Weighing an individual that is not able to simply step onto a scale requires adaptations.
Most rehabilitation centers will have equipment that is able to weigh a disabled patient. These include patient lifts that measure the load on them, and wheelchair scales that can be driven upon.
Accurately weighing an individual using a wheelchair scale requires weighing the wheelchair with the individual in it, and then again with the individual taken out of it. The weight of the individual is the difference between these two measurements.
Danger zone: weighing a patient with a ceiling lift
A patient can be weighed at home using a ceiling lift, and a hanging scale. Extreme caution should be taken when using this approach.
Follow all precautions below when weighing a patient using a hanging scale with a ceiling lift.
- A ceiling lift where the strap used to lift the patient is below the trolly on the ceiling track, and above the lifter mechanism.
- A hanging scale in good condition, and that has a weight rating significantly higher than the expected weight of the patient.
- Multiple people should be present in case the hanging scale fails. One person should be in charge of making sure that the lifting device does not fall down on the patient. Another should protect the patient's head.
- The patient should be only slightly airborne above a suitable surface (such as a bed) where they could crash-land with minimal chance of injury.
- Remove the lifter from the ceiling track.
- Install the hanging scale in between the trolley on the ceiling track, and the carabiner on the ceiling lift.
- With the patient resting on a surface that is suitable to crash-land on, sling the patient.
- Using support people, have one person spotting the patient lifter and make sure that it does not land on the patient if the hanging scale were to break. Another person should be monitoring and protecting the patient's head.
- Lift the patient using the lifter as normal.
- Stop raising the patient once they have lost all the contact with the supporting surface.
- Observe the reading on the hanging scale.
- Lower the patient back down to the surface.
- Uninstall the hanging scale, and reinstall the ceiling lifter to the ceiling lift track.