Any ideas on how to keep their pants up?

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Greetings!

I work in an Adolescent acute setting and I'm having trouble with what might seem like a small thing, but in a co-ed setting it could have some consequences.

Obviously we need to remove belts etc to make sure they stay safe. Problem is, when we do that, we end up spending all shift telling the boys to pull up their pants. I've seen some interesting patterns of boxers.

Has anyone come up with a solution? I'm thinking about trying to make some velcro straps to pull through belt loops but I wonder if cutters could get a hold of them and use the teeth for self harm.

In a perfect world I'd have them all in the ugliest sweat you could find to solve this problem and maybe even cut down on the flirting between patients. (Don't get me started on the "joys" of co-ed floors)

Any ideas would really be appreciated.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Lol I've got boys and girls together also and we use patient bracelets between belt loops although just because you have a solution doesn't mean you will be able to make them use it. You know underpants showing is the in thing, right? :D

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Underpants showing may be the current "fashion statement," but we do not permit it on our inpatient kids' unit (just as we don't permit many other things they're allowed to do out in the community). :) On our unit we use a glove (the regular exam gloves we keep on hand) -- just loop the glove through two belt loops and knot it (or do a glove on each side if the pants are really loose) in order to keep the pants up.

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You know underpants showing is the in thing, right? :D

Don't I know it. It's one thing to have them sag...it's another thing to see the bottom of their "drawers", then some skin, THEN their waist band.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

We use self-locking plastic ties like the ones you'd use to keep wires bundled together. To minimize the risk of self-harm, we don't hand it to a patient to put on; instead, we put it on for them, and then cut off the extra length.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

We used to link rubber bands together between two adjacent belt loops.

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Specializes in Psychiatry (PMHNP), Family (FNP).

Hi

Has anyone tried velcro? Would rip apart if used for hanging... its cheap too!

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