• C M Fernandes, S Clark, A Price, and G Innes.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC. cfernand@unixg.ubc.ca
• Can Fam Physician. 1999 Oct 1; 45: 2373-6.

ObjectiveTo assess the accuracy of estimates of patients' weight made by physicians, nurses, and patients themselves in emergency departments.DesignObservational prospective study.SettingTertiary referral centre in Vancouver, BC.ParticipantsEleven attending physicians, 26 nurses, and a convenience sample of 117 patients.InterventionsPatients themselves, attending physicians, and nurses independently estimated the weight of 117 patients. An investigator weighed each patient.Main Outcome MeasuresMean error was determined by subtracting actual weight from estimated weight and dividing by actual weight; 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.ResultsMean error in estimates was 3.1% (95% CI 2.7 to 3.5) for patients, 8.4% for nurses (CI 7.6 to 9.2), and 8.1% (CI 7.1 to 9.1) for physicians. Weight was estimated within 5% of actual weight by 32% of nurses, 39% of physicians, and 82% of patients. Weight was estimated within 10% of actual weight by 66% of nurses, 66% of physicians, and 97% of patients. Estimates out by more than 15% were made by 11% of nurses, 16% of physicians, and 1% of patients.ConclusionsPatient estimates were most accurate. Physician and nurse estimates were unreliable.

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