SKILL #: Measuring and recording weight of client

What are beginning steps before beginning any procedure?

Identify yourself, your name and title

Identify the resident

Wash your hands

Explain the procedure to the resident. Speak slowly, clearly, and directly. Maintain face-to-face contact whenever possible.

Provide privacy for the resident, with a door or curtain.

Remember to ask the resident about his or her preferences during care, and to promote resident’s rights and safety during care.

STEP 1:

Before helping the patient onto the weight scale…

ENSURE THE PATIENT IS WEARING SHOES OR NON-SKID SOCKS

STEP 2:

AFTER YOU KNOW THE RESIDENT HAS NON-SKID SOCKS OR SHOES… BEFORE HELPING THEM ON THE SCALE..

ENSURE THAT THE WEIGHING SCALE IS BALANCED AT 0

STEP 3:

Once you know the weighing scale is balanced at 0…

HELP THE RESIDENT STEP ONTO THE CENTER OF THE WEIGHING SCALE

ALSO MAKE SURE THE RESIDENT IS NOT TOUCHING OR LEANING AGAINST ANYTHING

STEP 4:

Now that the weighing scale is balanced at 0 and the resident on the weighing scale…

TO DETERMINE THE RESIDENT’S WEIGHT, YOU WILL MOVE BOTH THE SMALL AND LARGE WEIGHT INDICATORS UNTIL THE BALANCE BAR BALANCES

STEP 5:

Now that the bar is balanced, now what?

NOW, once the bar balances, you need to read the two numbers shown on the small and large weight indicators.

Add these two numbers together. That is the resident’s weight.

STEP 6 (FINAL STEPS):

Now that you’ve got the resident’s weight, now what?

• Help the resident off the scale before you record the weight.

• BEFORE RECORDING THE MEASUREMENT, WASH UR HANDS

• RECORD THE RESIDENT’S WEIGHT

• PLACE CALL-BELL BY PATIENT’S BED

• WASH HANDS

• RECORD THE WEIGHT