Accuracy of Height Measurement in the Inpatient Setting.

Abstract

Accurate height measurement is critical for accurate dosing of medications, mechanical ventilation, and nutritional calculations. Prior research has identified inaccuracies with self-reported height, and height is notably important to measure accurately in critically ill patients. In this study, conducted in a large tertiary academic medical center, medical records rarely indicated the method of height measurement, and there were statistically significant variations in measured height across admissions.