Measuring Weight
🔍 Skill Overview
Accurately measuring a resident’s weight is an essential skill that helps monitor health status and medication dosing. For ambulatory residents, this procedure requires attention to safety, proper balance support, and accurate documentation. This skill demonstrates your ability to assist residents while maintaining dignity and ensuring accurate measurements.
🧰 Required Equipment/Supplies
- Calibrated standing scale
- Non-slip footwear
- Gait belt (if required)
- Documentation materials
- Privacy screens/curtains
- Paper towels/cleaning supplies
⚡ Key Steps
- Pre-procedure
- Verify resident identity
- Explain procedure
- Ensure scale is zeroed
- Check scale placement (flat surface)
- Ensure proper resident attire
- Provide privacy
- During procedure
- Assist resident to scale
- Ensure proper standing position
- Wait for scale to stabilize
- Read weight at eye level
- Support resident as needed
- Ensure resident’s safety
- Post-procedure
- Assist resident off scale
- Clean equipment
- Document weight accurately
- Compare to previous weights
- Report significant changes
⚠️ Critical Points
- Scale must be zeroed before use
- Resident safety is priority
- Proper balance support
- Accurate reading position
- Privacy maintenance
- Proper documentation
- Report significant changes
✅ Skills Test Tips
- Verbalize scale checking/zeroing
- Demonstrate proper safety measures
- Maintain resident dignity
- Read weight at eye level
- Document immediately
- Show proper infection control
📹 Video Demonstration
Watch our detailed video demonstration below to see proper weight measurement technique in action. This video shows you exactly how to perform this skill safely and accurately for your skills test.