Removing Vest restraints from our policy

[Twiget]

Our nursing director is requesting we removed vest restraints from our policy/procedure. I am looking at what other hosptials alternatives for restrainting a patient without using vest restraints?

Twidget

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Hi Twidget and Welcome to Allnurses!

:hrns&wlcm:

Our hospital has a policy to use roll belts or wrist restraints and/or sitters. Of course, there are protocols to follow regarding the decision to use any restraint and very strict documentation is needed.

Here's another link to a thread you might find helpful:

Does your facility still use Vest Restraints

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I haven't seen a vest restraint in 15 years, I didn't know they were being used anywhere. Our hospital uses a posey sitter, which is a type of bed alarm. We only use restraints in an ICU setting if someone is intubated or something along those lines, and then it's only wrist retraints, generally.

[YellowFinchFan]

Our nursing director is requesting we removed vest restraints from our policy/procedure. I am looking at what other hosptials alternatives for restrainting a patient without using vest restraints?

Twidget

We use posey vests still....wrist restraints...or even Mitts (open ended or closed) to keep patient's from pulling out catheters/IV's,masks etc)

We have also started using 'sitters' too - but it's not always possible (staff unavailable) or practical

I prefer posey's over wrist because they have the freedom to move their arms/hands but just less likely to fall out of bed/chair (though we've had houdinis who managed this too)

[Christie RN2006]

For our confused patients we start with using a bed alarm, if that doesn't work, then we use a waist restraint. For our intubated patients and those that like to pull things out, we use wrist restraints. Occasionally we will use mitts. One time I had a patient that was so violent that we had to use wrist, waist, and ankle restraints... and he pulled so hard against them that he gave himself rug burn and bent parts of the bed!?! I couldn't wait to get out of there that day!!

[MelBel]

We use poseys quite frequently (I work acute geriatrics). The best (and only alternative I see!) is having a sitter 24 hours a day. If someone needs a posey, that is because the bed alarm, etc isn't working for that person. Sometimes we have a hard time getting restraint orders, but we also can't get sitters because the hospital won't pay anyone to sit.

I hope your facility is willing to pay sitters if they are taking away restraints because I know a lot of our patients would fall without one of the two!

[Mulan]

We still use vest restraints.

[Burnt Out, ASN, RN]

We still use vest restraints at my facility as far as I know (on medical leave at the moment).