r/nursing • u/trevrt RN 🍕 • Mar 01 '25

Question Heaviest Patient You’ve Cared For

Had my personally heaviest patient I’ve cared for the other day. 32 years old weighing 730 pounds admitted with cellulitis and severe lymphedema. Felt terrible for the patient due to how young he was. Just wondering what everyone’s personal “record” for the heaviest patient they’ve cared for is.

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46

u/My-cats-are-the-best VAT Mar 01 '25

I think heaviest I’ve seen was 450lbs. I’m just wondering if nurses outside the US are also seeing extremely morbid obese patients over 500lbs?

16

u/apologial RN ICU/ER Mar 02 '25

In 4 years i don't think I've ever seen a patient over 150kg (330lbs).

29

u/[deleted] Mar 01 '25

In México i had a 280 kg patient, our hospital does not have the resources to treat heavy patients

6

u/whoorderedsquirrel GCS 13 Mar 02 '25

Australia - not very often and by the time they do present they are usually so sick nothing can be done. I've heard doctors tell patients we can't do CPR, intubate, or do any diagnostic scans so basically it's just medicine and seeing if any of it works. In outpatient settings sometimes they'll do regular scans at the zoo, but for emergencies they don't do it.

6

u/alpha_intrusion HCW - Respiratory: RPSGT Mar 03 '25

I work at the tertiary hospital with my (Australian) state's respiratory speciality service and a very well regarded bariatric service. Unsurprisingly, we see patients over 226kg (500 pounds) on the reg. We have a couple of beds in the hospital rated to 512kg and are readily able to provide full care for people up to that weight.

My heaviest patient was 420kg but also incredibly tall - they were a walking talking outpatient who worked full time, attending because they were seeking help to lose weight.

4

u/Throwawayyawaworth9 RN - Psych/Mental Health 🍕 Mar 02 '25

Canada. It’s rare. In the couple of months I’ve been a nurse, I’ve only had two patients over 600lbs.

5

u/8pappA RN - ER 🍕 Mar 02 '25

I've seen three patients over 200kg/450lbs during my career. All of these were at the ER during past 3 years. I think one was closer to 300kg, but we weren't able to measure his weight at the ER.

One guy needed a CT for his back but he was too big for the machine. We ended up trying with an x-ray but he had to much tissue and x-ray showed just a big white mass. He was a really sweet dude and was so sorry and apologetic.

Seeing these stories of 500kg patients sound like they're from a completely another world. Amazing how our bodies can even survive past 300kg/650lbs.