The Safe Patient Handling Needs of a Bariatric Patient: One Size Does Not Fit All

This case study will describe the journey of a patient admitted to an urban, tertiary medical center for bariatric surgery and the unexpected challenges encountered by the clinical staff in caring for him. Despite having awell-established bariatric surgical program, it took only one patient who deviated from the “norm” to cause thestaff to reexamine the way that bariatric patients are cared for in the facility, particularly with regard to their mobility and safe patient handling needs. The lessons learned from this experience and the patient’s own perspective have enabled a more informed approach to how bariatric patients are cared for throughout the hospital and led to an adjustment of protocols in this area of practice.

Delmore B, Stolfi A, Garritan SL, Fischer MG, Chu AS, Suggs B, Sohan N

Keywords: safe patient handling, bariatrics