Weight Matters: Why RDs Insist, and How We Can Excel Together
By Suki Chu, RDN
Have you ever wondered why your dietitians complain or request weight measurements?
This is because rapid weight change can indicate a shift in medical condition, potentially resulting in costly clinical outcomes, such as extended hospitalization and an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Weight serves as an indicator for dietitians to assess the effectiveness of nutrition interventions and identify patients at risk of malnutrition. Therefore, obtaining weight measurements can prevent these costly clinical outcomes by identifying problems at an early stage, implementing appropriate nutrition interventions, and monitoring their outcomes.
Despite understanding the significance of obtaining weight, how can we ensure its implementation? Here are some options/tips to consider and discuss with the team:
Assign an individual or a group of staff responsible for weighing the residents and documenting the weights in the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system.
If assigning a specific person is not feasible, consider dividing the residents scheduled for weekly weighing among the CNAs responsible for their respective assignments.
Establish a designated day of the week as "weigh day" to ensure all staff members are aware and prepared to assist in obtaining weights.
Develop a weigh sheet for use by all staff or the assigned person, outlining which residents need to be weighed.
Verify that scales and equipment are in proper working order.
After establishing a program, continue to monitor the process and make revisions as needed. Inform your staff that you are actively paying attention to this change. Recognize that each building operates differently, so find the best method that will work for both the staff and the building
