© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Measuring Height and Weight Unit 21

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Objectives Spell and define terms. Understand why accurate weight measurements are important. Describe the proper use of an overbed scale. 2

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Weight and Height Measurements Changes in weight are frequently used as an indicator of a patient’s condition Baseline measurements of height and weight –Are usually obtained upon admission –Are usually noted on the Kardex 3

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Weights –Frequently measured when patients are given drugs to increase their urine output 4 Weight and Height Measurements

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Weight is an indicator of the patient’s nutritional status Measurements of weight and height –Record accurately according to facility policy –Medications may be ordered according to each patient’s size 5 Weight and Height Measurements

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Height measurements –Feet (′) –Inches (″) –Centimeters (cm) Weight measurements –Pounds (lb) –Kilograms (kg) 6 Weight and Height Measurements

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Scales Upright scale Mechanical lift with scale Sling scale Chair scale Wheelchair scale 7

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Reading the Balance Scale For an accurate value –Balance bar must hang freely when you begin Lower bar –Measures in 50-pound increments Upper bar –Measures in ¼-pound increments 8

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Reading the Balance Scale Short, numbered lines –Represent even-numbered pounds Long, unnumbered lines –Represent odd-numbered pounds 9

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Reading the Balance Scale Add the values of the upper and lower bars together Refer to Figure

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Reading the Balance Scale 11

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Obtaining the Height Measurement To obtain the height value –Read numbers at intersection of ruler and scale frame –Refer to Figure

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 13 Obtaining the Height Measurement

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Measuring the Bedfast Patient Straighten the bottom sheet so it is free from wrinkles Make a small mark with your pen on the sheet at the top of the patient’s head 14

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Measuring the Bedfast Patient With the tape measure, carefully measure the patient’s body from the head to the heels –Make a mark on the sheet at the heels Turn the patient on his or her side –Measure the distance between the marks on the sheet 15

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Measuring the Contracted Patient If the patient is contracted in the fetal position –Obtain height in two or three segments –Position patient in side-lying position 16

© 2016 Cengage Learning ®. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Measuring the Contracted Patient Measure from top of head to waist Measure from waist to behind knees Measure from behind knees to bottom of heels –Write down all numbers Add all numbers to obtain total height measurement 17