Avoiding “negative impact on patient care” (Clarkson, 2012)
“Inconsistencies in recording patient body weight, as well as using inaccurate or inappropriate weighing equipment, can have a negative impact on patient care” (Clarkson, 2012)
Whilst doing the obligatory market research and analysis for our brand new bed weigher, the M-950 Bed Weighing Scale, we came across this article in the Nursing Times.
The M-950 Bed Weighing Scale was primarily introduced after receiving a lot of feedback and requests from hospitals and care homes, both in the UK and internationally (in fact, our first M-950 pre-order, before we’d even started product development, came from South Africa). However Liz Evans’ Nursing Times piece makes it starkly clear just how important it is to weigh patients- whatever their condition or mobility - immediately, and then regularly.
One in four patients admitted to hospital is already malnourished, so accurate weighing throughout their stay with you is essential. Incorrect weighing, or not weighing at all, increases the risk of misdiagnosis.
The Nursing Times piece also lists five key points for when it comes to patient weighing:
- Recording the accurate body weight of a patient is a fundamental part of nutritional screening
For the safe and accurate prescribing of drugs, measuring body weight is vital
Any weighing scale used for the prescribing of medication should be Class III approved
Every weighing scale should undergo a calibration check at least once per year
All staff should be trained on how to use the weighing equipment correctly
Liz Evans also points out that any scales that fail calibration (or are not at least Class III approved) should be replaced as soon as possible. Of course, hospital or care/nursing home scales should now weigh in metric only.
We know that weighing of some patients is not easy, particularly bedridden patients, which is where the M-950 Bed Weighing Scale comes in. It’s lightweight, easy to use, and has a preset tare - meaning you can pop the four low-profile pads under the bed wheels, and only the patient is weighed.
Therefore, you can weigh a new patient while they are still on a stretcher or in a bed - and you can weigh bed-bound patients without having to take them out of their bed, or even out of their room.
We’re currently offering demos of the M-950 - so if you would like to see it in action, let us know and we will visit you in the coming weeks.