as opposed to an obese patient — can go a long way toward making
patients feel comfortable, at-ease and ultimately satisfied with the care
you provide. Obesity isn't a character flaw, it's a disease. Make sure
your staff always treats it that way.
Your entire care team should understand the stigma that's involved
in being an overweight patient — and why this stigma can prevent
people from getting the life-changing care they need. Sensitivity train-
ing is one option. Making sure your facility is outfitted to make high-
BMI patients comfortable — oversized chairs in the waiting room,
adequately sized gowns and blood pressure cuffs, and surgical tables
designed to hold larger patients — is another. But even the smallest
gestures can do wonders, so encourage your staff to look at the surgi-
cal experience through the patient's eyes.
Ms. Pate now appreciates that expression on a literal level. "One of
the last things I remembered before the anesthesia took effect was a
nurse holding my hand and rubbing my arm," Ms. Pate says. "That's
why I always make it a point to hold my patients' hands when they're
drifting off to sleep."
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