Restraints: Info. on Proper Use, Where to Look

[colleen10]

Hi everyone,

I am writing in the hopes that someone can direct me to a good source of information regarding the use of restraints on patients. I'm looking for any good articles or maybe something on the internet but I'm not sure where to look. I don't even want to tell you what comes up with a Google search on "restraints".

Basically, I'm looking for information on how, as a nurse, you can properly assess a patient to see if they require a restraint, what type of restraint, how to legally go about getting a restraint. I know that JCAHO is really strict on this subject.

All my nursing books say is that you need a doctors order and they have to be removed q2hours and need to be reordered after 24. It doesn't give any information as to how to professionally "make that call" that the patient requires them.

I'm not asking as part of a paper or anything. I recently had a patient that required chemical and physical restraints but probably should have had them a lot sooner than she did.

Any leads or ideas are welcome.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Look on the JCAHO site.

Also in my mind restraint/vest = Posey so:

http://www.posey.com/index.html

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Colleen,

The hospital(s) where you're in clinicals are sure to have very clear policies/practices regarding the use of restraints - ask to read the policy manual. I've found all sorts of *interesting* policies by reading the patient care guidelines manuals - there's all sorts of info in all those binders at the nurses station! :)