1 / 67

Essential Skills for Medical Assistants: Height and Weight Measurement Techniques

This chapter focuses on the critical skills a medical assistant must master for accurately measuring and recording patients' height and weight. Understanding these measurements is essential for assessing nutritional status, determining medication dosages, and monitoring child growth patterns. This guide covers the procedures for positioning and transferring patients, using various scales, converting measurements, and the importance of accuracy in these evaluations. Essential safety and privacy protocols are also highlighted to ensure a professional healthcare environment.

lacy-faulkner
Download Presentation

Essential Skills for Medical Assistants: Height and Weight Measurement Techniques

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Chapter 20 Medical Assistant Skills

  2. Skills Lab • Measuring height & weight • Chapter 20:1 • Procedure 20:1A • Positioning Patients • Chapter 20:2 • Procedure 20:2 • Positioning, Turning, Moving and Transferring Patients • Chapter 21:2 • Procedure 21:1 A, B,C, D, E, F

  3. 20:1 Measuring/RecordingHeight and Weight • Use: to determine if a patient is overweight or underweight • Height & Weight charts are based on averages • Must be accurate • When and why measurements are required ? • Daily weights are commonly taken in hospitals– why? (continued)

  4. Height & Weight • Measurements: • are routinely performed on admission to hospitals, LTC, doctors visits • Provide Information needed for performing and evaluation of certain laboratory tests • Calculation dosages of certain medications— • In all children • In all complex intravenous drip medications • In all IV TPN or total parenteral nutrition

  5. Height & Weight • Height, weight, head circumference: • Monitored frequently in children due to rapid growth • Commonly compared to the National Center for Health Statistics ( NCHS) growth graph • Goal it to identify early growth and developmental conditions in children • Plotting a child’s HT & WT allows the physician to check their G & D to percentile averages of other children their same age

  6. Measuring/Recording Height and Weight (continued) • Basic procedure for infant weight • To evaluate nutrition & growth • Basic procedure for measuring height of infant • To evaluate abnormal growth patterns or genetic conditions • Measuring infant head circumference • To identify hydro or micro cephalic conditions • Measuring infant chest circumference • Recording growth graph

  7. Measuring/Recording Height and Weight (continued) • Wide variety of scales • Recording weight • Adult weight scales • Both lbs. & kg are used however– kg is the standard • Infant weight scales • Recording height • Height bar on adult scale (continues)

  8. Height & Weight • Height & weight charts are used as averages • A 10 % deviation in chart to patient is considered normal • Head circumference > 95 percentile is classified as hydrocephalus • Must be accurate– always recheck all calculations

  9. Equipment • Use the same scale for accuracy • Make sure the scale is balanced • Weigh at the same time each day • Wear the same amount of clothing • Patient should empty bladder before weight is taken

  10. Weight Conversions

  11. Convert the following to kilograms: • 120 lbs • 176 lbs • 200 lbs • 350 lbs • 34 lbs • You must DIVIDE by 2.2 kg to perform this conversion

  12. Convert the following weight to pounds: • 75 kg • 100 kg • 25 kg • 99kg • 145 kg • You must MULTIPLY by 2.2 to perform this conversion

  13. Notes on Weight • Most people are weight conscious • Make only positive statements when measuring all patients • Remember to Ensure patient privacy at all times

  14. Types of Scales • Weight Bar Scales

  15. Types of Scales • Wheelchair Scale

  16. Types of Scales • Bed Scales

  17. Types of Scales • Bed with Scale

  18. Types of Scales • Infant Scales

  19. Height Measurement • Assessed in older adults to assess for osteoporosis • Patient safety must always be considered • Observe patients closely • Prevent falls and injuries

  20. Height Conversions • 1 inch is equal to 2.35 centimeters (cm) • You must MULTIPY by 2.35 to perform this conversion: • Convert the following to cm: • 60 in • 45 in • 25 in • 75 in • 18 in

  21. Height Conversions • You must DIVIDE by 2.35 to convert cm to inches. • Convert the following: • 95 cm • 120 cm • 50 cm • 18 cm • 145 cm

  22. Student Assignment/ Skills Lab for 20:1 • Complete worksheet for 20:1 • Students will then perform Height & Weight measurements on each other

  23. How to Weigh a Patient: • Assemble equipment • Wash hands • Prepare scale • Zero the scale • Greet & introduce self • Check patient ID • Explain the procedure • Patinent should remve shoes, jacket, purses, and all other heavy objects

