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Patient scales that are positioned under the hospital bed by lifting the bed off the floor so that the wheels rest on the scale transducers (load cells). Underbed scales may have a weighing capacity of up to 600 kg (1,300 lb) and an accuracy of 100 g (0.25 lb). These scales typically consist of a platform with ramps to roll the bed onto the transducers; the transducers are connected to a separate control and display unit. Most underbed scales are electronic; the changes that occur in the current passing through the strain gauges are electronically processed and displayed as weight. Other scales use mechanical or electromechanical techniques. Underbed scales are used for constant monitoring of nonambulatory patient weight when small changes are critically important, such as in hemodialysis or for severe burn trauma, thus eliminating the risk of pain or injury in these critically ill patients.
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