Callan

To go back tot he gal who was questioning the need for restraints with someone in withdrawal, seizures, etc. We have, at times, had severe heroin withdrawal patients who are so confused and thrashing about while they have a peripheral line in for hydration purposes. We have, on the medical floors, restraint protocols. We do not have any in the psych unit. I fsomeone is at risk for harm to themselves-ie, pulling out a line, the doc orders a protocol. \ On the AODA unit, we use soft posey wrist restraints for the severe heroin withdrawals. We do not restrain for those going in DT's. We have a staff member with them all the time. (We must justify staffing, too!) If the folks are adequately medicated to be free of these withdrawal effects, you should see a decrease in theses symptoms. For those of you who treat heroin withdrawal, it can be nasty! With the new HCFA rulings on restraints, we do see a decrease in the # of restraints on my unit for mental health. Planning ahead is the best intervention!!-even if it means staffing up. Administration must be supportive of this as well.