  24. Continued: • Ask patient to step onto the scale • Move the large 50 pound weight to the right until the balance bar drops on the lower guide. Move this weigh back one notch • Move the smaller weight until the balance bar swings freely between the lower and upper guides • Assist the patient off the scale

  25. How to Measure a Patient: • Raise the height bar • Assist the patient back onto the scale with is back to the scale • Instruct the patient to stand erect • Move the bar until it reaches the top of the patient head • Read the measurement in cm and inches • Elevate bar • Assist patient off the scale • Perform any necessary conversions • Replace equipment and wash hands

  26. CONVERSION ANSWERS • 54.5 KG • 80 KG • 90 KG • 159 KG • 15.4KG • 165 LBS • 220 LBS • 55 LBS • 217.8 LBS • 319 LBS • 141CM • 105.7 CM • 58.7 CM • 176.2 CM • 42.3 CM • 40.4 IN • 51 IN • 21.2 IN • 7.65 IN • 61.7 IN

  27. Positioning Patients

  28. 20:2 Positioning a Patient • Patient must be positioned correctly for variety of examinations, tests, and procedures • Wide variety of positions used • Patient may be on a bed, examination table, surgical table, diagnostic table, or treatment table • Know how to operate all equipment before using it with a patient (continues)

  29. Positioning a Patient(continued) • Reassure patient • Fully explain to the patient what you are going to do and why • Assess patient for any distress • Observe all safety factors to prevent falls and injury • Use correct body mechanics to prevent self-injury (continues)

  30. Positioning a Patient • Never expose a patient during any exam or procedure • Door should be closed and curtain drawn • Properly drape/cover patient to ensure privacy but at the same time allow proper access for examination

  31. Positions • Horizontal recumbent or supine position • Pt is lying flat on their back with legs slightly apart • One small pillow is under the head • Arms flat on the side of the body • Patient drape is always used • Used to examine or treatment of the front part of the body

  32. Horizontal Recumbent or Supine

  33. Prone Position • Used to examine or treat the back of the patient • Patient lies on his or her abdomen with head turned to either side – a small pillow may be used under the head • Arms may be flexed at the elbow or positioned on either side • Drape is always used

  34. Supine vs. Prone

  35. Lithotomy Position (continued) • Lithotomy position • Used for gynecological examinations- vaginal, PAP tests, urine catherizations, cystoscopy exams and surgery of the pelvic area • Position on the back • Knees separated and flexed and feet are placed in stirrups • Arms rest at the sides • Buttock at the lower end of the table/bed • Drape is always used

  36. Lithotomy

  37. Dorsal Recumbent Position • Dorsal recumbent position • Similar to Lithotomy but patient has feet on the bed not in stirrups • Knees are bent • Feet flat on the bed • Draping is always used • Do Not Confuse with HORIZONTAL RECUMBENT

  38. Dorsal Recumbent Position

  39. Trendelenburg Position • Trendelenburg position • Used to increase blood flow to the head and brain • Patient lies in the horizontal position • The head is lower than the feet • Commonly used when a patient is in shock

  40. Trendelenburg Position

  41. Jackknife Position • Mainly used for rectal surgery • Patient is in prone position • Table is elevated at the center so that the rectal area is at a higher elevation • Special table is required for this position • Draping as indicated

  42. Sims Lateral Position • Used for simple rectal exams, enemas, and other rectal treatments • Patient lies on the left side • Left are is extended behind the back • Head turned to the side • Right arm is in front of the patient and elbow is bent • Left leg is slightly bent • Right leg is bent sharply at the knee and brought into the abdomen • Drape the patient accordingly

  43. Fowlers Position • Used to help facilitate breathing, receive distress, encourage drainage and exam the head, neck & chest • Patient lies on their back • Legs flat and slightly bent • Drape the patient for privacy • Head is in one of three different elevations • Low fowler- 25 degree angle • Semi-fowlers- 45 degree angle • High fowlers- 90 degree angle

  44. Fowlers Position

  45. Knee- Chest Position • Used for rectal exams • Patient rests on the body weight • Arms are flexed slightly at the elbows and extended above the head • Knees are slightly separated and the thighs are at the right angles to the table

  46. Knee Chest Position

  47. Tips • REMEMBER • to use good body mechanics while positioning patients to protect yourself as well as the patient!!

  48. 20:3 Screening for Vision Problems • Vision screening tests • Types of Snellen charts • Interpretation of readings on Snellen chart • Snellen chart tests only for defects in distant vision • Nearsightedness or myopia (continues)

More Related