Weekly weights

achot chavi · Nov 30, 2008

Don't you just love that family knows best ....

Furwillfly · Dec 2, 2008

We weigh weekly upon admit for 4 weeks, then 2x a month until the dietician and I go over the weights and mutually decide to change to monthly. I am in charge of the weights.

What I do to make it easier is split all weights up between day and evening shift. I highlight the resident's name on the Bath list on a week to week basis if they need weighed that week. And noc shift weighs wheelchairs q 3 months.

They go back to weekly/2x month if they loose weight per our protocol, or nutritional risk, or like you said any increase in a diuretic.

I think you should come up with a plan that is reasonable and present it to your staff. Good Luck :down:

ktwlpn, LPN · Dec 2, 2008

Do all of you do weekly weights on all your residents? We were until I came along and changed the policy to fit the state regs: weigh on admission then for 4 weeks and if stable, weigh once a month. Well...the dietician is up in arms saying that's not enough...the medical director suggests once a week for 6 months!!! and weekly with anyone on a diuretic. Let's be real, people. I'm on a diuretic and my weight is stable. I can see weekly weights with a NEW order for a diuretic but some of these people have been on the same dose for years. Why aggravate people with needless work?? What do you all think? I'm thinking the dietcian thinks we'll get rid of her if we only do monthly weights. We will always have some people who need to be weighed weekly but everyone?

Good for you-stick to your guns.Our monthly weights are to be done with the first bath of the month-they are completed in a more timely manner so the dietitian has the info abd since they are done on the shower chair in minimal clothing they are way more accurate. We also have a policy regarding a significant gain/loss and we use a great flow sheet.If the resident loses or gains 5 lbs or more then we have to notify family,the physician, and the dietitian after the nurse physically goes to the scale with the resident and cna and checks a re-weigh. The nursing home is just that-their home.Even our CHF'ers are stable enough that daily weights are unneccesary .Every now and then some cardiolgist will order daily weights or a doc will order it usually because he's ticked off about something and wants to retaliate at the staff but it's very in-frequent.There are other indicators that we can look for that are more accurate (like a BNP and a head to toe assessment)

It is hard to overcome that mentaltiy of "well we have always done it this way"