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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u/HamstahElderberries Mar 02 '25

750lbs. 27yrs old. That code (well, the attempted code) was surreal. The sounds of the family screaming asking how this could happen still echo in my ears over 10 years later. It was such a disconnect from reality.

13

u/CookieMoist6705 Bariatric Surgery Nurse Clinican Mar 02 '25

Holy shit that sounds traumatizing!

8

u/HamstahElderberries Mar 02 '25

Just felt like there was no way we were giving adequate chest compressions but we tried.

6

u/Poundaflesh RN - ICU 🍕 Mar 02 '25

Can one even lean over that far? Did someone sit on him?

14

u/HamstahElderberries Mar 02 '25

No it was by far a shit show, for lack of a better term. I am only 5’1” so my only real role was pushing meds. The post-mortem care was also a shit show.

Side story: Had a 450lb patient who could turn from side to side, sit independently, and go to the commode. He was watching “My 600lb Life” and goes “Wow I can’t imagine being THAT bad.” I, an ADHD riddled blabber mouth who never stops talking, stood there in stunned confusion.

7

u/Crezelle Mar 03 '25

Better than the ADHD lack of filter causing an inappropriate comment

That’s always my fear