weight restrictions

["Michel Hall Wofford" <michel@kc.rr.com>]

> The safety committee for our program is looking at an issue that we would
> like some input about from the list members:
> 1.  We fly a BK117 and our stretcher has a 400# weight limit.
> 2.  We have been faced with heavy patients lately who deny weighing more
> than 400#, who clearly look like they weigh more than that, and no way to
> weigh them as well as requesting agencies who know our stretcher limits
and
> tend to "fudge" a little on patient weights.
> 3.  Several stretchers have been found broken (stress fractures, etc.)
after
> these flights.
> 4.  Not only is there a weight (safety) issue to consider here but also a
> patient care issue (space, pt. access, how to turn down a flight after
> arrival at the requesting agency when the patient is clearly more than
400#
> and insisting he/she is not, etc.)--how do other programs out there handle
> similar situations?
> Thanks!
> Michel Hall Wofford, RN
> LifeFlight Eagle, KCMO
>