Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM
Title 173 - CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
Chapter 7 - SCHOOL HEALTH SCREENING, PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND VISUAL EVALUATION
Attachment 173-7-2F - WEIGHT/HEIGHT STATUS SCREENING COMPETENCIES

COMPETENCY

KEY POINTS AND PRECAUTIONS

1. Assure students' privacy needs are met.

A cubicle or stall-style approach to provide visual privacy is suggested. Making a line for students to stand behind while waiting helps reduce crowding and teasing around the scale Avoid statements about a student's weight that others will be able to hear.

2. Assemble equipment and prepare environment for measurements.

3. Assure scale balances correctly at "0" pounds, or scale shows "0" when empty.

4. Stadiometer is correctly placed with "0" at floor level

5. Students remove shoes and heavy outer clothing prior to measurement.

Excessive shoes and excessive clothing will affect accuracy of measurement.

Errors in measurement can have a larger effect on accuracy than expected.

6. For weight measurement, student stands in center of weighing platform, bearing full weight equally on both feet, no shoes.

7. Measure weight in pounds to nearest quarter pound ( 0.25).

8. For height measurement, student stands straight and looking straight ahead with back touching stadiometer surface.

Measurement surface touching student's head should be at least 3" wide. Press down sufficiently to flatten hair on top of head. Have student look straight ahead, ears in (horizontal) line with nose.

9. Immediately recheck height. If second measure is not within ¼" (.25 ") of first measure, recheck a third time.

Accurately measure height in inches to nearest ¼ ( 0.25)".

10. Record results.

11. Carry out rescreen and notification procedures per local school practice/policy.

See guidelines for more information. Aggregate information about weight/height status of students may be useful for evaluating School Wellness Policies, or contributing to community-level efforts to promote healthy living.