Every year the number of patients with morbid obesity entering the intensive care unit increases. Due to the comorbidities that are often present, the medical complications and increased mortality rates faced by this patient population are staggering. As a patient becomes more clinically unstable, mobility and nutritional status deteriorate, and the interventions that are intended to help can lead to further complications. Meeting the challenges of providing safe and highly effective care to this population must become a focus for nursing and hospital administrations.
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