Patient weighing: Improving patient care and management through regular weight measurements

Bijaya Giri, Zafran Zathar, Imran Ghangro

Background

Regular weight measurements are a simple cost-effective intervention that can improve patient care and management.

We designed a QIP to review local adherence to national and international weight measurement guidelines and develop strategies to overcome barriers to regular patient weighing.

Methodology

Aims

1. Assess the frequency of weight measurements in an inpatient acute ward

2. Develop strategies to improve frequency of weight measurements.

PDSA methodology was followed and eligible patients who met criteria for at least once weekly weight measurements (as per guidance from European Society of cardiology1, British society of Gastroenterology decompensated care bundle2, and NICE nutritional support for adults3) were included. The study was conducted over 7 months period and intervention was done in the form of educational focus groups and poster on the ward.

Pdsa 1

• Are inpatients having weight measured?

Pdsa 2

• Retrospective study of all patients over 30 days period.

• How often were weight measurements done compared to guidance?

• Targeted teaching to medical and nursing teams

Results

• Check if intervention had any difference

• Retrospective review of newly admitted patients over 45 days

• Compare data from PDSA1 and PDSA2 cycle.

• Focus on improving frequency of weight measurement.

Eligible patients that had at least one weight measurement improved from 17/21(81%) in PDSA cycle 1 to 33/35 (94%) in PDSA cycle 2. However, the frequency of weight measurements was suboptimal. Mean weight measurements across both cycles were once weekly. Despite national guidance, only 5/17 (29%) in PDSA cycle 1 and 5/33 (15%) in PDSA cycle 2 had the appropriate frequency of weight measurements per week.

Learning points

- We were successfully able to improve the likelihood of a patient having weight measurements done in their inpatient stay.

- Collaborative work between medical, nursing and allied health professionals was integral to our success.

- In future PDSA cycles, we will aim to increase the frequency of weight measurements through bedside charts and improved accessibility to patient weighing scales.