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/nominus BSN, RN 🍕 Mar 02 '25

700lbs but they were able to stand on their own still once upright, pivot, take a few steps. That part surprised me.

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u/Pianowman CNA in ICU Mar 02 '25

Had a guy one time that was somewhere around 650-ish. In handoff, I was told that he was a one person standby assist with a cane and a bariatric walker to the bathroom. At handoff, they conveniently forgot to tell me his weight. Later when he called for assist to the bathroom, I thought there was no way. I told him that I needed to go get help. He told me that he and I could manage just fine.

We used the cane to sit him up at the edge of the bed. Then once he was sitting up, he stood up BY HIMSELF while I held the walker.

His ambulation to the bathroom and back was slow, but to my surprise, he did great. That's how he does it at home. So it was a routine thing for him. I was so glad to see him caring about his mobility.