Well, don't I have the right to refuse?" and I say "I would assume so."

Afterwards, I go to my nurse supervisor and tell her the situation. She says to me "She has to get weighed today. She has an order." After a few minutes, I now have the nurse supervisor, two floor nurses (mine included) and my fellow co-worker assisting me in getting this resident weighed. Despite all the help, it still took us 35 minutes to complete the task from start to finish. Along with being morbidly obese, my resident wears oxygen and loses her breath easily.

During the whole ordeal, I was under the impression that my resident had the right to refuse getting her weight done today. Not entirely, just this morning. She was willing to attempt getting weighed tomorrow. If the resident's have the right to refuse medications and treatments, then why couldn't she refuse getting her weight done today?

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Residents have the right to refuse anything they choose. I am a nurse in LTC and on many occasions the CNA's have approached me to tell me so-and-so doesn't want to get out of bed today, wants to go to bed early, doesn't want to go to physical therapy, doesn't want to have their shower, will take shower but doesn't want hair washed, won't take shower but will allow full bed bath..doesn't want to be weighed and the list goes on and on.

In each case I have to go speak with the resident. Maybe there is a reason for the refusal. Perhaps, something that I/we can do that will make the resident more willing to do whatever it is they are refusing. Many times we can't change their minds. The treatment/care that the resident refuses is charted by me with any reasons they give for refusing and any solutions or alternate things I/we offered in place of the refused one.

Long story short, yes your resident had a right to refuse to be weighed. Although I can't answer why your nurse and the supervisior all decided that she couldn't refuse.

[Ev1987]

Thank you for your response. I assume my nurse, along with the supervisor didn't want to face any disciplinary actions by higher management.

[yousoldtheworld]

She definitely had the right to refuse.

This is one of the things that has always bothered me. It's not as much of an issue now, but when I worked in geriatrics, it happened all the time.

I wish I had worked with more nurses like CT Pixie in the past, because most of the time, when I would report a resident refusing something, whether it be getting up for breakfast, a shower, etc., I would be told "You have to do it" and that was that. I always hated forcing a resident to do something they did not want to do, especially when they would be saying "IT IS MY RIGHT TO REFUSE" and all I could say was "I was told we have to". Those nurses never went down to talk to the resident and made it clear that I would face disciplinary action if the task wasn't completed.

[elkpark]

As long as she has not been found incompetent by a court, or is currently considered temporarily unable to make decisions for herself by the treating physician(s), she has the right to refuse/decline any treatment she chooses.

[Ev1987]

She is alert and oriented x's 3. She knows what the deal is. Even though she's about as confused as I am about being forced into doing something she doesn't want to do. The nurses's attitudes have been 'I don't care what she says, get it done!' The whole thing makes me feel and look bad.

[systoly]

The patient most certainly had and has the right to refuse to get weighed. The nursing staff has the duty to inform the patient of possible consequences of refusal, but in the end, the patient has the right to assume that risk as we all, as competent and emancipated adults, assume risks every day of our lives. I believe, given the very brief history, I would make every attempt to motivate this patient to get out of bed (without causing fatigue) and get some exercise, but as far as the weight is concerned, I'd be lobbying for a bed scale (fat chance huh?).

[Zalan]

NVM my post

[Queen Tiye, CNA]

not only does the patient have the right to refuse, but it's battery to touch a resident against their will. she can sue and win.

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

this patient has a right to refuse anything....however, the nurse should have went and explained the importance of obtaining the weight. patients need to know the significance of the things like this. to them its just a weight to us it is a significant item that can tell a great deal about a persons condition.

[tencat]

Yes, she DOES have the right to refuse. Is she being weighed because she has CHF? If that is why, then that's a good reason to insist she do it as it can tell how much fluid she's retaining, but she needs to know the reason behind it. If it's just because the NP wants a daily weight......so??? WHY? She isn't going to go from 330 lbs to 125lbs overnight......

[Sally Lou]

Ditto tencat. She must have CHF.

I would question if there was an easier way to do it. Lots of places now have the scale built in the bed or have a portable type scale (looks almost like a hoyer lift) and she wouldn't need to transfer or anything.