[varon]

"It has to do with patient comfort and safety ... and for patient dignity," said Byrne, who performs bariatric surgery on obese patients who can weigh as much as 1,200 pounds.

At 1,200 pounds (or other whalish sum), dignity should be the least of that person's worries.

[WellsFargo94]

At 1,200 pounds (or other whalish sum), dignity should be the least of that person's worries.

Yeah, I'd say they lost the "dignity" thing hundreds of pounds earlier.

[Judith Anne]

I've had several patients, male and female, who were morbidly obese. The hygiene issues are unbelievable. In addition, all of them, without exception, were very demanding. Just to get them to roll over so they can use a bedpan can be, to put it mildly, difficult.

It's my experience that they wanted to be waited on hand and foot all day. Staff was strained mentally as well as physically. Skin breakdown was already present when most of them came in. There were no hospital gowns that fit. It's hard to find a vein for IV meds.

Other nurses may have different experiences, more positive ones. I'd be glad to hear another point of view.

Oh--and one more thing--they tend to break beds, scales, wheelchairs, etc.