Evaluation of nurse assessment of a patient's weight status at the time of hospital admission

Abstract

The incidence of overweight and obesity is a rapidly growing health concern. The effects of these conditions are worldwide and have reached epidemic proportions here in the U.S. The results of the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) show that approximately 64% of the adult population in the U.S. is either overweight or obese. It is well noted that individuals who are overweight or obese often experience the effects of chronic health conditions as a result of their weight. Subsequently, these individuals often require more frequent visits to various types of health care facilities, including hospitals. During health care visits, a patient’s height and weight are obtained for various medical purposes. Few studies have evaluated the accuracy of a nurse’s assessment of a patient’s weight status. This two-part study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of the admitting nurse’s accuracy in evaluating a patients weight status, if a nurse’s perception of their own weight status agrees with their own BMI and if there is a correlation between the admitting nurse’s BMI and perceived patient care. This portion of the study attempts to evaluate the accuracy of the admitting nurse’s evaluation of a patient’s weight status. Eighty-four medical records from a western Wisconsin hospital were obtained and evaluated to determine if the admitting nurse accurately classified the patient as underweight, normal weight or overweight. Results of this study indicate that a significant number of patients were incorrectly categorized as normal weight when they were actually either underweight or overweight. The results of this study will be evaluated in conjunction with the second part of the study in an attempt to determine if there is a correlation between the nurse’s perceptions of patient care, their own weight and how they assess a patient’s weight. Additionally, further research is needed to more accurately determine probable causes of these inaccuracies as well as feasible solutions to the problem.