Weight Monitoring Regimen
Once the diagnosis of congestive
heart failure has been verified, residents are placed on a weight regimen
by the nursing staff. Residents are
weighed three times per week until
their weight has been evaluated as
stable, defined as a weight gain 2
lb for three measurements. After
their weight has been determined to
be stable, residents are weighed
weekly. Residents with a weight
increase 2 lb receive a standardized
nursing assessment. The assessment
includes auscultation for breath
sounds that do not clear with coughing
as well as evaluation for:
● Shortness of breath.
● Inability to breathe while lying
flat.
● Fatigue.
● Night cough.
● Fluid in the legs.
● Change in vital signs.
Residents’ physicians are called if
the nursing assessment findings
after a 2-lb weight gain were positive
or if the nursing assessment
findings were negative but the
weight gain was 4 lb. If the physician’s
response is appropriate, the
resident should improve and hospitalization
should be prevented