Turning Patients

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I know this sounds cruel but has anybody not turn a morbidly obese patient because they could not get help? I know we are suppose to be the patient care advocates, however, we need to watch for out health first and I am not willing to risk a severe back injury to turn a 300+ person myself! :dzed: I just get sooo mad when I see these patients that are severely obese and are taxing the resources of the hospital staff and health-care system. :mad: Sometimes I think it is all when can do just to make an obese patient comfortable!! Just ranting here but want some opinions from fellow nurses. I'm a relatively new RN and I don't know if I can stay in bedside care if this is the future of our patient care population!:banghead: PLEASE GET SOME EXERCISE AND STOP EATING SO MUCH FAST FOOD AMERICA!!!:hdvwl:

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Specializes in ICU-CCRN, CVICU, SRNA.

Lol, yes. Well we can do as much as we can, but I personally do not have a magic wand to turn them if no one is available. The good thing is that we can order bariatric beds that turn them. These beds are pretty good in helping the pneumonia but do little to prevent pressure ulcers. So when you get all your nurses make sure you really do good skin care. Sometimes the logistics are that we can not do certain things-do not blame yourself.

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Luckily we have a lift in two or our rooms, but it is definitely an across the unit, team effort, to turn these pts. I find it hard to be empathetic sometimes. Last time I asked a pt about what he does/where he eats outside of our very acute unit, and he said how he was a restaurant reviewer and started talking about the best cheese steaks and calzones in the area. Seriously? Its too bad their neurotransmitters/hormones are all screwed up from that obesity and they crave that food, but having to tape hot packs to my lower back sucks. I don't see the demographic projections changing too much

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I've found myself asking "How big are they" during report when I get a new patient I've yet to have. It's nice to hear that they're so tiny you can turn them and bathe them yourself without any strain lol.

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Ugh, I feel ya. I wouldn't dare try to turn em myself. I don't like attempting to do 175 lbs on a vent by myself. Its a team effort. Or orderly if you are in a pinch and just CANT find someone. (I know, I know. They get annoyed with it sometimes).

Its hard to feel compassion when they are bedridden at home and 500lbs. How do they even get food with such limited mobility??

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Specializes in CVICU.

Well first off I would never think about attempting it myself or with two people. Probably need at least 3. It can be hard to have empathy for these people since it seems like often times they are more demanding than most patients. I never let it show that they are annoying me since I do realize that I am in no position to judge.

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I utilize the rotation feature built into our beds. Putting a pillow under these people is pointless since they just flatten the pillow anyway. Really, there's just so much you can do.

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Specializes in ICU-MICU & SICU.

Wow....I let out a giggle to this because I've felt the same and never have said anything. At my hospital we have bari MAX beds that are suppose to turn huge patient but my manager insist that the beds turn the patients but doesn't lift their butt, so technically they can get breakdown. Then my manager rounds just to make sure you're turning these 400 pound patients. I'm like get real! These patient's are on air beds. If they are too big and get breakdown then so be it. Using those lifts take 30 min to get out and maneuver and you still need someone else. They are really useless sometimes.

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^ I think I remember management saying once that we were still supposed to turn when they are on a turning bed. Some of them are used more for lung issues, not skin breakdown. It still shifts the weight though (right?). Butt touching a air mattress, butt touching a pillow. Much difference? Beats me

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.
Wow....I let out a giggle to this because I've felt the same and never have said anything. At my hospital we have bari MAX beds that are suppose to turn huge patient but my manager insist that the beds turn the patients but doesn't lift their butt, so technically they can get breakdown. Then my manager rounds just to make sure you're turning these 400 pound patients. I'm like get real! These patient's are on air beds. If they are too big and get breakdown then so be it. Using those lifts take 30 min to get out and maneuver and you still need someone else. They are really useless sometimes.

If management has the time to hound you about turning each time, they better push up their sleeves and get in there and turn the patient to see what you are going through.

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.
^ I think I remember management saying once that we were still supposed to turn when they are on a turning bed. Some of them are used more for lung issues, not skin breakdown. It still shifts the weight though (right?). Butt touching a air mattress, butt touching a pillow. Much difference? Beats me

It defies logic to me. When you stuff a pillow under them you are putting a flat pressure-point-inducing surface on top of a continuously moving surface that reduces pressure points. So basically you are creating a regular hospital bed on top of a bajillion dollar air fluidized bed. :uhoh3:

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Specializes in ICU-CCRN, CVICU, SRNA.

Well the pillow hypoteticaly should not touch the coccyx and they sould be turned enought to have the butt suspended in air..lol, sure, I would need 10 pillows for some of these people and even then..

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