As obesity rates increase in the UK with 28% of adults being obese and 36% being overweight, one of the things we have started to consider as part of our first aid training is bariatric needs. The term bariatric when used in a medical setting refers to the treatment, prevention and causes of obesity. When we talk about the bariatric considerations we are referring to how we are factoring obese patients when providing care.

What are the additional considerations?

There are several things we need to consider when treating obese patients as it can impact the care we provide, how we provide it and the logistics of what we do.

Lifting is one of the biggest considerations as you must ensure that you do not injure yourself whilst providing first aid. You should always ensure that you are not putting undue strain on yourself and that you seek support in lifting a person if required or wait for professional support.

When conducting resuscitation increased effort may be required to perform chest compressions and a change in posture may be needed. You may also tire more quickly performing resuscitation so seek support so that you can change over if required.

In the event of a choking incident and abdominal thrusts being impossible to conduct, you should start by carrying out five back blows followed by chest thrusts using the heels of both hands on the sternum and doing a quick inward thrust.

People who have obesity are more likely to suffer from increased breathing difficulties and heart conditions, so it is worth monitoring anyone you are treating for any signs of issues with their breathing or heart.

Another thing that you may need to consider is how the patient may be feeling as they may be feeling embarrassed about their size or having to expose themselves, and they may have anxiety about being moved or lifted. It is important to reassure them and try to maintain their dignity and privacy whilst you treat them.

If you need to contact the emergency services for support you should inform them that the patient is larger/bariatric so that they can provide appropriate transport for them.

You also need to ensure that you are prepared and that your first aid supplies cater for people of all sizes by regularly reviewing your supplies and checking that you have a variety of products sizes as well as a fully stocked kit.

If you need to refresh your first aid training, get in touch and we will help you find the most suitable training solution for your needs.