Opinions and Experiences with Patient Restraints?

[jax14]

Hello! I'm doing a group presentation in nursing school and we've been assigned the topic of "The Use of Patient Restraints". We're just beginning our research (we were assigned the topic today) and our presentation is on December 3 - so we have a good amount of time. We thought it'd be interesting to get the perspective of the experienced nurses of allnurses.com! Anything you can share with us would be so helpful - from your own experiences, your own hospital's policy regarding restraints, your opinion about them, things you've observed, etc. We've only done one clinical rotation so far and none of us have any personal experience with restraints so we'd really like to hear some first-hand accounts. Thank you in advance!

[LouisVRN, RN]

All 4 side rails and mitts are both restraints, I would agree with the nurse who told you that you need a doctors order.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I mean we ARE responsible for his care and if we run into a code situation and those guard goons are so clueless sometimes would they even know to take the cuffs off? Why don't WE have a key?

If I had to do a paper, I think I'd have to consider this for a topic.

meredith

This post expresses a disturbing lack of respect for corrections officers who are equally responsible for the security of those inmates.

I suggest that some experience, and observation of inmates who consider a hospital stay provided by the county/state/federal government to be a play vacation from their sentence, may cause you to reflect differently on this topic.

[jax14]

I would just like to thank all of you who have responded to this post so far! Right now in our research we are just exploring the overall topic and this has given a wonderful start. We haven't chosen exactly what to focus on for our final presentation but your comments have been incredibly helpful to get some ideas/conversations going. We welcome all information people feel like sharing about any form of restraints, any opinions, any experiences, etc. Anything you'd like to share. Thank you all very much for your help so far :)

[Flying ICU RN]

I was going to be funny and post an image of Hannibal Lecter in his famous restraint, when I came across this image of how bad it can actually get in real life. Now mind you, this is a law enforcement situation, but it speaks volumes as to just how deep and dark the human psyche can go.

In ICU, we routinely use restraints as a protocol to "protect medically necessary devices", IE E.T. tube, chest tubes, swans, whatever may cause the patient significant harm if violently extracted. We would not see behavioral restraints as such a patient is likely not yet critical enough to require our services.

[Flying ICU RN]

As per my preceding post, I wonder how this may look on my brother-in-law?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[Flying ICU RN]

You should also discuss the fact that there are two disciplines whereby an individuals right to freedom of movement can be legally restricted, medicine and law enforcement.

There is a commonality in the doctrine of protecting the individual from self harm (behavioral protocol) as well as protecting others from violence. However, the threshold for initiation I imagine must be different.

It would be a supposition on my part, but I would suspect that in the law enforcement arena, any duly deputized or sworn officer may initiate restraints much as an RN may do so as well. However where a MD order is required for continuation of such, I would again surmise that higher authority is required for a continuation of restraint in law enforcement as well.