Safely weighing a patient using a chair scale
Making sure that patients in your care remain as safe as possible throughout all procedures is an important task for all hospital staff.
Chair scales are a great choice for weighing patients that have difficulty standing, as the scale can be pushed to the patient's location for safe and convenient measurement.
However, correct procedure should be followed when moving a patient into and out of a chair scale to ensure safety, just like with a standard wheelchair. The most suitable way to move a patient will vary depending on their level of independence and support equipment available to medical staff (ex: handling belts, transfer boards). You should follow the best practices of your hospital for wheelchair handling when it comes to patient transfer.
When it comes to using Charder Chair Scales safely, here are a few additional reminders!
1. Engage wheel brakes
After pushing the chair scale to the patient's location, the castor wheel brakes should be engaged, so the scale remains safe and stable during transfer and measurement
2. Raise armrest
To make it easier to slide/transfer patient from bed into Chair Scale, lift armrests so they're not in the way!
3. Turn on Chair Scale power
The Chair Scale should be turned on before the patient sits in the chair. Weight measurement will be inaccurate if weight is already placed on the platform before measurement. If items need to be placed on the Chair Scale (ex: blankets), be sure to press the [TARE] button to deduct the additional weight first!
4. Place patient's feet on footrests
If patient's feet are touching the ground, this will result in a less accurate measurement (the displayed weight will be lighter than reality).
In addition, when assisting a patient in and out of a Chair Scale, please remember to:
1. Keep your feet in a stable stance
2. Keep weight close to your body
3. Keep your back straight as possible, bending with your knees
Stay safe!
